The fair has not backed down since cowboy hat-wearing organizers announced the new policy at a news conference last week.
The fair, which reopens in September and lasts for nearly a month, dates back to 1886.
The city owns Fair Park, where the annual fair takes place; Paxton argued that gun owners can carry on property owned or leased by the government unless otherwise prohibited by state law.
She also noted that 200 uniformed and armed Dallas police officers and fair safety team members will be patrolling the fairgrounds.
The fair, he said, speaks to Texans’ desire to emphasize the state’s rural cowboy heritage and being on the cutting edge of technology.
Before millions of people enter the State Fair of Texas to enjoy deep-fried treats, corn dogs, and a wave from Big Tex, a five-story cowboy, a new rule has been established: guns are not permitted.
Republicans in Congress, who have recently proudly supported the expansion of gun rights in Texas, are outraged by the decision made by the fair organizers, which follows a shooting on the 277-acre (112-hectare) fairgrounds in the center of Dallas last year. The state’s attorney general issued a lawsuit threat on Wednesday, demanding that the fair change its ways.
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a statement saying, “Dallas has fifteen days to resolve the issue; if not, I will see them in court.”. “.
In Texas, there have always been conflicts regarding the permissible locations and methods for gun owners to carry their weapons in public, but the current standoff with one of the most cherished institutions in the state has taken the conflict to new ground. Since the announcement of the new policy last week at a press conference by organizers donning cowboy hats, the fair has not backtracked.
Reopening in September, the nearly month-long fair has been around since 1886. Apart from a convoluted array of midway games, vehicle exhibits and the Texas Star Ferris wheel – among the tallest in the U.S. S. — The University of Texas and University of Oklahoma’s yearly college football rivalry is held at the fairgrounds. And when Big Tex, the imposing cowboy who welcomes visitors to the fair, reappeared in 2012, it was welcomed with great fanfare following his 2012 electrical short explosion.
However, last year’s festivities were tempered by a shooting close to the lines of food booths.
According to investigators, three persons were hurt when one man opened fire on another, prompting police to clear the fairgrounds. Social media videos showed crowds of people fleeing by running up sidewalks and scaling barriers.
Fair spokesperson Karissa Condoianis defended the new policy on Wednesday and said it has received “both praise and criticism.”. She pointed out that even after almost all other public gatherings stopped permitting gun owners to carry concealed weapons, the fair continued to permit such behavior. “.
“Going forward, this is the right decision to ensure a safe environment and family-friendly atmosphere,” Condoianis declared.
In a letter signed by over 70 legislators, Republicans urged the fair to reevaluate, claiming that the ban was “anything but a celebration of Texas” and that it made the fairgrounds less secure. “.
Paxton contended that the prohibition violates Texas gun owners’ rights in a different letter addressed to the City of Dallas. Paxton contended that gun owners are allowed to carry on property owned or leased by the government unless specifically forbidden by state law. The annual fair is held in Fair Park, which is owned by the city.
Paxton’s letter was being reviewed, a city spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday, and they “will respond accordingly.”. “.
The fair, a private, non-profit organization, “is not a government entity nor is it controlled by a government entity,” according to Condoanis’ statement on Wednesday. She informed the city that they are aware of Paxton’s letter to the latter, stating that it seems he is “seeking clarification” regarding the use of Fair Park by the city in accordance with the terms of the long-term lease for the fair.
Condoianis disagreed as well, claiming that the ban doesn’t make the fair any less safe and that it’s more like the regulations at big community events like concerts and sporting events. The speaker additionally mentioned that the fairgrounds will be patrolled by 200 uniformed and armed Dallas police officers along with members of the fair safety team. On its website, the fair stated that visitors must pass a screening procedure in order to enter.
Brian Franklin, associate director of Southern Methodist University’s Center for Presidential History in Dallas, described the fair as a “microcosm of the kind of mystique that comes with Texas.”. According to him, the fair reflects Texans’ wish to highlight their state’s rural cowboy heritage and technological innovation.
“There are exhibits about technology and the most amazing new cars in the hall. You can also go see the show cows,” he said. “.
