# Will the 2016 Republican Convention be a gun free zone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 17, 2016, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325 "2016-03-17T22:20:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/21 "2016-03-19T01:27:14Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > But why would the Republicans patronise an anti-gun arena? To be consistent with their principles, shouldn’t they have insisted on hiring a venue that was **fun** -friendly? Bolding mine. That may be the best typo of the day in any forum. Assuming it was a typo.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/22 "2016-03-19T01:35:41Z")
> [@j666](#): > > They look like there are slots in the barrel. I find them faintly disturbing. > > But, my, their rifles are pretty, aren’t they? The Rhinos’ active position in the cylinder is on the bottom. So the barrel is at the bottom below those slots which carry the sighting rail along the top. Looks a bit weird, but probably works really good to reduce muzzle flip during repeated fire. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/23 "2016-03-19T02:25:06Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The Rhinos’ active position in the cylinder is on the bottom. So the barrel is at the bottom below those slots which carry the sighting rail along the top. > > Looks a bit weird, but probably works really good to reduce muzzle flip during repeated fire. Yes, I know. They also look like that part slopes downward, so to aim you’d have to tilt the barrel up. Definitely disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/24 "2016-03-19T13:50:13Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Guns were banned from the 2012 Republican convention, but GOP candidates this election season have been roundly ridiculing gun free zones as sitting ducks for terrorists. > > So are they going to change that policy, or will they continue to say one thing and do another? > > For the record, I am quite sure it is the latter, as they have [banned guns from nearly all conservative or republican events](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/08/25/3694369/conservative-gun-free-zones/) for the last four years, including: > > Conservative Political Conferences (PACs) > George W. Bush Presidential Library > Trump Hotels And Golf Courses > GOP Town Halls > GOP Presidential Campaign Stops > GOP Debates > GOP-controlled Congress > > Yet they insist that schools should not be able to ban guns. Somebody should bust them on this. I don’t know if there is an armed security presence at these places but the caveat to gun free zones argument is if there is armed security there. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/25 "2016-03-19T13:55:49Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > But why would the Republicans patronise an anti-gun arena? To be consistent with their principles, shouldn’t they have insisted on hiring a venue that was fun-friendly? Insurance. There are very few large locations in the U.S. that could get insurance if they permitted guns. Probably none the size to hold the RNC. There will be plenty of guns on the street - is Ohio concealed carry? (Google, yes, Ohio is, and has reciprocity: [Concealed Carry Reciprocity Agreements - Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost](http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Law-Enforcement/Concealed-Carry/Concealed-Carry-Reciprocity-Agreements)) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/26 "2016-03-19T15:27:55Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > [QUOTE=Northern Piper] > > But why would the Republicans patronise an anti-gun arena? To be consistent with their principles, shouldn’t they have insisted on hiring a venue that was **fun** -friendly? Bolding mine. That may be the best typo of the day in any forum. Assuming it was a typo.🙂 [/QUOTE] I think whether it is a fun-friendly convention depends on: 1. whether it turns into a brokered convention; and, 2. whether one thinks that is a good thing or not. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/27 "2016-03-19T15:57:41Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Obviously American-Made to show patriotism; but I would otherwise suggest those sweet little Chiappa Rhinos, which are discreet, well-fashioned like most Italian arms, relatively inexpensive, innovative, and utterly bonkers to look at. Just did an image search. Omg why aren’t those guns in more movies?! They also make triple barrel shotguns! Come on Hollywood! ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/28 "2016-03-19T16:54:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Laced with cocaine, crystal meth and LSD. I think that this is terribly short sighted. Oxycodone NEEDS to be on the list. Rush Limbaugh is a Republican Too, ya know… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/29 "2016-03-20T02:01:01Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > I think that this is terribly short sighted. Oxycodone NEEDS to be on the list. > Rush Limbaugh is a Republican Too, ya know… Yes. A proper host always takes his/her guests’ preferences into account when setting the menu. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/30 "2016-03-20T04:12:50Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > As much fun as it is to imagine a Mexican standoff between Trump, Cruz and Jeb!, the Quicken Loans Arena has a [“no weapons of any kind” policy.](http://www.theqarena.com/arena-info/policies) And they’re brazen about it, too, trying to justify it right upfront by saying that “creating a safe and secure environment for all of our guests and employees is a high priority at Quicken Loans Arena”. That’s downright un-American! Don’t these commie wimps realize that _ **more guns** _ makes you safer? Nothing says “safety” like volleys of gunfire from suddenly startled drunken stressed-out Republican septuagenarians. That’s an article of faith with Quicken’s convention clients. Have they never heard of the Second Amendment, which Uncle Scalia determined gives every hillbilly yokel the absolute constitutional right to be armed to the teeth at all times? God-fearing gun-loving Republicans must boycott this un-American travesty until they let everyone and his dog bring in as many guns as he and his dog wants, so they can be safe. I don’t even understand how they could have a contested convention without guns, if it comes to that. Or what if they have some other disagreements? Not only have the commie peaceniks at Quicken Loans made the delegates unsafe, by banning guns they’ve also eliminated the quintessential American dispute resolution mechanism. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/31 "2016-03-20T04:16:02Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Insurance. There are very few large locations in the U.S. that could get insurance if they permitted guns. Probably none the size to hold the RNC. Why hasn’t the free market solved this issue? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/32 "2016-03-20T04:21:50Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Why hasn’t the free market solved this issue? No one is willing to pull the trigger on that segment. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/33 "2016-03-20T06:09:13Z")
FWIW I spotted this bit when I was reading an article that I linked to in another thread. It was about curmudgeon Republican Mike Murphy who is one important political consultant that failed to stop the Trump racket. [http://www.weeklystandard.com/debriefing-mike-murphy/article/2001632](http://www.weeklystandard.com/debriefing-mike-murphy/article/2001632) > [@](#): > > Murphy watches Trump get that much closer to walking off with his party, and maybe even his country if nobody takes Trump out at an open convention. > > He refuses to use the words “brokered convention,” since “there really aren’t many brokers anymore besides Mark Levin.” Murphy’s certainly up for one, as he is sick of our sanitized infomercial conventions anyway. Being a student of political history, he pines for the days when there were no primaries. “You’d just pack a quart of liquor, a revolver, and go to the convention.” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/34 "2016-03-20T11:52:18Z")
That explains so much. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/35 "2016-03-20T13:36:58Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Why hasn’t the free market solved this issue? Big convention centers are usually owned by cities. Cities do not want to go bankrupt if they get sued, so they carry insurance. They can’t be insured if they permit guns in the convention centers. I believe gun shows are usually held in smaller private venues - like a convention center attached to a hotel. Someone will certainly correct me if I’m wrong. If you have the sign and take the effort to search, you’ve reduced your liability, You couldn’t do it at the RNC even if you found a place to hold it - the Secret Service would never permit guns in a place where the possible next president is an easy target during his speeches. (And there is probably a little Xanax being taken around the Dept of Treasury right now over this), ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/36 "2016-03-20T13:51:40Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > They can’t be insured if they permit guns in the convention centers. But they’d be \*safer \*if they did. Or so we keep getting told. > [@](#): > > You couldn’t do it at the RNC even if you found a place to hold it - the Secret Service would never permit guns in a place where the possible next president is an easy target during his speeches. You mean all those Good Guys With Guns wouldn’t stop a Bad Guy even faster than the Secret Service? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/37 "2016-03-20T15:11:59Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > They can’t be insured if they permit guns in the convention centers. Insurance? We don’t need no steenkin’ insurance! Scene from a better world, the kind that Freedom-Loving™ Republicans have wet dreams about: [_Republican lovingly caresses his handgun_]: “This here be all the insurance ah need.” > [@Dangerosa](#): > > You couldn’t do it at the RNC even if you found a place to hold it - the Secret Service would never permit guns in a place where the possible next president is an easy target during his speeches. According to the impeccable logic advanced by all Republicans on behalf of the NRA, the candidates would be in no possible danger if everyone in attendance was heavily armed, including the candidates themselves and their wives, children, and hangers-on. Paul Ryan’s 10-year-old daughter could be packing that hunting rifle he gave her for Christmas a couple of years ago. If this NRA formula is good enough for everyone else, why isn’t it good enough for those promoting the formula? ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/38 "2016-03-20T17:43:01Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Big convention centers are usually owned by cities. Cities do not want to go bankrupt if they get sued, so they carry insurance. They can’t be insured if they permit guns in the convention centers. > > I believe gun shows are usually held in smaller private venues - like a convention center attached to a hotel. Someone will certainly correct me if I’m wrong. This may depend on what part of the country you’re in. For example, the Kansas ExpoCentre in Topeka, privately managed but owned by Shawnee County, regularly hosts gun shows–the U.S. Weapons Collectors Gun & Knife show is next month (and also in July, October, and December). The Midwest Huntfest and Gun Show is in July at the Century II Convention Center, owned by the City of Wichita and home to various other gun shows during the year. The Overland Park Convention Center, owned by the City of Overland Park, will host the Mega Gun and Knife Show this September. etc., etc., etc. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/39 "2016-03-20T18:30:44Z")
Why do those big insurance companies hate our American freedoms? (I REALLY like that little Chiappa handgun with the two-inch barrel! Those bullets could go ANYWHERE! Whoopsie-daisy!) ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/40 "2016-03-20T19:30:31Z")
And really even though they are Italian-made, you gotta make the RINO the official handgun of disaffected Republicans … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325.md?page=3)