# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**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, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/41 "2016-03-20T22:31:47Z")
Would those be Republican Handgunners In Name Only? As in they have one and 10,000 rounds of ammo but don’t practice and can’t hit shit with it? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/42 "2016-03-21T00:11:59Z")
> [@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. This GOP convention has its own insurance, which was put out for bids: [http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160123/NEWS/160129929/costly-insurance-policies-still-needed-for-the-convention](http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160123/NEWS/160129929/costly-insurance-policies-still-needed-for-the-convention) This in that link got my attention: > [@](#): > > . . . the police department’s documented history of excessive force — a variable that will be factored into the policy Obviously, if the delegates were allowed to bring in loaded guns, that would also be factored into the price of insurance. By the logic of gun lovers, the free market insurance price should go down. This makes me think that working guns actually increase the risk, and the price of insuring against it: [http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/01/11/1435631/gun-show-safety/](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/01/11/1435631/gun-show-safety/) > [@](#): > > According to a ThinkProgress analysis, 51 gun shows in January ban attendees from bringing loaded guns onto the premises. In addition, ThinkProgress was unable to identify a single gun show this month that explicitly allowed people, even those with concealed-carry permits, to bring a loaded weapon with them. Obviously, if guns made us safer, the gun shows would encourage people to come to them with their loaded, legal, handguns to take advantage of the lower insurance rates associated with lower risks. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/43 "2016-03-21T00:53:21Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > To protect freedom and as an example it ought to be mandatory for every elected person there, and every delegate, to be issued with state-of-the-art handguns for the duration of the events, bought in a job lot by the RNC from one of the best American manufacturers; be trained in their use by the NRA with daily practice; and be legally indemnified from consequence for self-defence in that period. Nah, no training needed. One of those under-the-radar things that’s been happening in the past few years is that GOP-controlled state legislatures have been gutting training requirements for carry permits. Apparently gun control only _used_ to be being able to hit your target. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/44 "2016-03-21T01:23:02Z")
So the Secret service, and the insurance industry don’t think loaded guns should be allowed in public places. I’m sure that all law enforcement agencies are on the same page. The only group in favor are bloviating rightist politicians seeking power. And the NRA. Why doesn’t this come up as a question addressed to one of these guys running on fear-mongering porn fantasies? Fox? CNN? MSNBC? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/45 "2016-03-26T16:19:46Z")
It appears that there are at least 21,000 folks who want to [change](https://www.change.org/p/quicken-loans-arena-allow-open-carry-of-firearms-at-the-quicken-loans-arena-during-the-rnc-convention-in-july-2) this… ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/46 "2016-03-26T17:10:18Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > It appears that there are at least 21,000 folks who want to [change](https://www.change.org/p/quicken-loans-arena-allow-open-carry-of-firearms-at-the-quicken-loans-arena-during-the-rnc-convention-in-july-2) this… I posted a link to that petition on the stupid gun news of the day thread on the BBQ Pit board. Not sure if it’s serious. But if there were guns there the Secret Service would probably have the nominees address the convention via video. Imagine a real FLOOR FIGHT!!! The networks could use remote cameras to keep their staffs safe. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/47 "2016-03-26T17:45:37Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > I posted a link to that petition on the stupid gun news of the day thread on the BBQ Pit board. Not sure if it’s serious. > > But if there were guns there the Secret Service would probably have the nominees address the convention via video. > > Imagine a real FLOOR FIGHT!!! The networks could use remote cameras to keep their staffs safe. I’m sure it’s serious; I just don’t know if it was started by a gun-rights activist. But it must have been signed by many. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/48 "2016-03-26T18:05:21Z")
I’d sign that thing except I’m afraid of what kind of spam I’d start getting… ---
**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 26, 2016, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/49 "2016-03-26T18:16:53Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > I’d sign that thing except I’m afraid of what kind of spam I’d start getting… Won’t be random. Targeted, you might say. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/50 "2016-03-26T20:11:43Z")
Explosive, perhaps ---
**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 27, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/51 "2016-03-27T01:05:16Z")
Me too; that’s a mailing list I don’t want to be on. Fun idea though. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/52 "2016-03-27T02:38:51Z")
> [@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. (And there is probably a little Xanax being taken around the Dept of Treasury right now over this), The Secret Service’s parent department is now DHS, since 2003. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/53 "2016-03-28T18:37:19Z")
The answer is no guns: > [@](#): > > The Secret Service on Monday quashed the hopes of gun rights advocates who were pushing for the open carry of firearms to be allowed at this summer’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland. > > An online petition in support of the effort rapidly gained signatures and attention in the past week, applying pressure to pro-gun Republican officials and presidential contenders to walk the walk when it comes to guns. But on Monday, the Secret Service said that only law enforcement personnel will be allowed to carry firearms at the event. > > “Title 18 United States Code Sections 3056 and 1752 provides the Secret Service authority to preclude firearms from entering sites visited by our protectees, including those located in open-carry states,” Secret Service spokesman Robert K. Hoback said in a statement. “Only authorized law enforcement personnel working in conjunction with the Secret Service for a particular event may carry a firearm inside of the protected site.” > > Ticket or not, any unauthorized person with a gun will not be allowed into the event, he said. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/28/more-than-42000-people-have-signed-a-petition-to-allow-guns-at-the-republican-national-convention/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/28/more-than-42000-people-have-signed-a-petition-to-allow-guns-at-the-republican-national-convention/) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/54 "2016-03-28T18:51:03Z")
Now we need to ask each candidate if they support the decision of the Secret Service. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325/55 "2016-03-28T19:55:52Z")
Less than an hour ago [**Congress and the White House**](http://time.com/4274104/capitol-shots-fired-white-house-lockdown/) were locked-down because a cop was shot. Clearly there are not enough guns around. Empower your congresscritters to mandatorily wear guns 24/7 and swear them in with police powers as The Vigilantes of Washington. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2016-republican-convention-be-a-gun-free-zone/749325.md?page=2)