Closer to home
Chattanooga City Council members have expressed strong sentiment for not allowing guns in local parks, but official action awaits.
By Tom Kreager, Daily News Journal
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- If guns are allowed in Murfreesboro's parks, the city can expect to lose the Spring Fling.
That was the response by TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress on Monday when asked about the state high school association's stance on guns being allowed at tournament venues.
"This is a zero-tolerance issue -- period," Childress said. "We don't have a written policy. But if anyone had a gun where our kids are, we wouldn't be there. There is no way possible that we'd allow a gun in one of our events.
"As much as we'd like Murfreesboro to be in consideration for Spring Fling, I just don't see how we could recommend them if guns are allowed in their parks."
Murfreesboro has held the past four Spring Flings, but the contract has expired. The next contract will be awarded in August. Chattanooga, where the collection of spring-sport championships began, would like to get it back.
Childress' comments came four days after the Murfreesboro City Council postponed a vote on upholding a gun ban in public parks to check with members of the high school association.
A state law takes effect Sept. 1 that would allow conceal/carry gun-permit holders to have guns at state and local parks. However, local governments can vote to opt out of the law and ban guns from their parks.
About half the Spring Fling events -- softball, boys' soccer and some tennis matches -- are played at city parks.
Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg said he wanted the state association to be aware of the situation cities have been placed in because of the state law.
"I wanted to know if we need to use that in determining if we should opt out or comply with the law," Bragg said.
Bragg said after being informed of the association's stand on Monday that it "would make me consider my vote a little strongly on the opt-out side."
Bragg said he did not know the rest of the council's opinions on the issue and that the July 9 meeting is the earliest the council could discuss the gun ban.
Councilman Toby Gilley has said he's for the new state law. A message left at Gilley's home Monday was not returned.
Childress said the TSSAA does not allow anyone but uniformed law enforcement officers to carry guns at state championship events. He said that has included school resource officers, who often attend state championship events with the schools they work for during the season.
"We tell the SROs that if they have a need to bring their gun that they need to wear their uniform or not bring it into the arena," Childress said.
Childress does not have a vote on the awarding of state tournament sites but can make recommendations to the nine-member Board of Control that does vote.
That board recently chose to award the 2009-10 state football championships to Cookeville after Murfreesboro had been the host.
"We've got nine principals on the board and (guns) are a major concern for them every day," Childress said.
The only true way to make sure there are no guns at these games is to put metal detecters at the gates. You know that there will be people there that will carry no matter what. Just like there will be dope dealers there and you know they carry at least one gun.
Gun-Free Zone = Defenseless Victim Zone = Easy targets for armed criminals who will carry weapons regardless of the laws...
Sometimes people in charge of events like this are so good at logic at other more useless times. Then things like this come out and all logic goes out the window. So, they don't want law abiding citizens to carry weapons at the fling, but are ok with criminals carrying them? As another poster said they should be more concerned about demanding metal detectors then just having a gun ban!
Well, our legislation obviously didn't consider lots of issues when they made this half-brained ruling about guns in parks, so now it's up to all the different towns and cities to straighten it out.
Nowadays in Chattanooga, you need a handgun to just go to the mailbox. Don't worry TSSAA. I won't attend any event where I cannot protect myself, friends, and family.
But for those who go, wait until a thug smuggles a gun in (you actually mean that could happen with all the "Security" in place?)Happens everyday!
Face it, when you need a cop, they're not to be found. It's easier to carry a two-pound pistol in my pocket that a 300 pound cop.
Cops are reactive and subject to their department rules. See how well that worked at Columbine High School. A building surrounded by cops and they were unable to stop a single death or injury.
No thanks, I'll take my chances by defending me and mine and won't wait for the cops to arrive and begin counting bodies.
So now the TSSAA jumps on the PC bandwagon and issues a "feels good but accomplishes nothing" statement. This continuous assault on a group that has an even lower crime rate than cops is stupid and tiresome. Why did the NFP use a picture of guns? Why didn't they use a picture of a park? Easy - to feed the hysteria.
"We've got nine principals on the board and (guns) are a major concern for them every day," Childress said. And this is a problem brought on by HCP holders how? I'm done with this silliness.
Can anyone tell me the last time, if ever a gun crime has been committed at any TSSAA event? Some poeple I guess are just paranoid. I have been going to High School sporting events all my life and not one time have I ever said I need to be carrying my gun. Like everything else in the sad world we live in it is a lawsuit just waiting to happen.
So will the TSSAA provide an armed escort to and from their cars for every individual who would otherwise carry legally at this event? Will they provide guards who will be liable for the firearm losses from any auto break-ins in the parking areas for the events?
"Risk and liability for thee, but none for me," is the game TSSAA is trying to play. I don't play that game. If they won't take absolute responsibility for my safety, individually, personally and at all times during their events, I will do so myself(as demonstrated by TN state permitting for lawful handgun carry).
Under what alternate reality do they dare deny me my legal, licensed, lawful, non-negligent exercise of the rights I have as an individual? Sounds like official oppression and infringement of rights to me.
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