For most people considering what they will do if things in America truly go to hell in a handbasket, most figure, we’ll just go to Texas, one of the last bastions of seeming common sense and traditional American values such as toughness, self-reliance and common sense. That’s certainly what hundreds of thousands of Californians did during the Covid pandemic when it was clear their state was going to total, taxable crap. Well, now maybe we need to think about that. Seems, Texas may be going the way of the rest of softer America is going, which it feels like it’s going to hell in a handbasket.

Few things have highlighted this more than the recent decision by the State Fair of Texas to prohibit firearms on its fairgrounds, a move that has ignited a fierce backlash from Texas House Republicans and gun rights advocates, who argue that the new policy compromises public safety and infringes upon the rights of law-abiding citizens. The fair’s decision, which comes in the wake of a shooting incident at last year’s event, has been met with widespread criticism and threats of legislative action.

Last week, State Fair officials, in collaboration with law enforcement, announced the updated policy banning all firearms, including those carried by licensed holders, from the fairgrounds. This decision marks a significant shift from previous years when licensed concealed carry was permitted at Fair Park. The new policy, which also includes the installation of weapons detection technology at entrances, aims to enhance security following last year’s shooting, in which three people were injured at the fair’s food court. (Always somebody who has to ruin it for the rest of us.)

However, the ban has been met with swift opposition from 71 Texas House Republicans and Republican House nominees, according to The Texas Tribune. The Republicans signed a petition urging the State Fair to reverse its decision. The petition argues that “gun-free zones are magnets for crime because they present less of a threat to those who seek to do evil,” and criticizes the fair’s new policy as being unrepresentative of Texas values. As many as 98 percent of all mass shootings occur in gun-free zones. The lawmakers warned that if the ban goes into effect, they would consider pursuing legislative measures to protect firearm rights on publicly managed lands.

The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) has also raised concerns about the legality of the firearm ban, given that the City of Dallas owns Fair Park, where the State Fair is held. According to Texas law, firearms prohibitions on government property are tightly regulated, and wrongful exclusions by state agencies or political subdivisions could result in fines. The NRA-ILA’s statement questioned the fair’s authority to enforce such a ban on government-owned property, despite the State Fair being operated by a private not-for-profit organization.

Texas Gun Rights, a prominent advocacy group, echoed these concerns, with President Chris McNutt stating that “Gun-Free Zones don’t work” and that the fair’s decision is a “feel-good attempt” that does nothing to improve safety. The group has called on the State Fair to reconsider its policy, emphasizing that it undermines the rights of law-abiding gun owners while failing to deter criminal activity.

As the State Fair of Texas prepares to open on September 27 in Dallas, the controversy surrounding its new weapons policy continues to escalate. With both sides entrenched in their positions, the issue is likely to remain a contentious topic leading into the next legislative session, where the potential for new laws addressing firearm rights on public lands could, and should, take center stage.