Concerns raised as girls high school basketball tournament shares venue with gun show

[DonViejo]

by Wells Dusenbury
Sun Sentinel

As spectators entered the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida, for the girls basketball high school state finals, gun owners openly carrying assault rifles and shotguns roamed the same halls.

At the site of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s state tournament, the RP Funding Center — formerly known as the Lakeland Center — concurrently held a gun show in the same facility. The event came less than three weeks after a mass shooting claimed the lives of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Nova High School — located 24 miles from where the Parkland shooting took place — was competing in the Class 8A state championship on Saturday afternoon. Head coach Jason Hively said he was stunned when he saw someone with a “big rifle” walking in the parking lot as the team bus pulled into the facility.

“It caught me off-guard,” Hively said. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Whatever your feeling is on the Second Amendment, I don’t think the two mesh here.”

“I think after Stoneman Douglas — to be honest, I was a little disappointed to see it. If you’re holding an athletic event for kids to promote sportsmanship, personally I don’t think it’s a good look for parents, kids and fans to walk into a venue that’s being shared with people carrying assault rifles. I don’t think [a gun show] should be held at the same time you’re holding a state tournament.”

more
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/highschool/basketball/fl-sp-fhsaa-basketball-gun-show-20180303-story.html

[smirkymonkey]

1. I am so sick of hearing about gunner's rights I could scream.

Gun shows should be banned. There is no reason for them. Especially not when they are held on the same premises as the same time where children - or anyone, for that matter - is holding an event.

We have a right to a gun free environment!

[Ohiogal]

3. I agree 100%

I, too, am sick and tired of them forcing their death weapon lifestyle onto mainstream Americans' lives. The above story is insane!

[Initech]

4. I want to live without the fear of getting shot.

And I'm sick of being told that it's not the time to talk about guns. They don't care. I'm glad something is finally going to be done, even if it's a small dent.

[aikoaiko]

7. Ban Gun Shows because you don't like them? Really?

Seems a little extreme to me.

[smirkymonkey]

8. Because they are ridiculous.

There is no need for a gun show in a country where people can freely buy guns.

I'm sorry, but fuck gun rights. I am just so sick of it already.

[lame54]

2. Could get dangerous when the crowd yells " Shoot, shoot!"

[backtoblue]

5. I know right!?

People have lost their ever loving minds

[Lochloosa]

6. This happened to me at a Grateful Dead show in St. Pete FL.

They booked the Dead the same night the Symphony was playing in same venue. All these people walking around with violins, huge basses, cellos....oh wait, not the same thing.

[sarcasmo]

9. USA. USA. USA.

We're #1. We're #1.











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