Guns are banned at the Texas State Fair. Thank God!

Many years ago, when I lived in Dallas, I had an unpleasant encounter at the Texas State Fair. I was standing in line to make a purchase (perhaps a Fletcher’s Corny Dog), and a young Mexican woman was before me. She was accompanied by a small child. I think she was an immigrant because she didn’t speak English.

Three men in line made racist remarks about her, calling her a wetback and making other derogatory comments.

I came to the woman’s defense, and soon, I was in a shouting match with these three bigots. All three men began hurling abuse at me. I remember they repeatedly called me a homosexual. In addition to being racists, they were homophobes.  Calling me gay was the worst thing they could think of to demean me.

I admit that my responses were no more appropriate. I began calling them white trash— the worst thing I could think of. I may have called them redneck white trash, which would’ve been gratuitously redundant.

I finally walked away and realized I had made a severe mistake by coming to the Hispanic women’s defense. I had triggered a confrontation that frightened her. She would’ve been better off had I said nothing.

Here’s my point. If my three antagonists had been armed, I think one of them would’ve shot me. And if I had been carrying a gun, I might have shot one of them–maybe all of them.

Americans have a Second Amendment right to own weapons, and several states allow people to carry concealed handguns, and even to wear them openly.

Mark Twain observed that the Constitution guarantees people the right to free speech, but most people have the good sense not to use it.

I feel the same way about handguns. In many states, people have a legal right to carry a pistol. Thank God, most citizens have the good sense not to avail themselves of it.

Urban crime is on the rise. Except for wealthy people who are protected by private security, everyone knows this is true. The day may come when it will make sense for law-abiding people to carry handguns, but that day has not yet arrived.

I’m glad the Texas Supreme Court upheld the State Fair’s firearms ban. If the time comes when people need to carry pistols to the State Fair, then that event should be canceled. Then where would I get my Fletcher’s Corny Dog?

Hands off my corny dog, pilgrim.