Water Guns Banned, Handguns Allowed at GOP Convention

Yahoo ^ | 5/2/12 | Amy Bingham | ABC OTUS News

[NormsRevenge]

In the politically-charged and likely protest-filled streets of Tampa, Fla., during the Republican National Convention in August, water guns will be strictly prohibited. Concealed handguns, on the other hand, will be perfectly legal.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said this week that banning handguns from downtown Tampa during the convention, as the city's Mayor Bob Buckhorn requested, "would surely violate the Second Amendment."

...

Buckhorn said last month that the state law, which prohibits the city from temporarily banning handguns, makes the city "look silly" because officials can prohibit water guns but not real ones, The Associated Press reported.

"There is no reason to have a concealed firearm in downtown Tampa that week," Buckhorn said in Wednesday's statement. "And, to be clear, I am far less concerned with those who have concealed weapons permits than the ones who may somehow acquire a weapon and use it to create mayhem."

[NormsRevenge]

and then they came for the super soakers.. uhhh.

Can't wait for all the convention stuff to come ,, theatrics and all.

[NormsRevenge]

Drop the water gun and no one gets their hair mussed up..

.

[SparkyBass]

"Don't you IDIOTS understand anything? My face can deflect bullets but WATER MELTS WITCHES!"

[JRandomFreeper]

"There is no reason to have a concealed firearm in downtown Tampa that week," Buckhorn said

Ah... Mayor Buckhorn, I think there is no reason to have a politician with no respect for the Constitution. We need to work on getting rid of those.

/johnny

[goseminoles]

Thanks Gov. Scott. We don’t suspend the Second Amendment for events.

[tomkat]

. . shall NOT be infringed.

[BigEdLB]

Inquiring minds want to know water squirt guns are banned, but what about all those Paulbots, and their silly string?

They want attention!

[George from New England]

So proud to say Gov. Scott had my vote — HE IS THE MAN.

[vbmoneyspender]

I vote we amend the 2nd Amendment to include arms that shoot water. Problem solved.

[KarlInOhio]

"There is no reason to have a concealed firearm in downtown Tampa that week,"

Downtown Tampa will be crawling with thieves, pick pockets, and outright armed robbers... and those are just the politicians visiting.

But it will be far, far worse in Charlotte the next week.

[libstripper]

Look at the list of banned objects; they’re the very ones OWS vermin use to perpetrate mass destruction. Just imagine one of those subhumans loading a Super Soaker with urine and liquid feces and using it on cops or convention attendees. It’s a biological warfare weapon who’s use justifies a lethal response.

[EEGator]

Democrats: Capital punishment bad, abortion good

[Theoria]

Sure, but if I chose to use a super soaker, silly string, a knife, or brass knuckles as my weapon of choice for defense, so be it.

This is the same stupid argument of guns. Just because someone has a gun, machine gun or super soaker. Doesn't make it against the law.

The right to bear arms is not merely to guns, but to knives or any object I choose.

[Kinder Gentler Machinegun Hand]

Hahaha.... gotta love it.

btw, it will probably be the same thing at the Dem convention. (without knowing the conceal carry laws of NC)

[cripplecreek]

"There is no reason to have a concealed firearm in downtown Tampa that week,"

They tried that argument in Oakland Michigan a few years back when street fair organizers said they didn't want guns allowed at a "private" event. The city council backed down pretty quickly after a chat with their attorneys.

[SampleMan]

The only thing that is ridiculous is that some leftist idiot would ban water guns.

And for the record you can also ban fake newspapers and restrict a persons ability to cast votes in a pretend election.

[Cyber Liberty]

"And, to be clear, I am far less concerned with those who have concealed weapons permits than the ones who may somehow acquire a weapon and use it to create mayhem."

I don't know this Buckhorn person, but he seems to have his head screwed on right.

[supercat]

Sure, but if I chose to use a super soaker, silly string, a knife, or brass knuckles as my weapon of choice for defense, so be it.

The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear "Arms". The first few words of that Amendment would suggest to me that the term "Arms" refers to artifacts which are suitable for use as weapons of individual and collective defense. While it might be possible to use a can of silly string for such purpose, it would be an incredible stretch to say it was "suitable" for such use, except in circumstances where nothing better was available. If the term "Arms" were interpreted to mean anything that might conceivably be used as a weapon, the federal government would be unable to impose any restriction or taxes on the acquisition of much of anything. Indeed, how many things can one think of which could not conceivably be used as weapons?

[Neidermeyer]

What about hot dogs , rice , and cards?

[sarasmom]

Since I am a “local”, I respectfully suggest you rethink your opinion of his stated position, on this particular issue.

Tampa is not Chicago.

Florida gun laws are pretty clear regarding what will happen when a gun is used to commit a crime, or to “create mayhem.”

We don’t have an open carry law (yet) but our “own and transport” laws are very clear.

The Mayor is stuck on stupid.
Florida is not an OWS/Anarchist/criminal friendly State.