No firearms, replicas allowed in Belton celebration [TX, July 4th]

Temple Daily Telegram ^ | Thursday, June 27, 2013 | Geoff West

[lapsus calami]

 

BELTON — Any re-enactment of the “shot heard ’round the world,” which launched the Revolutionary War, will have to be done with slingshots at Belton’s Fourth of July celebration this year.

 

A clause in the insurance policy covering Belton’s annual Fourth of July festivities caused event organizers to ban all firearms, even replica muskets carried by Revolutionary War re-enactors if there are any in the parade, officials said.

 

Officials with the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce, the parade organizers, said Wednesday that the no-firearm clause was a surprise addendum included in the policy this year.

 

A representative from L&N Insurance of Temple, the parade’s provider, did not immediately return a call Wednesday.

 

Chamber President/CEO Stephanie O’Banion said every year parade organizers receive an insurance policy after submitting a list of float entries and scheduled activities to the provider.

 

“This is the first year they’ve added an addendum” banning firearms, O’Banion said.

 

The list of float entries included one on behalf of OpenCarryTexas.org, an organization created to educate Texans about the legal carrying of firearms and led by U.S. Army Master Sgt. C.J. Grisham.

 

Grisham said the Chamber welcomed his organization’s float into the parade this year, but all sides were at the mercy of lawyers and insurance agents.

 

“The Chamber was very accommodating,” he said, “Honestly, they tried to do everything they could.”

 

Unable to carry firearms, his organization plans to set up near the Belton Police Department building on Second Avenue at the invitation of the police department and will intermingle with parade guests along the route, Grisham said.

 

The “firearm exclusion clause” likely has ended the traditional “high-noon shootout” at the July 2 kickoff barbecue in Yettie Polk Park, said Frank Minosky, serving as the parade’s safety officer.

 

The Chamber is still investigating whether the humorous shootout — between a jealous madam and a Wild West-era gunslinger — can return this year, Minosky said.

 

“That’s still something that remains to be seen,” he said. “I need to figure that out because it’s a pretty big deal.”

 

Parade organizers are as disappointed as anyone that decades-long traditions will end at the annual celebration because of the insurance clause, Minosky said.

 

“All we can do is apologize and hope they can still come to the parade,” Minosky said. “A lot of traditions are lost over this. We just have to work our way through it.”

 

The ban covers historical firearms, such as the 1860s muzzle-loaded rifles carried by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a frequent parade entry whose members march in full uniform.

 

“I kind of understand where they’re going with the ban on weapons,” said Steve Wooley, past camp commander of the Major Robert M. White post in Temple, “but I’m a little confused. I guess they’re trying to be overly cautious.”

 

“We’re not heartbroken over it,” he said. “It just seems a little strange.”

 

Organizers also told Fort Hood representatives to bring swords rather than firearms for soldiers marching in the parade, Minosky said.

 

“That’s what the insurance policy says,” he said, “and that’s what we have to follow.”

 

 

[lapsus calami]

 

 

Deep in the heart of Texas - REALLY??? In a red, white & blue county with a military base in it. I want the name of the Obama-kissing maggot that wrote this into the policy. A name. As for Steve Wooley, GROW A PAIR - Minosky too. Maybe there's a good reason why Wooley is "past" camp commander.

 

 

[RBW in PA]

How about find another insurer and keep the firearms?

[Tallguy]

Deep in the heart of Texas - REALLY???

Yes, but where is the insurance company headquartered. Or probably it's more a matter of the attitudes of the actual underwriters who could be from anywhere.

This is the problem with forcing all decision-making to the highest level. There is no appeal. In this case a little bit of Texas is lost.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

It’s just another part of the master plan.

[Diogenesis]

Just like Ft. Hood, the goal appears to be remove
the arms of Americans while the narcoterrorists
and al Qaeda are given maps and weapons on their way
in by Holder and Obama.

[RC one]

time to find a new insurer.

[lapsus calami]

 

 

Exactly - it can't be too late to do just that, provided that anywhere else they go won't try to stick them the same way.

 

 

[cripplecreek]

That reminds me. I need to get out to the civil war muster this year.

[LibWhacker]

but all sides were at the mercy of lawyers and insurance agents

Liberal anti-gun lawyers and anti-gun agents, to be precise. Seems to be a new tactic of the grabbers, interjecting their agenda into every arena of public life where insurance is needed. Here it's a parade. The other day it was a school district that was considering allowing its teachers to carry. B***ards came rushing in immediately to put the kabosh on it before it could even get off the ground.

It's going to get a lot worse, imo. I expect soon they'll try to deny insurance to homeowners who are gun owners and CCW holders who carry while driving, etc.

[LibLieSlayer]

Sue the commies that own that company and sue them for violation of civil rights!

LLS

[pepsionice]

What we need is some guy who develops this idea of a broomstick-looking gun, with a stock and trigger guard, and just start walking around with this and a small white flag mounted on the top of the broomstick. We could sell thousands of these per week...$19....and it would poke fun at this whole new reality of American life.

[sport]

It's going to get a lot worse, imo. I expect soon they'll try to deny insurance to homeowners who are gun owners and CCW holders who carry while driving, etc

And , later on down the road, food.

[Ben Ficklin]

Does anybody on this thread know what a actuary is?

[TexasRedeye]

Can NOT apply to concealed carry in the Stae of Texas. The laws carefully defines where legally licensed concealed carry is not allowed and on the streets of Belton is not one of those places! I suggest the city find another insurance carrier for their parade! The city has made a choice of which carrier to use and they made a bad choice.

[lapsus calami]

 

 

RE; Insurance

 

Most definitely understood, but it just torques me that the organizers were not on the alert at handling the parade affairs much more closely and got blindsided. This is how ground is lost, this is how we lose America one piece at a time. People MUST wake up and operate in an OODA loop at every moment these days. The leftist thugs have declared open war on every aspect of American culture & tradition - citizens must be at the ready to counter it at any and every opportunity.

 

 

[reg45]

ditto

[LibWhacker]

Of course. Do you think it’s just actuarial considerations that are driving this?

[Patriot365]

The name “Minosky” does not sound very Texan does it? Maybe all those decades of Northern relocaters is finally bearing the rotten fruit of liberalism in Central Texas.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Self insure for the parade. Problem solved.

[jjotto]

Minosky is a Roman Catholic military veteran and native South Texan.