Knoxville will likely ban gun shows on city-owned properties, according to various media outlets in East Tennessee.
The Knoxville-based WBIR reported that Knoxville City Council members are about to pass a resolution Tuesday asking the city’s mayor to bar gun shows on city-owned property
“Council member Lauren Rider said seven of the nine members are in favor of the resolution. The proposal comes from Councilwoman Gwen McKenzie, who represents the 6th district in East Knoxville where Chilhowee Park has hosted a gun show for several decades,” the station reported.
“Barring gun shows on city-owned property is ultimately enacted by the mayor. Mayor Madeline Rogero and both of the mayoral candidates to replace her in November expressed support for the resolution. The fact that private venues are available to host events is one reason both mayoral candidates support the resolution to stop holding gun shows on public property.”
KnoxNews.com, meanwhile, quoted McKenzie as saying the resolution is not about gun ownership — rather, it’s an effort to “turn around the perception of East Knoxville.”
“I’m a gun owner myself. I don’t have a problem with legal gun ownership, but I have a problem with (a show that’s) been an issue in my community for years,” the paper quoted McKenzie as saying.
“It’s quite offensive that we’ve had gun show in a community that has seen its fair share of violence in the past … the black community will tell you pretty quickly that they don’t like that they have them in our community in such close proximity to schools and churches, especially in the racial climate we’re in today.”
KnoxNews.com went on to say the city could face legal challenges if bans the shows, including breach of contract issues “for shows booked later this year and into the future.”
“Metro Nashville faced such legal challenges when it’s Fair Commissioners Board voted in December 2015 to require that gun show promoters agree to new safety measures, including gun background checks and extra security to prevent the sale of firearms from the trunks of vehicles,” the paper reported.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gun Show” by M&R Glasgow. CC BY 2.0.
My father is a big time supporter of gun rights. Mayor Sarno provides clarification on ongoing Nathan Bill’s case. No weapons were involved. Sorry to Paul Cumby, I guess.
Big city liberals just cannot do enough to trample on honest citizens.
“the black community will tell you pretty quickly that they don’t like that they have them in our community in such close proximity to schools and churches, especially in the racial climate we’re in today.”
So gun shows are racist now? Why are Knoxville Democrats using black folk as their human shields to push their anti-gun agenda?
I’ll tell you what. I’ve been to more than one gun show at the Jacob building. But I don’t go to Chilhowee Park when the fair comes to town. Completely different element – both employees and attendees. One, just one visit to these decades of gun shows would inform these folks as to who attend them and that they aren’t the ones doing the shooting. Or they could visit Jarman Watts’ BBQ place and see the messages on his wall. I don’t think he is targeting the gun show folks, but he IS addressing root issues in his community.
But I guess black folk in east Knoxville must be begging for more alcohol to be served in the city to help fix things….right UT?