I have not served on a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Committee for years although I have attended the event annually. However, I will not be attending this year because of their ban on concealed carry weapons. Never in my wildest imagination would I think that the liberal, anti-Second Amendment thought police would dictate such a policy for an institution that I once supported both as a volunteer and visitor.

Yesterday, the local television news was filled with Joel Crowley, President and CEO of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, promoting the new policy. Mr. Crowley said that the organization enacted the policy because they only heard from individuals promoting the handgun ban. Well, now hear from me.

This year, I will not be attending any events at the HLSR – no rodeo, livestock show, or barbecue. Yesterday’s news was filled with people touting this new policy; but, the truth is that this policy makes attendees and our community less safe. Many attendees use public transportation, including light rail, to travel to and from the rodeo. Now, criminals will know that these HLSR visitors are unarmed, which makes them targets for criminal activity. Visitors traveling to the event in their car will be forced to leave their concealed carry handgun in their vehicle. I hope the HLSR is allocating more funds for off duty law enforcement because I firmly believe that car burglaries will skyrocket this year.

You cannot secure a firearm by leaving it in a vehicle. Weapons in great numbers are stolen each day in the City of Houston because of policies like this new HLSR policy. My choice is to not to be a victimized by HLSR’s anti-Second Amendment policy. I further refuse to promote the theft of weapons that place guns in the hands of dangerous criminals.

HLSR thinks this was a smart idea and I suggest that they are completely wrong. There are many law abiding citizens with handgun licenses who attend the rodeo, livestock show, and dedicate hundreds of volunteer hours to this organization on an annual basis. HLSR has made their statement and I will make mine by not attending this year. Until this policy is lifted, I officially revoke your cowboy credentials and deem the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo an anti-Second Amendment danger zone.