The Lubbock gun and Blade show is going on in Lubbock this weekend at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. With the return of the gun show, also return the skeptics.
Show organizer Kim Sansom says the Civic Center is a great place for such an event. Despite what others say, "Buildings like this civic centers, convention centers were built in the city to generate revenue and bring people in from out of town. That's exactly what we do anywhere that there's a gun show."
The gun show may bring in good revenue to the city, but State Representative Lon Burnam says a loophole in the law could put guns in the wrong hands, "We should not make it so easy for these people to go to a gun show on publicly owned property and purchase anything that they don't have any business owning."
He's referring to a loophole in the law that allows unlicensed dealers to sell guns at gun shows without doing a background check. A background check is required for licensed dealers.
Mayor Glen Robertson says "it's not a loophole, it's the way the federal law is written and I see no issue at all with the city leasing our facility to gun shows."
Burnam adds "they could at a local municipal level require better enforcement of how sales are conducted. But they don't bother. They are more interested in the high profit income generated from these shows being conducted on their municipal property than they are in public safety."
Sansom says criminals have other ways of getting weapons if they want them, "criminals are always going to have guns. No matter how many laws are implemented."
Burnam goes on to say the loophole is caused by state and federal law, but thinks local municipalities have the responsibility of imposing stricter regulations when it comes to private sellers.
Robertson argues when the law was made, private sellers were excluded intentionally to ensure basic rights, "the gun shows that we have in Lubbock and throughout the state of Texas are 100% legal. The majority of sellers, I know for a fact the one here in Lubbock because I attend this gun show fairly regularly, are licensed gun dealers."
Sansom reminds show-goers in order to purchase a gun they must be a Texas resident with a valid ID and of age.
