hypocrisy at Franklin County Fair in KY

[jemkeith]

I was thinking about going to the county fair this year, and picked up a brochure about it. I started reading the rules and regulations, and found this:

5. NO weapons permitted. No one shall enter the fairgrounds carrying a weapon of any kind. This prohibition includes persons licensed, by state law, to carry concealed deadly weapons, and all other persons who are not law enforcement officers required to carry weapons to fulfill their duties.

Rule 11 REALLY made me mad though:

11. The Franklin County Fair Board will exercise every reasonable precaution to safeguard the public, exhibitors and exhibits, but positively will not be liable for death, loss, theft, damages or injuries to persons, animals or property on or around the fairgrounds.

They say I can't carry a weapon, even though I'm a CCW license holder, but if somebody goes crazy and shoots up the place, including me, they are not libel for it.
You can even bring pets, of any kind, as long as they are leashed. I mean somebody could bring their pit bull and that's okay, but I can't carry a weapon to protect my wife and 10 month old son.
I will NEVER go to this fair unless they change these rules.

This is a link for the above rules:
Franklin County Fair Rules

 

[General Geoff]

"We don't trust you to defend yourself, but we won't guarantee your safety. Please, come to our event so you can be helpless!"

 

[TCB in TN]

Might be a good time to stage a protest! You will have plenty of people coming in to see you protest, and it is likely that News people would be curious and give you a perfect oppportunity to explain the stupidity of the rule.

 

[Geno]

I agree...protest them. If I lived close, I would join in. Withhold your money from them. Then, send them a letter detaling how much they lost.

Since when has society felt that honest, law abiding citizens are not to be trusted. Never know when they might snap.

 

[Car Knocker]

Does this rule have any legal validity in KY? What happens if you are discovered to have violated it?

 

[jemkeith]

Yes, owners of private property can post that you are not allowed to carry. If you do carry, I think the only thing they can do is ask you to leave. It might be a misdemeanor with a $20 fine, but I don't think it is. I know I could go and carry anyway, but I don't want to give them any money.

 

[Mr White]

I'm not advocating breaking the regulations, but remember, concealed means concealed. If you're carrying concealed, no one but you should know.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

They tried to do that at the oregon state fair and were called on it, since it's contrary to state law and they have no authority to enforce it.
That's good they still allow LE to carry though. They are profess'nal. I mean LE never lose their weapons and 17 year old girls never find them and fire them into a sand dune or anything and "forget" they had it until the news announces they are looking for it or anything like that. Never happens.
I like the protest idea, or at least an educational letter.

 

[Ready2Defend]

The ability to post a rule dosen't make the rule valid/enforcable. In Oklahoma the CCW laws preempt city laws regarding carrying in parks. But Tulsa still posts "no weapons" signs in the parks. If anyone were to choose to carry in a park in Tulsa they would not be breaking the law.

I agree with Mr White - concealed means concealed.

 

[elrod]

And I can remember when one of the fair highlites was the shooting booths with REAL .22 CAL. RIFLES. My how times, they do change!

 

[atblis]

Well

Anybody can put anything on a sign. That doesn't make it true though. A court determines who's liable for what. Not a sign.

Exactly what could they do to you for carrying concealed?

 

[MICHAEL T]

The state sayS where we CAN'T CARRY . ALL THEY CAN DO IS ASK YOU TO LEAVE IF THEY FIND YOU ARE ARMED AND HAVE A LIC. iF YOU REFUSED YOU CAN BE CHARGED WITH TRESSPASS.

 

[kirkcdl]

Sign??What sign???

 

[Deanimator]

"We don't trust you to defend yourself, but we won't guarantee your safety. Please, come to our event so you can be helpless!"

Substitute "city" for "event", and isn't that the motto of Chicago?

 

[Navy joe]

Close, but I think the two official Chitown slogans are still "Vote early, Vote Often" and "Abrecht Macht Frei"

 

[IA_farmboy]

Similar experience

I remember going to the Iowa State Fair and saw a sign on my way in stating that knives were not to be carried in. At that point I had already taken a lengthy ride on the bus from the free parking provided by the city and I was not about to turn around and waste my time to put my Leatherman into my friends truck. I don't remember why I had the knife on my belt that day as it is not something I usually carry out on the town. Luckily for me that knife didn't jump out of its holster and go about stabbing and slashing people. It was concealed by my shirt and would not likely be noticed unless someone was to pat me down.

 

[c.nugget]

I'm not too familiar with county fairs in KY, especially the one in Franklin County. Is this put on by the county government, or a private entity? If it's the county government, is it indoors?

If it's put on by the county government and it's outdoors, that rule is not only unenforceable, but illegal. According to Kentucky Revised Statue 237.115 (2). http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/237-00/115.PDF Local governments in KY can restrict carry in buildings owned, leased or controlled by them. No section of the law allows them to prohibit carry anywhere else, and remember that we have strong state preemption.

If it's not the county gov and outside, then as others have said the only recourse they have is to kick you out.

All this said, I understand and applaud your decision to not go anyway out of principle.

 

[SSN Vet]

I'm not advocating breaking the regulations, but remember, concealed means concealed. If you're carrying concealed, no one but you should know.

just be sure you don't go on the "jiggling you upside down" ride.

 

[Glock22]

People are really ridiculous, "you can't carry your gun but if you get hurt its not our fault even though we banned lawful citizens from defending themselves.

"Abrecht Macht Frei"

I think you mean Arbeit macht frei. Arbeit is the German word for work.

 

[sonofodin]

Arbeit macht frei nicht. The state fair here in Ohio is guarded at the entrance by state polizie and metal detectors. I did not have the cajones to try to slip my pocket knives past, so I had to march all the way back to the car, secure them in the glovebox, march all the way back and repay my admittance fee. Considering roving gangs of thugs walk the midway after hours and tend to knock people out for laughs I don't think I would go back unless I could take my blade. I think I would (if I ever go back) just keep my benchmade in my pocket and if the detector goes off and they have a fit I will inform them that it is ridiculous that I cannot carry my pocket knife but droves of gang members are admitted and that I am leaving and do just that. I tend to stay out of places that take the stance such as the fair in Ken-tuck-hee.

 

[Ala Dan]

It doesn't look like I will be attending your Franklin County Fair~!

I don't go places where my CCW (and license) are not welcome.

 

[wideym]

Hanging a sign doesn't absolve you of liability, any lawyer would tell you that.
It keeps 99% of people from thinking they have a case.

 

[Black Adder LXX]

Concealed means concealed. Why is their PREFERENCE any more valid than yours?

 

[McCall911]

Rule 11 REALLY made me mad though:

Quote:
11. The Franklin County Fair Board will exercise every reasonable precaution to safeguard the public, exhibitors and exhibits, but positively will not be liable for death, loss, theft, damages or injuries to persons, animals or property on or around the fairgrounds.

The following was just about exactly what I was going to say, but I had already had the above copied and pasted:

Hanging a sign doesn't absolve you of liability, any lawyer would tell you that.
It keeps 99% of people from thinking they have a case.

I agree 100+%. They can write up all the silly rules they want, but it won't necessarily absolve them from liability under the law.

 

[jemkeith]

park owned by county

Actually, I was just found out that the park, Lakeview Park in Frankfort, KY (yes this is the capitol of KY) is owned by the county. This is where the fair is going to be held. The fair is being held by a private group on public property, so I don't think that they have the right deny CCW; I could be wrong though...