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Just listened to a voicemail from a missed call. A reporter from KUHF public radio wants to speak to me regarding my HLSR complaint with the AG's office. Said he filed an open records request and got my name & number.

Not sure if I should respond. What says y'all?

From what I've seen of your posts, you seem to be knowledgeable, level-headed, and well-spoken enough to represent this community well. I say go for it. You might try to read up on the radio station first just to find out what their politics are. If they're super liberal and are going to try to bait you or something, it would be good to know in advance.

Thanks for that. I did read up on the reporter's articles. He works for one of the local public radio stations, so liberal is a given. But his earlier article on 3/1 about the rodeo's decision wasn't too bad.

I would welcome a level headed, well spoken member of this forum speaking on the radio about this. I would try to focus on the simple fact that the law is the law. We are subject to fines (or worse) if we violate firearms laws. Why should governments not also be held accountable?

I called the reporter back. We're doing a recorded interview Monday morning.

TexasCajun wrote:I called the reporter back. We're doing a recorded interview Monday morning.

Keep us updated, thanks.

TexasCajun wrote:I called the reporter back. We're doing a recorded interview Monday morning.

I assume you know this is Houston's Public Radio Station.

Just got done with the interview. It will be aired later today & posted on the website tomorrow morning. It went ok as a conversation. I'll wait until I can listen to the report before I say any more.

Here's the link to the published story. I didn't have a chance to listen for the on-air report yesterday afternoon & couldn't find any recording archives for news articles.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/arti ... s-gun-ban/

As I figured, a 20min conversation nets a 10 second soundbite or couple of statements. The reporter did challenge my position by stating that since school students participate in the livestock show, the rodeo would be considered an educational event. I argued that since the rodeo is the sponsor of the event & not the individual schools or school groups, that rationale doesn't wash - or at the very least would require an opinion from the OAG before a prohibition could be enacted.

Then he asked me about something that someone from a 3-letter organization that we've found it necessary to distance ourselves from & not name suggested as a compromise: secured lock-boxes at the gate where carriers could store their firearms. My response was that that the law is clear - the county cannot prohibit licensed handgun carry at its facilities except under certain circumstances, so even with lock boxes (which may not be that secure given the temporary nature of the rodeo facilities) the county would still be allowing HLSR to violate the law.

On a side note, I'd like to give a shout out to the Organization that Creates Trouble for all of their "help" regarding these matters.

TexasCajun wrote:Here's the link to the published story. I didn't have a chance to listen for the on-air report yesterday afternoon & couldn't find any recording archives for news articles.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/arti ... s-gun-ban/

As I figured, a 20min conversation nets a 10 second soundbite or couple of statements. The reporter did challenge my position by stating that since school students participate in the livestock show, the rodeo would be considered an educational event. I argued that since the rodeo is the sponsor of the event & not the individual schools or school groups, that rationale doesn't wash - or at the very least would require an opinion from the OAG before a prohibition could be enacted.

Then he asked me about something that someone from a 3-letter organization that we've found it necessary to distance ourselves from & not name suggested as a compromise: secured lock-boxes at the gate where carriers could store their firearms. My response was that that the law is clear - the county cannot prohibit licensed handgun carry at its facilities except under certain circumstances, so even with lock boxes (which may not be that secure given the temporary nature of the rodeo facilities) the county would still be allowing HLSR to violate the law.

On a side note, I'd like to give a shout out to the Organization that Creates Trouble for all of their "help" regarding these matters.

At least there was some dialogue on the subject, Thanks for being willing to take the time to comment. I just hope that someone somewhere becomes a test case and that fines start being imposed. there are so many municipalities that are simply thumbing their nose at the law, and feel that their agenda is more important than obeying the rules.

Looks like they've now included the on-air report at the link that I posted earlier.

Also as a point of clarification, when I spoke to the reporter, my comments referenced licensed carry, not open carry.

TexasCajun wrote:Looks like they've now included the on-air report at the link that I posted earlier.

Also as a point of clarification, when I spoke to the reporter, my comments referenced licensed carry, not open carry.

Yeah that is the problem with the media, they never differentiate between the two, they also like to post pictures of those who shall not be named, carrying around ARs and AKs wearing battle fatigues, and lumping them in with any discussion of open carry of handguns. It riles me that there are so many people out reporting on issues without doing their homework, and there are no recriminations. If I turned in any kind of report that was so lacking in facts at work I would be out looking for a job pretty quick. But in the media, you become an anchor man/woman.

Thanks for having the courage to step up and represent our community well.

LucasMcCain wrote:Thanks for having the courage to step up and represent our community well.

Does anybody else see a problem with filling a complaint and then your information being available for the public to find out about it?