Do people carry guns in zoos in the USA?

TinoPup

TinoPup

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{Note from mods - this thread split from here: Confrontations with other visitors}



I don't confront smokers myself; too much overlap between smokers who don't care and people who are possibly carrying a gun.
 
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TinoPup said:
I've run into smokers several times at zoos. Doesn't matter that smoking is banned in zoos and similar places just about everywhere in the USA, and has been for a long time. They'll walk right by signs that say no smoking. Always have young kids with them, too :( If I see an employee nearby I'll say something, but I don't confront smokers myself; too much overlap between smokers who don't care and people who are possibly carrying a gun.
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Seriously ?!

People actually carry firearms in zoos in the USA?
 
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Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Seriously ?!

People actually carry firearms in zoos in the USA?
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As @Westcoastperson said, people carry them EVERYWHERE here. Even if a place says no firearms (which most zoos do), it doesn't stop people from putting one in their purses or jeans. We have so many accidental shootings at places like walmart because of people doing that with loaded guns that don't have the safety on.
 
CheeseChameleon2007 said:
I thoroughly agree with you there.
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Just think about that for a moment.

What does that say about the level of fear / mental illness that must exist within a society that a mother / father / boyfriend etc before heading off to the local zoo casually thinks:

"Ok , got the car keys , the entry tickets , the picnic ...oh and better pack my glock too in case the Russians / Chinese / Cubans / Afghans or reptilians invade"
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Just think about that for a moment.

What does that say about the level of fear / mental illness that must exist within a society that a mother / father / boyfriend etc before heading off to the local zoo casually thinks:

"Ok , got the car keys , the entry tickets , the picnic ...oh and better pack my glock too in case the Russians / Chinese / Cubans / Afghans or reptilians invade"
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Couldn’t agree more.
 
TinoPup said:
As @Westcoastperson said, people carry them EVERYWHERE here. Even if a place says no firearms (which most zoos do), it doesn't stop people from putting one in their purses or jeans. We have so many accidental shootings at places like walmart because of people doing that with loaded guns that don't have the safety on.
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I dont know if this is just an urban myth outside USA but doesnt wallmart actually sell firearms ?
 
:eek::eek:
TinoPup said:
I've run into smokers several times at zoos. Doesn't matter that smoking is banned in zoos and similar places just about everywhere in the USA, and has been for a long time. They'll walk right by signs that say no smoking. Always have young kids with them, too :( If I see an employee nearby I'll say something, but I don't confront smokers myself; too much overlap between smokers who don't care and people who are possibly carrying a gun.
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Considering guns are kept at a bare minimum here in Australia, I am shocked by this. The animals health and safety is at risk, and the staff and visitor’s as well; you never know what someone could be planning or feeling. Why would you need it anyway at a Zoo? Absurd. :eek:
 
Jambo said:
:eek::eek:

Considering guns are kept at a bare minimum here in Australia, I am shocked by this. The animals health and safety is at risk, and the staff and visitor’s as well; you never know what someone could be planning or feeling. Why would you need it anyway at a Zoo? Absurd. :eek:
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"Freedom" and "bad guy with a gun" are the two most popular "reasons". All of the problems with the hypothetical "bad guy" are ignored, of course.
 
TinoPup said:
As @Westcoastperson said, people carry them EVERYWHERE here. Even if a place says no firearms (which most zoos do), it doesn't stop people from putting one in their purses or jeans. We have so many accidental shootings at places like Walmart because of people doing that with loaded guns that don't have the safety on.
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Here in Texas, most people have guns, but at most, we keep them in the car or the house for safety (Except for a few of our resident maniacs ;)). Sometimes it shocks me how different Texas is compared to the other 49 states.
 
TinoPup said:
"Freedom" and "bad guy with a gun" are the two most popular "reasons". All of the problems with the hypothetical "bad guy" are ignored, of course.
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People can survive when approached by a bad guy with a gun, as evident in places like Australia. It’s just a disaster waiting to happen. And in regards to freedom, so what, you can carry a gun around with you out in your local park if you really wanted to but zoos should have the ability to put a complete ban on guns inside their zoo; if you want to enter, don’t bring a gun, it’s that simple.
 
For foreigners who don’t understand why we have and carry so many guns let me explain. It started during our revolution when guns were banned so our very second amendment ever created was the freedom to own guns. The black panthers were an African American militia group who carried around guns to protect African American people from police officers. Guns are very rooted our culture and as some people know America can be very volatile and a large amount of people need to protect themselves from each other and others.
 
Westcoastperson said:
For foreigners who don’t understand why we have and carry so many guns let me explain. It started during our revolution when guns were banned so our very second amendment ever created was the freedom to own guns. The black panthers were an African American militia group who carried around guns to protect African American people from police officers. Guns are very rooted our culture and as some people know America can be very volatile and a large amount of people need to protect themselves from each other and others.
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Ok, I understand the history of proud gun ownership and carrying and that it is rooted in the revolutionary war against the British and in the wars against the indigenous tribes (which resulted in genocide).

But even if we foreigners know the historical roots of this and the whole first ammendment rights etc it is not going to make us understand any more easily the toxic love affair that people in the USA seem to have with purchasing, carrying and committing atrocities with firearms.

Sorry if that comes across offensively as it is not intended to but I'm just speaking honestly as a lot of US cultural practices really are very alien to us and hard to comprehend.
 
Jambo said:
People can survive when approached by a bad guy with a gun, as evident in places like Australia. It’s just a disaster waiting to happen. And in regards to freedom, so what, you can carry a gun around with you out in your local park if you really wanted to but zoos should have the ability to put a complete ban on guns inside their zoo; if you want to enter, don’t bring a gun, it’s that simple.
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They usually are banned, but unless they make everyone go through metal detectors, it isn't going to stop a lot of people.

@ChIkEn NuGrEt, you have a pretty idealized view of Texas, it seems. It's very far from a few people.
 
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