Nashville Says “NO” To Gun Shows At Fairgrounds

Tennessee Firearms Association Claims Abuse of Power

NASHVILLE, TN: The Tennessee Firearms Association’s Executive Director, John Harris, today expressed outrage at Nashville’s decision to ban gun shows at the city’s publicly owned Fairgrounds which has allowed gun shows for decades.

“Today, Nashville, under its new liberal Mayor, has thumbed its nose at Nashville gun enthusiasts by voiding a long-standing tradition of allowing gun shows at the centrally-located and publicly-owned Nashville Fairgrounds.” Harris continued, “Tennessee continues to suffer from the chronic infringement of its citizens’ Constitutional rights by elected officials who refuse to keep their oaths of office to ‘preserve, protect and defend’ those same rights. Their actions are a clear abuse of power.”

The Tennessee Legislature has enacted legislation that removes this authority and discretion from local government officials likely in response to prior abuses.  But much like those elected officials in other cities who openly defy federal immigration laws by creating “sanctuary cities”, Mayor Megan Barry apparently feels compelled to join their brazen lawlessness by denying lawful business from being transacted in a public space and infringing the rights of people all over Middle Tennessee to engage in lawful commerce involving firearms and ammunition.

Harris says that Tennessee law is clear. “State law already prohibits local governments from engaging in any form of ‘regulation of firearms, ammunition, or components of firearms or ammunition, or combinations thereof including, but not limited to, the use, purchase, transfer, taxation, manufacture, ownership, possession, carrying, sale, acquisition, gift, devise, licensing, registration, storage, and transportation thereof. Mayor Barry progressive leadership of Nashville is clearly in violation of that statute and the city needs to be held accountable for it.”

Harris concluded, “TFA will be opposing this and other unlawful and unconstitutional practices by elected officials. We will stand up for the 2nd Amendment and gun owners in Tennessee against this intentional usurpation of our God-given rights as citizens to engage in lawful conduct on public property.”

The TFA has confirmed also that the Bill Goodman Gun Show that is scheduled at the Nashville Fairgrounds for this weekend will be conducted as scheduled.