Allow Everybody At GOP's Cleveland Convention To Bring A Gun: Petition

CLEVELAND, OH — Donald Trump once said he could shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue and not lose any votes. If some 2nd Amendment petitioners have their way, Trump could also try to shoot everyone attending the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

But they'd be armed, too.

More than 3,000 petitioners are blasting Quicken Loans Arena for prohibiting firearms inside its building during the Republican National Convention in July.

The activists have set their sights on the arena's gun-free zone policy, calling it "a direct affront to the Second Amendment and puts all attendees at risk."

The letter was addressed to seven different recipients: Quicken Loans Arena, The National Rifle Association, Gov. John Kasich, the Republican National Committee, Chairman of the RNC Reince Priebus, Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz.

The sender? Currently unknown. According to the change.org petition page, it was started three days ago by a user mysteriously named "N A." The user profile no longer exists.

It looks like a case of blindfire.

But while the origin of the petition is mysterious, the support it has received is not. The petition is rapidly approaching its goal of 5,000 signatures.

The reason the petitioners cite for needing open carry in a dark, loud and crowded building?

Safety.

At least one commenter on the petition finds that a bit laughable if not so serious.

"These guys should work with my other favorite charity- Americans for Responsible Drunk Driving. They're also doing great work in the field of horrible ideas," posted Gary Opencarry of Anytown, USA.

The petition cites Cleveland's high rate of crime and the possibility of an attack by ISIS as dangers to the convention.

"Without the right to protect themselves, those at the Quicken Loans Arena will be sitting ducks, utterly helpless against evil-doers, criminals or others who wish to threaten the American way of life," the petition says.

A possible contested convention in a building packed with tense, ideologically staunch, AR-15 wielding delegates — that sounds very safe. Especially in the wake of Trump's comments that a contested convention would end in rioting.

But for those wondering, the petitioners only want the gun-free zone policy suspended for the RNC convention, not indefinitely.

So we won't be seeing Lebron James firing shots into the air to celebrate a Cleveland Cavaliers win any time soon.

An inquiry has been sent to the Quicken Loans Arena for comment.

The petition's full list of demands:

1. From the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland: A suspension of their policy preventing the open carry of firearms on the premises of the arena from July 18-21, 2016 to coincide with the Republican National Convention.

2. From the National Rifle Association: An immediate condemnation of the egregious affront to the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution constituted by the "gun-free zone" loophole to the state law.

3. From Ohio Governor John Kasich: A concerted effort to use his executive authority to override the "gun-free zone" loophole being exploited by the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

4. From Reince Priebus and the Republican National Committee: An explanation of how a venue so unfriendly to Second Amendment rights was chosen for the Republican Convention. Further, we demand a contingency plan to relocate the convention to another location should the Quicken Loans Arena refuse to honor the constitutional rights of the RNC guests to open carry firearms during the convention.

5. From all Republican candidates for President: You have been brave in raising awareness about the immense dangers posed by "gun-free zones." In order to ensure the safety of your supporters, delegates and all attendees at the convention in July, you must call upon the RNC to rectify this affront to our Second Amendment freedoms and insist upon a suspension of the Quicken Loans Arena's unconstitutional "gun-free zone" loophole. Every American is endowed with a God-given Constitutional right to carry a gun wherever and whenever they please.