Gun Ban During Trump, Pence Speeches At NRA Event 'Ironic'

DALLAS, TX — A massive National Rifle Association event is slated to kick off this week, but attendees who bring their guns will have to make other arrangements while President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence speak during a forum. The security measure, a requirement by the U.S. Secret Service, is being called hypocritical by some — including a survivor of the Parkland mass shooting — who question why teachers and students are supposedly safer when surrounded by a "good guy with a gun," but Trump and Pence are not.

The 147th NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits will run from Thursday to Sunday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. The festival, which includes seminars, workshops and special events, is expected to draw more than 80,000 attendees, the NRA wrote on its website.

According to the group's website, attendees can buy a ticket to see Pence speak at the event on Friday. But guns — which the NRA has said keep people safe — are banned from that particular event. A notice tells potential buyers the U.S. Secret Service will oversee event security at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum.

"As a result, firearms and firearm accessories, knives or weapons of any kind will be prohibited in the forum prior to and during his attendance," the notice reads.

Also banned are aerosols, ammunition, backpacks, large bags, drones, glass and metal containers, laser pointers, selfie sticks, signs, mace and pepper spray.

While the website didn't list Trump, a White House official on Monday confirmed to The Associated Press that the president himself will attend on Friday.

When the gun ban revelations reached the eyes and ears of some students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a gunman armed with an AR-15 assault-style rifle slaughtered 17 people on Valentine's Day, they called the policy "ironic" on social media.

"It's ironic that they feel they need to ban guns to protect themselves especially after their main philosophy has been more guns equals more protection yet they don't think they need to protect our kids in the same way," said student David Hogg, who has called on lawmakers to enact tighter gun control laws.

Fellow Parkland survivor Cameron Kasky tweeted the NRA had "evolved into such a hilarious parody of itself."

Fred Guttenberg, father of Parkland victim Jaime Guttenberg and bestselling author Kurt Eichenwald, also called out the gun ban at the NRA event. Guttenberg said he wishes his daughter and others murdered by guns had "the same protection."

"On so many levels, this is enlightening," he wrote. "According to the NRA, we should want everyone to have weapons when we are in public. But when they put on a convention, the weapons are a concern? I thought giving everyone a gun was to enhance safety. Am I missing something?"

Eichenwald said according to the NRA's own mantra that "guns don't kill people, people kill people," means the event should've done just that — banned the people.

" I dont understand. The NRA has banned guns at their convention because Pence will be there. But guns don't kill people, people kill people. I know that because the NRA says so. They should be banning the people, and leaving cheering guns in the the seats of the auditorium," he wrote.

Trump appeared at the NRA's annual meeting in Atlanta last year. Guns were also banned then.

On so many levels, this is enlightening. According to the NRA, we should want everyone to have weapons when we are in public. But when they put on a convention, the weapons are a concern? I thought giving everyone a gun was to enhance safety. Am I missing something? https://t.co/f4wgNhJ7RI
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) April 28, 2018

I dont understand. The NRA has banned guns at their convention because Pence will be there. But guns don't kill people, people kill people. I know that because the NRA says so. They should be banning the people, and leaving cheering guns in the the seats of the auditorium.
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) April 29, 2018

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