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But even if the Houston Zoo was a k-12, wouldn't the sidewalks be open?

Seems like the argument that zoos and guns don't mix is rather overwhelmingly diminished by the fact that zoos and lunatics on shooting sprees don't mix, either. Unfortunately, it appears the zoos argue we want to be armed to hunt game.

It's rather the opposite - we don't want to be game for a jihadist.

Ok, I can see this not going well for the Houston Zoo, at least eventually.

They might not be out of options for keeping peaceful guns out, though.

They have kangaroos, right? They could be a COURT!

Regarding the "well regulated" mention in the 2nd, I've never had much luck arguing it means well equipped and smoothly running.

A better argument, I've found, is to point out when a printer runs off a four color job he takes care to make sure his colors are properly registered.

That doesn't mean he fills out a government form. Properly registered colors are properly aligned. Likewise, a militia would not be well regulated and able to serve its purpose if was burdened with harsh limitations.

That's why well regulated is best interpreted to mean well running. At least that's how it registers to me, and there I go again with another 'reg' word that doesn't involve expensive, poorly running government bureaucracy.

Even if the founders meant the militia to act under some kind of government structure, antithetical to individual behavior, they said well regulated.

They didn't say tyrannically regulated.

Yep, the founders said well regulated when they wrote the 2nd Amendment, right there on the paper.

Glockster wrote:

treadlightly wrote:
For the populace to be seeded with law-abiding armed citizens, some of us will need to actually be armed. I volunteer. Polite society needs to be unwelcoming to evil.

I like this statement a lot. Reminds me of my favorite Jefferson, et. al. quotes on gun rights -- as I would add "free law-abiding" to it.

You make my day! In a happy face kind of way, not so much the Harry Calahan way, although he possessed a certain poetry in his nature.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:"Educational institution" is not defined in Texas statues. There is something close and it does not help the zoo. I've already written a bench brief on this subject. This is going to cost the Houston Zoo a lot of money.

Chas.

Truly a shame. The fines will have their tiny impact on taxes, but worse, the Zoo will squander part of its budget on an argument that shouldn't be engaged.

It's a tricky question, how to respond if I'm ever asked why I think I need to have a gun to see cute critters.

For my nickel, the best response is just agree. No one individual has any need at any time to have a gun, unless, of course, they are at the wrong movie theater at the wrong time, and reasonable people all agree that will never happen.

To argue otherwise is invite scorn for being paranoid. The fact it's a very basic undeniable right is an unfortunately shaky position to defend.

But even if no one individual has any need at any time to have a gun, a statement I don't agree with, we certainly have a need for the populace to be seeded with armed citizens. It's how the crowd at the zoo can be quietly, peacefully, lawfully hostile to evil, and as cliche as it sounds, evil walks among us, sometimes even at the zoo.

For the populace to be seeded with law-abiding armed citizens, some of us will need to actually be armed. I volunteer. Polite society needs to be unwelcoming to evil.