There has been some controversy regarding the National Football League’s (NFL) stance of not allowing any armed individual, except working members of a stadium’s security detail, into its stadiums. Many people point out that the NFL, as a private entity, has the right to set whatever rules it wants. I personally think the organization receives too much tax victim money to be considered a private entity. But the State of Texas has made its stance clear, off-duty police officers will be allowed to carry firearms into the state’s NFL stadium:
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – The National Football League has implemented a new stadium policy that would ban off-duty police officers from carrying guns into games…except in the state of Texas.
According to the NFL memo, “off-duty officers who attempt to bring firearms into an NFL facility will be denied entry.”
But a Texas state law overrides the NFL policy. As long as officers attending the game check in at a specific gate and inform Security where they are sitting – they can have their gun.
I’m sure many people are cheering this decision. If it applied equally to all permit holders in Texas I might care. But as the law is currently being enforced it’s just another example of law enforcement receiving additional privileges over us lowly serfs.
This will likely be the outcome mirrored by other states. Decrees will be issued that allow off-duty officers to carry firearms into NFL stadiums while us regular folk will be left to the mercy of the stadium’s security detail. If only us little people could afford to buy lobbyists like police unions and the NFL can.