Tim Skubick: Do guns and schools mix? Rally at Capitol Tuesday results in mixed message

Geez oh Pete. It’s a darn good thing they don’t have metal detectors in the state capitol because the other day the noise would have been deafening.

Hundreds of pro-gun advocates were in town for their annual 2nd amendment rally celebrating gun ownership and berating anybody who wanted to peel their fingers off their fire arms.

Since there are no laws against toting a gun into the Capitol, many of the owners did just that. In fact about 20 minutes before the governor showed up to sample some Michigan agriculture products, there were two guys with assault weapons draped over their shoulders wandering around the first floor rotunda.

Let’s just say it’s not a normal thing to see.

While guns in the building were legal, state officials got in touch with the 15 schools that were set to visit the joint on the same day of the pro-gun event.

Imagine if you will 500 school kids co-mingling with camouflaged gun owners. Imagine the parents discovering this after the fact when little Johnnie and Janey came home.

Hey Mom. Guess what? I saw a bunch of guys carrying assault weapons at the state Capitol today.

After the state gave the heads-up to the 15 schools, seven of them decided to bail-out on the sojourn to the seat of state government.

Steve Benkovsky, who manages the building, reports the state placed the calls based on what happened last year when the guns and school kids arrived at the same time.

“We had one school group that actually cut their tour short when they saw the side arms. The side arms didn’t bother them but guns across their backs bothered the school.”

Ironically as the school kids and gun owners visited the Capitol, legislation to permit guns in schools remains in the hopper. But probably to the chagrin of the gun lobby, it appears to be going nowhere fast.

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