Wednesday, April 26, 2000 | 11:10 a.m.
What: Great Western Show.
Where: Las Vegas Convention Center.
When: noon-7 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets: $10 general admission; children under 12 and people in authentic historic costumes or uniforms admitted free.
Information: Call (949) 261-5700 or visit www.greatwesternshow.com.
One of the largest gun shows in the world has Las Vegas in its cross hairs.
The Great Western Show will debut locally Friday with a three-day event at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Great Western pulled up its stakes in Southern California after becoming embroiled in a legal dispute with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors late last year over a new ordinance banning the sale of firearms on county property.
The show has been held in Los Angeles County for the past 31 years, the last 22 of them at Pomona's Fairplex fairgrounds. The company, owned by Karl Amelang, sued in federal court and in October won a preliminary injunction restraining Los Angeles County from enforcing its controversial new ordinance, thus permitting the show to hold an event at the Fairplex that month.
Although the issue is still in court, Amelang decided to move the event to Nevada, where laws are not as restrictive.
Officials with the Great Western organization down-play concerns about the event and assert that guns make up only a small part of the show.
According to spokesman Jeff Schenkel, people from all over the world come to the show to buy, sell and trade all types of items including antique firearms, military memorabilia, cowboy and Indian artifacts and clothing for collectors of Western Americana, clothing for outdoorsmen, fishing gear, jewelry from around the world, and many other collectibles.
"Less than 10 percent of the tables contain modern firearms," Schenkel said.
Still, Nevada's lax gun laws concern gun opponents, such as Kristen Rand, director of federal policy for the Violence Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Also of concern is the obsession Americans have with guns and how easily accessible they are to all elements of society.
"The problem with most gun shows is that the atmosphere attracts criminals and is a haven for militia members and antigovernment groups. It's a big gathering place for militia groups," Rand said.
In Nevada, a 7-year-old child legally can carry an AK-47 assault rifle if he is with a parent, and the parent isn't being held against his or her will.
"Nevada is a very solid pro-gun state," says David Bernstein, a spokesman for the Center to Prevent Hand Gun Violence, also in Washington, D.C. "It has very weak gun laws compared to many other states. If you look at Nevada's laws it appears the state has a love affair with guns."
Bernstein said that Nevada's firearm-related laws:
Nevada is in the company of Texas, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Vermont when it comes to gun laws that are almost nonexistent, according to Bernstein.
A 1999 study by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms revealed that 169 gun shows were held in Nevada the previous year, ranking it No. 10 among the most popular states for holding such shows. Texas, which held more than 300 shows in 1998, ranked No. 1.
Bernstein noted that California has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, along with New York and Massachusetts. According to the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, America leads the world in the deaths of children caused by guns.
The organization reports that last year no children in Japan died from gunshots; 19 died in Great Britain; 57 in Germany; 109 in France; 153 in Canada; and 5,285 in the United States.
A number of high-profile shootings on school grounds in the past few years have fanned the flames of the debate between pro-gun groups, such as the National Rifle Association, and anti-gun groups:
Political firepower
These incidents, and others, have created a major political battle over the gun control issue, making and breaking careers in politics.
"We think it's going to be a major issue in the upcoming presidential election," Bernstein said. "It's going to highlight the differences between (George W.) Bush and (Al) Gore. It is clear to us who supports gun control and who panders to the (National Rifle Association) and the gun lobby."
Gore has spoken out in favor of stricter gun control and Bush takes the NRA position, which is that there are enough gun control laws already, but they aren't being enforced strongly enough.
"This issue is going to be fought district by district, state by state," Bernstein said.
His organization is amassing a financial war chest to support gun control candidates. Given the record of Nevada, which is a strong Bush state, it is unlikely much of the money will be spent here. Bernstein said that the money will go to candidates as well as grass-roots organizations.
"In the past two election cycles we have targeted certain candidates," Bernstein said. "We developed a 'dangerous dozen list' of those running for governor or Congress. In 1998 our candidates won 11 out of 12 races. In 1996 we won 10 out of 12 targeted races."
Among those benefiting from the group's support was Gray Davis, governor of California.
Schenkel said that the Los Angeles County ordinance that ultimately caused the Great Western Shows to move to Las Vegas was the result of the political agenda of one or more of the county supervisors who got the law passed.
He said that the Great Western Shows have never had a problem and enjoyed the support of local law enforcement in Southern California. It is the politicians who have the problems.
"Security has been so comprehensive that the show management and the dealers themselves are actually serving as additional hall monitors. Everyone involved wants a squeaky clean show," Schenkel said. "The reason is because of the political climate. Gun shows are under a microscope across the country today. We don't want the microscope pointed at us.
"This show, on any given show day, is the safest place in town to be. We attract a different type of crowd than any show anywhere."
Rand, with the Violence Policy Center, said that one reason California has fewer problems than other states is the strict laws dealing with sale of firearms by private parties.
"The shows (in California) have a firearms dealer who sits at each table and if a private person wants to sell a firearm he pays the dealer $2 to do a background check," Rand said.
She added that in California, all sales must go through a licensed dealer. "But Nevada has no such law. Dealers are selling off the books, not recording sales or selling to people out of state. Hobbyists advertise they don't have to perform the background checks others have to perform," Rand said.
She cited a 1996 study conducted by the Violence Policy Center, which closely monitors gun issues and is a leading advocate of gun control laws. "Basically, the problems with gun shows stem from a 1986 law allowing unlicensed dealers to sell at gun shows. It created a safe harbor for so-called hobbyists, selling their personal collections," Rand said.
And, she said, between 1986 and 1996 it created a 50 percent increase in the number of gun shows. "The problems stem from the fact that at most shows there is a mix of licensed dealers who are required to do a Brady background check, sitting right next to hobbyists, who don't have to comply."
The Brady Act of 1994 prevents certain people from buying firearms, such as felons and people with severe mental problems, and requires licensed dealers to conduct background checks on would-be buyers.
"The problem is there are too many shows and too few (law enforcement) agents. There is no way for law enforcement to adequately oversee the shows," Rand said. "There are over 4,000 shows a year. It is impossible for adequate oversight.
"Gun shows are Tupperware parties for criminals."
She said that there are several ways laws are evaded, such as the "straw purchase," in which someone with a clean record buys a gun for someone who has a record or is mentally incompetent.
"And there is selling off the books -- some sellers just don't keep records," Rand said.
Classified gun shows
Local gun dealer Bob Irwin, owner of the Gun Store, says that the problem is not the gun shows but the classified section of daily newspapers.
"You have a gun show every day (in your newspaper)," Irwin said.
He noted that ads in the classifieds often state that no background checks will be done on the buyer, "and you guys print that. You guys (newspapers) are the biggest arms dealers in town."
He said it is easier to buy guns illegally through the paper or from bulletin boards than at a gun show. "The issue at gun shows is background checks," Irwin said. "The dealers do that. When we display at shows we do it just like we're supposed to."
He said he likes the idea of preventing prohibited people, such as convicted felons, from buying guns, but that gun control supporters are going overboard.
"It's a good idea, but the question is, how much will we inconvenience the 99 percent of the people buying guns who are not criminals?" Irwin said. "(Illegal purchases of guns) is a nonissue, really. There is such a small percentage of wrongfully used guns.
"It's incredibly easy to buy guns. The girl in (Littleton, Colo.) went to a gun show, bought some guns and gave them to underage kids. The problem has to be attacked from the other end, to put the guy who misuses guns into prison so he can't hurt you."
When Great Western operated its show in Pomona it had more than 2,000 merchants, 5,000 tables, attracted an estimated 100,000 people annually and generated more than $8 million in revenue for the community, according to Schenkel.
What the move to Las Vegas will mean remains a question. Schenkel said that he expects 40,000 visitors and there may be more than 5,000 tables for exhibitors.
"My understanding is the space at the Convention Center and the Fairplex are about the same size. And it appeared several weeks ago that the tables would be sold out," Schenkel said. "There is a high level of enthusiasm on all sides. We were welcomed with open arms."
He isn't concerned about illegal activity at the event.
"This show does not attract the criminal element. There is a high level of security -- the show, the Convention Center, undercover officers from a variety of levels, everything from Las Vegas police to ATF (officers will be there)," Schenkel said.
"We've worked with ATF in the past and our show has been given high ratings. ... Local, state and federal law enforcement officers at the old show in Pomona were delighted at our increasing security measures. The show people have gone to great lengths to work with law enforcement, down to tagging any weapon that may be sold or traded."
Local shows policed
Lt. Sean Donnelly, special events coordinator for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, doesn't expect any problems at the show, but he is prepared in case any arise.
"We had a couple of pre-meetings and told them what the state laws were and they told us the show's policies -- the guns are inoperable with nylon cords running through them," Donnelly said.
"We are staffing it with our detectives with the gun detail, who will have computers so anybody who comes in with a firearm to complete a transaction, it will go into the computer to make sure it was not stolen, used in crime or ownership is not in dispute. This goes for all weapons entering and leaving the building."
The security force will include officers in uniforms and plain clothes.
Richelle Thompson, a spokesperson for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said that the gun show is safe, an issue of utmost concern to officials for an convention.
"There are no legal policies to prohibit shows of this nature, and this is not the first time gun shows have been held in the Las Vegas Convention Center," she said. Those include the high-profile Soldier of Fortune convention.
Although the people who attend Great Western Shows come from many different backgrounds, Schenkel said that they all share one common belief:
"They value protecting the public's right to buy guns and defend themselves."
archive
