Open Carry advocates called RodeoHouston's gun stance a bunch of bull

Where Texas businesses, organizations stand on Open Carry/Campus Carry of guns Open Carry advocates were thrown when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced Feb. 16, 2016 that it would prohibit both the open carry and concealed carry of handguns on the show grounds.

See which other schools, businesses and organizations have decided to prohibit either Open Carry or Campus Carry on their premises ... less Where Texas businesses, organizations stand on Open Carry/Campus Carry of guns Open Carry advocates were thrown when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced Feb. 16, 2016 that it would prohibit both the ... more Image 1 of / 42 Caption Close Open Carry advocates called RodeoHouston's gun stance a bunch of bull 1 / 42 Back to Gallery

C.J. Grisham, the Temple-based president of Open Carry Texas says that his group isn’t happy about the decision made by RodeoHouston organizers this week to prohibit the open carry of firearms.

“The organizers have made an ignorant and illogical decision based on emotion and void of fact,” Grisham said Wednesday just a day after the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced it wouldn’t allow the open carry of firearms at the event.

ABOVE: See where Texas businesses, events, schools and other organizations stand on Open Carry

"The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, in an effort to provide a safe environment and promote a family-friendly atmosphere at the city's iconic entertainment event, will prohibit concealed and open carry of handguns by private citizens at the 2016 Show," the organization said in a release Tuesday afternoon.

Joel Cowley, president and chief executive officer of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, spoke to reporters on Tuesday afternoon about the private, non-profit entity’s decision.

RELATED: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo bans open carry, concealed handguns for 2016

“It’s our goal to promote a family-friendly atmosphere,” said Cowley. “We don’t think the private carry of handguns is conducive to that.”

Grisham is offended by the rodeo’s decision because he says it puts his family and others in danger.

“Asking families that carry daily to not carry is offensive in the name of being family-friendly,” Grisham said. “They are caving to the mentality that the sight of a gun is not a family-friendly thing.”

Grisham notes that the rodeo has allowed concealed carry for 20 years and no shootings have occurred. In 2015 they began banning the concealed carry of firearms.

Open Carry Texas’ vice president David Amad also serves as the leader of the Houston wing of the gun advocacy group.

In a word Amad thinks the rodeo’s decision is “silly.”

“Guns were also prohibited at Sandy Hook and San Bernardino. Guns were prohibited at mass shooting events. The closest thing you can get to preventing something is allowing people to deal with it,” Amad said Wednesday. “You should be allowed to defend yourself anywhere.”

He thinks that rodeo organizers have fallen for the same fears that other entities have across Texas since open carry was made legal on Jan. 1.

“It’s the livestock show caving into the fears of the gun control crowd. Some people don’t like guns and they can’t explain why,” Amad said.

RELATED: Texas Open Carry gun advocate, Walmart worker clash over handgun in store

Amad admits that he doesn’t go to the rodeo every year here in Houston

“I probably wasn’t going to go anyway. It’s not that I am concerned with my safety, it would simply be my own form of political protest,” Amad says.

He wishes that the rodeo and other entities that have prohibited lawful carry of firearms would just follow what he considers Texas law.

“Why don’t businesses take the attitude that they will follow the law? Kroger hasn’t advocated for the law, they have only followed the law.” Amad says. Kroger was one of only a handful of businesses that didn’t come out and publicly prohibit firearms. Other places like Walmart started asking customers that were openly carrying firearms to present their Texas handgun license to managers.

A man in Devine, Texas filmed his experience with Walmart staff a few weeks back when he entered that his local store with a firearm at his side in a holster.

Amad accuses the rodeo of taking a political stance on the gun issue.

“Why should they require me to the mercy of bad guys while I visit their establishment?” he asks. “I think they are trying to avoid a bunch of upper middle-class pampered women complaining.”

He concedes that it is their event and their rules.

“It’s their business, but to be blunt this doesn’t impress me all that much,” Amad says.

Amad says that in the coming year the Open Carry movement will be putting its full weight behind legislation that would allow businesses to turn into gun-free zones but hold them liable if anything violent happens on the premises.