Opposing gun-related groups duel at close quarters at Democratic convention

The gun debate was front and center Friday at the Texas Democrats' state convention.

In the middle of the exhibit hall, volunteers for Moms Demand Action, a group calling for changes to gun laws, found themselves running a booth right beside one for the Texas State Rifle Association.

By midafternoon, there had been one confrontation at the TSRA booth, which a passerby reported to the police. The Moms Demand Action volunteers reported no problems at their booth.

“I’m not here to change hearts and minds,” said Odie Hitt, a second vice president for the TSRA. “I’m just here to give information.”

That's what he was trying to do Friday when a delegate came up to talk to him.

That man soon started yelling.

"He said I was stupid ... and he got really upset," Hitt said, adding that the confrontation didn't become physical and they "had a table between us."

A woman standing nearby reported the incident to police, who checked with Hitt to make sure everything was all right.

Volunteers at the Moms Demand Action booth said they had no similar problems.

But they said they know a lot of people have thought the placement of the two gun-related booths was interesting.

"It has started some great conversations," said Kristy Hill, a Fort Worth woman with Moms Demand Action. "Many people have tweeted and posted because of it, which helps us get the word out about our organization."

The group, founded after the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, advocates for gun safety and measures such as closing loopholes in the background check system.

"We believe supporting the Second Amendment and common-sense gun safety legislation are not mutually exclusive," she said.

Texas Democratic Party organizers say the placement of the two booths side by side was deliberate.

"We believe in the First Amendment and all of the amendments," said Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party. "We are also clear about our values and the need for common-sense gun safety reform to end gun violence."

This story was originally published June 22, 2018 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Opposing gun-related groups duel at close quarters at Democratic convention."