Commentary: O.C. gun show took place too soon after the Las Vegas tragedy

This is in response to an article in the Daily Pilot written by Hannah Fry, “Gun show to go ahead at O.C. fairgrounds, a week after Las Vegas mass shooting,” (Oct. 5).

The gun show’s chief executive, Bob Templeton, failed to see the most profound reason not to host the gun show this year. The residents of Orange County need time to heal and honor their dead.

Many of us in Southern California know someone who was killed, injured or significantly traumatized as a result of the Las Vegas shooting.

The executives of the Orange County Fair and Event Center announced that it would host the gun show Oct. 7-8, in spite of recent events. They had a choice to stop and listen to the community or to continue with business as usual. I’m writing with the hope that they choose to listen.

Hosting this gun show at this time feels like a violation and an assault to my senses. We needed time to heal and time to mourn the people we lost. It was too soon for a gun show.

We’d seen more than our share of guns lately, thank you, very much.

It is not OK to do business as usual, Mr. Templeton. You can’t tell us that your gun show has nothing to do with the Las Vegas shooting. It does, by its very nature and by its location.

The gun show is like throwing a party next to my daughter’s grave. It just doesn’t work.

We are sick with fear for our children, students, teachers, police, citizens of color, pilots, bus drivers, community service workers, concert attendees and the list goes on and on. How long does the list have to get before we begin to hear each other?

Executives at the Orange County Fair & Event Center had a chance to work with the community and join us in solidarity. They had an opportunity to affirm they care about the community, in which they do business, to do something about it — not just with words but with actions by canceling the gun show this year.

There’s another show planned for late November. I hope you have the courage to take a bold step in the right direction. Now would be a good time for the sake of our community and out of respect for the loved ones we lost.

The Fair Board should hold a public hearing on whether these gun shows should continue at all.

JENNIFER IRANI lives in Newport Beach.