It’s all the rage.

First, to no one’s surprise, Columbia did it.

The city of Columbia has banned openly carrying guns during events, such as festivals and parades, in the wake of a recent state law.

City officials approved a measure Sept. 7 to banning the open carry of firearms during permitted city events and from carrying a gun of any kind into city buildings or facilities without permission from the city manager or police chief.

Next up, Greenville.

The city may ban guns from being carried openly at events and by people picketing after South Carolina changed its law to allow open carry of firearms.

On the first of two readings, and without public discussion, City Council voted 7-0 to ban open carry of firearms at permitted public events like Fall for Greenville and Saturday Market or by individuals seeking to protest. It still must pass a second vote.

Ah, Fall for Greenville where all the crappy hot dog vendors get to sell their awful food.

Finally, Spartanburg has had its first reading of the same sort of statute.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Spartanburg City Council has moved ahead on the first reading for a ban on openly carrying a gun at city-permitted events in Spartanburg.

During the first reading of the ordinance at Monday evening’s city council meeting, council members voted unanimously to prohibit the open carrying of firearms during city-permitted events on public property.

Councilwoman Erica Brown told 7 News, the ban applies to citywide-permitted events, like festivals and protests. Council is able to do this through a clause in the Open Carry with Training Act.

Brown said the vote couldn’t be timelier.

“Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would see that the City of Spartanburg has had quite a bit of gun violence as of late,” said Spartanburg City Councilwoman, Erica Brown.

Kyle Marlow is passionate about guns. He told us, especially using them safely. In fact, he calls himself a Second Amendment advocate.

“South Carolina is doing it the right way. It’s an Open Carry with Training law so they still have to go through all that training and background checks,” said Manager at T & K Outdoors, Kyle Marlow.

But with that being said, he told us he understands the intent behind the ban for protests.

“Just encourage all these people to follow all laws, whether that’s in the city, state or federal level,” Marlow told us.

In spite of his slow venture towards freedom, Kyle Marlow loves his enslavement.  Open carry with permit – still a government permission slip.  Open carry, except when we say not to.

We in N.C. don’t have much room to talk.  We’re under the same restrictions concerning permitted events.  Here’s one solution.  Don’t go to permitted events.