The Columbus Dispatch has published two letters to the editor dealing with the concealed carry reform debate(subscription site - paid access only), now headed to the state Senate.

In his pro-CCW letter, James Cleary points out that concealed-carry is not a threat to police, since "it's the bad people who might have a gun under their car seat that the law enforcement officers have to worry about." And because "they can't always tell who that bad person is, they always need to be careful. The concealed-carry bill would make no difference in the way they do their job."

In his anti-self-defense letter, Michael Lehv suggests that few in Ohio feel the need to carry a gun, and that this legislation is promoted by people on an ego-trip. He questions why, if the law would be good for Ohio's most defenseless citizens, the A.A.R.P. and N.O.W. do not support it.

OFCC PAC Commentary:
We'd like to thank Mr. Lehv for pointing out the bias that the A.A.R.P. and N.O.W. obviously have against conservative issues such as CCW reform. Since crime reduction with CCW reform is proven FACT, he has unwittingly pointed out that these two groups do not have in mind the best interests of the persons they claim to represent.

Click on the Read More..." link below for archived versions of both letters.

Is there something in the water? As we begin to take a look at who voted how on HB12, a startling observation jumps out:

Less than 1/3 of Ohio Representatives oppose reforming concealed carry laws to reflect our constitutional rights, and 1/2 of that 1/3 are from the Cleveland/ Akron area.

If all of the rationale by this small minority is as illogical and uninformed as that voiced by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, or the Lorain Morning Journal, or by the area representatives who testified against the bill on the House floor - Rep. Michael DeBose of Cleveland pleaded with lawmakers to think of Cleveland before approving the bill, lamenting "The people in Cleveland, we just have too many robberies, we just have too many shootings, and we just don't need any more guns" - one has to think it's a good thing that the state of Ohio may soon take over some of the public schools in that city.