To the Westland Mall Management,

As a member of Ohioans's for concealed carry, and as a former police officer in Indiana, I read with great interest a CNN report that talked about a rapist who's been stalking a Wisconsin mall for 6
years. See this link:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Midwest/07/15/mall.rapist.ap/index.html

Here's an excerpt from that story that explains how he operated:

"Prosecutors filed a complaint charging Perry with two of the sexual
assaults they attribute to the so-called mall rapist, who attacked female
mall workers in Madison in parking lots or as they worked alone in their
stores."

The new Ohio concealed carry law was put into effect for the express
purpose of giving citizens the right to protect themselves in situations
like this. If any of his victims had been armed, they may very well have
been spared the horror of being raped. You are all smart people or you
wouldn't be in the management positions you are in. Therefore, you can
probably figure out on your own that the only people your concealed carry
ban protects are the criminals themselves, because they're certainly not
going to pay any attention to your signs. Law abiding citizens like me who
have CCW permits will obey the signs and not bring my gun into your
mall. However, criminals are smart too, and there will certainly be
situations where they choose your mall to rob or rape people they encounter
in the parking lot because they know you have helped them greatly by making
sure anyone coming out of our mall isn't armed and are unable to defend
themselves. You aren't protecting anyone except the criminals with your
well-meaning but misguided policy.

I'm sure that like most malls you have your own security people. You may
even have cameras monitoring the parking lot. I also know from my
experience as a former police officer that like the police, the security
staff is rarely able to be there to prevent a crime from occurring. They
and the police are normally in the unfortunate position of having to
respond to the crimes after they're all over with. The hard reality is
that mall parking lots are ideal places for armed criminals to victimize
customers and employees as they walk to/from the mall building and their
vehicles. This CNN story is just the latest in a long string of examples
that prove this point. When you force law abiding citizens to leave their
guns behind in their cars, you leave them highly vulnerable to these
criminals.

Until you change your mall from a criminal protection zone to a victim
protection zone, I and my family will not risk being unable to defend
ourselves in your parking lot by shopping at any of your mall's
stores. There are plenty of other stores in the city that care enough
about their customers and employees that they don't put them in this kind
of a position. I urge you to take those discriminatory signs down and quit
making it so easy for criminals to victimize your customers and
employees. Thank you for considering my comments.

Gary Martin
Gahanna, OH

Commentary:
Although a growing number of mall managers have recognized the folly of disarming their patrons, the Do Not Patronize While Armed database still contains several malls across the state.

One of the most offensive is Prime Outlets Mall. Soon after employees at the Jeffersonville store were targeted by Ohio's own Retail Rapist, out-of-state management reacted by posting signs banning law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves, even in the parking lot:

Prime Outlets Malls: Shopping for Defenseless Victims

July 20, 2004
Dayton Daily News

DAYTON | A man robbed a bank in a downtown high-rise office building Tuesday morning.

The robber walked into Park National Bank on the 18th floor of 40 W. Fourth St. at 10:37 a.m. and demanded money, Dayton police Lt. Matt Carper said.

Carper said that the man said he had a weapon and that witnesses said the man made a hand gesture under his shirt, but did not show a weapon. No customers were in the bank.

Police said the man fled with an undisclosed amount of money. Carper said police are reviewing the surveillance video from the bank and the building.

The man was described as a black male, 20 to 25 years old, 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall. He was wearing a white T-shirt, dark baggy pants and a white skullcap, with gold caps on his teeth.

Park National Bank, based in Newark, has an office in Dayton as well as Cincinnati and Columbus. Its parent, Park National Corp., owns banks in Greenville, Piqua, Urbana and Springfield and operates subsidiaries that include Second National Bank of Greenville, Security National Bank, Springfield, Unity National, Piqua, the Citizens National Bank, Urbana, and Park National Bank.

Commentary:
The building located at 40 W. Fourth St. is posted with a "no-guns" sign. Yet this individual entered, rode up 18 stories in an elevator, robbed a bank after convincing a teller he had a gun, and calmly descended and exited. Obviously he wasn't concerned about being stopped by an armed citizen, thanks to the signs.

According to this story, Park National Bank owns, among others, Second National Bank, which is listed on the Do Not Patronize While Armed list as having posted discriminatory signs banning CHL-holders throughout Ohio. It has not yet been determined if Park Ntl. branches are posted.

Meanwhile, in Columbus, a 76 year-old man was beaten and robbed outside a bank which does NOT post "no-guns" signs. What makes this incident notable is that police say the robber apparently knew Sparks' routine.

"It appears that he did his homework, and then struck when the moment was right," Detective Don Junk said.

Clearly, while premeditating their crimes, enterprising robbers concerned that their victims are armed will also be smart enough to target citizens who bank at places which ban firearms.

Whenever OFCC warns that publishing names of CHL-holders would lead to an increase in gun thefts, the media and some legislators scoffed at the notion that criminals were intelligent enough to plan their crimes.

They cannot say we didn't warn them.

How are Columbus officials reacting to the victimization of this 76 year-old man? At least one city councilman is trying to take even more self-defense options away from law-abiding citizens:

Councilman ponders limits on Taser guns

Following an email announcing that signs barring CHL-holders had been removed from his dealerships, Mr. Andy Glockner, owner of several car & truck sales-related businesses in the Portsmouth area, and Board Chairman of the Ohio Auto Dealers Association (OADA), has taken further action to ensure that OADA members are receiving only impartial information from the Association.

----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew M. Glockner
To: Chad D. Baus
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004
Subject: Re: Ohio Concealed Carry

Chad,

It was good talking to you Saturday! I just got off the phone with Charlie Howard, head of legal counsel, for OADA.

He reiterated that OADA took a "no position" on the Concealed Carry Law, and they continue to do so. He said when the law went into effect, their office received a flood of phone calls and e-mails concerning the law from the dealer members. The dealers requested the signage and OADA provided signs as a service to the membership, but he stated that by providing signage does not imply OADA is taking a position.

He said that OADA has said that each dealer should make their own business decision as to the position they take and they encourage every dealer to educate themselves about the law.

If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Again, it was a pleasure visiting with you Saturday, and I hope to speak to you again. Good selling!!

Yours truly,

Andy Glockner

This email should go a long way to assist customers when their local dealership attempts to claim that they were counseled to post signs by the OADA.

Mr. Glockner asked to have his dealerships placed on the list of Safe Alternatives. He joins several other car dealerships and many, many retailers which have announced their businesses are places where concealed handgun licensees are welcomed. If you are in the Portsmouth area, please patronize Team Glockner.

Related Stories:
Ohio Auto Dealers Association BOD Chairman removes signs from his dealerships

Have you driven a Mike Pruitt Ford lately?

OFCC announces major progress in fight to educate business owners

July 19, 2004

(Zanesville, Ohio) - Senator Joy Padgett (R-Coshocton) today released the following statement in response to a Sunday, July 18 Athens Messenger story in which it was reported that Padgett's opponent, Northeast Ohio native Terry Anderson, has not voted in a general election since November 2000.

"This reminds me of someone who skips church for years, then shows up all of a sudden one day demanding to be the preacher! It just doesn't pass the smell test for sincerity.

"Voting is a sacred right that should not be so easily dismissed, especially by those who seek to lead. My opponent's spotty voting record calls into question the sincerity of his political rhetoric, not to mention his level of commitment to working toward a brighter future in the region.

"My commitment to the people of Southeastern Ohio remains unchanged. Throughout this campaign and into the future, I will continue to provide steady, experienced leadership for Southeastern Ohio workers and their families."

Commentary:
Terry Anderson officially announced his candidacy for Senate on December 29. At that event, Anderson revealed his position on concealed carry reform.

"To me, it's a false issue," he said. "It's a hot-button issue that gets to people's emotions, but it's not relevant to most real lives here. Passing concealed carry is not going to bring one more dollar into the schools of southeastern Ohio."

Padgett has been involved with state government since 1991, and was the original sponsor of legislation allowing certain Ohioans to carry concealed firearms.

Anderson, a past member of the liberal academic and media-elite, has never held public office.

Senator Joy Padgett is a 2004 OFCC PAC endorsee.

Related Story:
Pro-concealed carry Joy Padgett sworn in as senator

July 19, 2004
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Off-duty police officers would not be required to obtain permits to carry hidden guns, but they would face the same restrictions as permit-holders going to bars, day-care centers and government buildings, according to an opinion issued Monday by Attorney General Jim Petro.

Under the three-month-old law, people are prohibited from carrying concealed handguns into places where liquor is served, inside a school safety zone and certain other buildings. An off-duty officer could carry a concealed weapon into some restricted buildings if conducting official business, Petro said.

The officer would face the same restrictions as permit holders in a vehicle, keeping the weapon locked in a container or inside a holster in plain view, the opinion said.

Applicants for permits must pass a criminal background check, must not have been committed involuntarily to a mental health facility and complete a 12-hour safety course.

The opinion is an interpretation of the law but subject to a judge's ruling in a specific case. Petro issued the opinion at the request of Lorain County Prosecutor Gary Bennett.

Commentary:
Ohio's law enforcement officers are now about to experience just what it is like to have to attempt to observe the provisions inserted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Bob Taft.

When off-duty (and not acting within the scope of their duties), police officers must now:

July 16, 2004
Elyria Chronicle Telegram

Get your gun permits
Nearly 500 Lorain County residents
have signed up for concealed carry permits

by Cindy Leise

ELYRIA — They walk among us
and we don’t have a clue.

The gun might be in a pocket, a
purse or a holster.

Thomas Bowen, a retired Elyria
police captain, has a couple of holsters,
but he usually just tucks his
gun into his pocket during the summer
months.

“You can carry a gun and nobody
will even know it,” he said.

Bowen, 58, who owns an apartment
complex on Middle Avenue,
said he rarely feels the need to
carry his gun, but there are times
he feels more comfortable with it.

The same goes for Lorain City
Councilman Gabriel “David”
Wargo, 69, and his wife, Bernice, 66.

A gun “gives you control over
what may or may not happen,”
David Wargo said.

“If I go down, I’m going to go
down fighting,” Bernice Wargo
said.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.