March 16, 2005
Akron Beacon Journal

Two branches of FirstMerit Bank, a Dairy Mart store and the Lucky Corner bar have one thing in common: They all had "No Guns Permitted'' notices displayed, yet all four establishments were robbed by a man with a gun.

More than 135 Ohio firms, including some chains, have removed such notices from their door because they realized these notices were merely a feel-good but futile attempt to keep guns out of their place of business.
Think about it. The "No Guns Permitted'' notice is actually an invitation for a criminal to rob a business, because he realizes that law-abiding citizens with concealed-carry permits either will honor the sign by leaving their gun in their automobile before entering or will have refused to patronize that particular firm to begin with and taken their business to another bank or establishment that does not exclude the business from law-abiding citizens with concealed-carry permits.

Thus a criminal need not worry about being confronted by law-abiding armed citizens and can commit his armed robbery in relative safety -- after which, in certain instances, he could conceivably lock in the vault or cold-storage room employees and any unfortunate patrons who happened to be present (or worse, shoot them to assure himself a safe getaway).

Considering the criminal's mind-set, in which establishment would you feel safer transacting your business: one displaying the notice or one that does not display it? Which would cause the robber to wonder whether he would be safe in committing his robbery?

Actually, wouldn't a sign reading "We Welcome Concealed-carry Permit Holders'' make more sense?

John J. Myers
Medina

The Mansfield News Journal is reporting that Mansfield's Greater St. John Church of God in Christ has a "security guard ministry" in case of dangerous incidents, such as Saturday's Milwaukee shooting that left eight dead in a suburban hotel worship service.

Rev. Walter Jordan II told the newspaper Greater St. John formed the security guard ministry after a woman entered the church and tried to hit a pastor over the head. Trained ushers wear badges and are stationed inside the church and in the parking lot during services.

"You have to respond to the day and time in which you live," Jordan said. "People seem to be very callous as to what they do and where they do what they do ... It's just sad, but it's a reality."

Whether it be criminals in search of an easy mark, or terrorists in search of a place to inflict maximum damage, places of worship have a reason for concern. Under current Ohio law, CHL-holders are banned from attending worship services (or even entering the church building) while armed, unless the church authorizes entry.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that Republicans, their ranks expanded in the Senate "with the help of the National Rifle Association", may now have enough votes to pass legislation which would shield gun manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits blaming them for instances when criminals misuse their products.

The Republican-controlled House passed the legislation during the previous Congress, and GOP senators would have done the same if Democrats hadn't attached to it a reauthorization of an assault weapons ban.

With seven new Republicans in the chamber, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, told reporters he has the votes to get the legislation through without any detrimental Democratic amendments. Gun control groups already are fighting to head off the effort.

From the story:

"Holding gun makers liable for the criminal misuse of our products is akin to holding Ford, Chevy or Honda responsible for the illegal actions of a drunk driver, or holding Kodak responsible for the use of their film in the vile world of child pornography," said Bradley Beckman, lawyer for firearm manufacturer North American Arms.

And don't blame the recent wave of crimes on lack of gun-control laws, [Sen. Larry] Craig said.

"A lot of these shootings have occurred in areas where there are tight gun bans and gun controls today," Craig said. "It's the same old game. Don't rush to judgment because you have a criminal element out there."

Craig is quoted as saying the 60 votes last year to ensure the bill's passage, but that when Democrats succeeded in persuading a few Republicans to help them attach a renewal of the assault weapons ban onto the legislation, Republicans then killed the legislation.

The NRA's political action committee spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on ads, postcards and other publicity calling for the election of the new GOP senators or the defeat of their Democratic opponents, and voters responded.

Craig said senators plan to bring the legislation straight to the chamber floor for approval after the Easter recess.

KATV Channel 7 (Little Rock, AK) is reporting that one jewelry store robber was shot and killed, two are in custody, and that three or four others escaped when store owners fought back.

Police told reporters the men tried to rob two jewelry merchants from Texas while at Cecil's Fine Jewelry in west Little Rock. A shootout began and the two merchants, who were also armed, shot back at the suspects. One suspect was hit in the shootout, dropped off near a local hospital, and later died. Police say the merchants in this case were not injured.

Capt. David Ebinger, LR Police was quoted as saying "I think we probably got at least some of the individuals from yesterday who really didn't know what they were getting into, and an amateur who's not prepared is more dangerous than anybody involved."

From the story:

Authorities say this kind of planned robbery is part of bigger nationwide problem of targeting jewelry stores and merchants.

(Thomas Browne, FBI) "If there's any engraving on any of the jewelry, they polish it off. If it's gold, a lot of times they'll melt it down and it becomes unidentifiable pretty quick."

Contact information dangerous Ohio jewelry outlets is available in OFCC's Do Not Patronize While Armed database...

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is
reporting that supporters of the Federal Flight Deck Officer's program say President Bush's Secretary of Transportation, a Clinton-administration holdout, is making it unnecessarily difficult for crews to take guns into the cockpit.

From the story:

Pilots who monitor the program estimate that between 4,000 and 4,500 have been trained and deputized to carry guns since the Federal Flight Deck Officer program began in April 2003. That total is about three times as many as a year ago, yet a fraction of the 95,000 pilots who fly for U.S. airlines.

David Mackett, president of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance, a group formed to lobby for guns in the cockpit, said tens of thousands of his colleagues are interested in the program.

"We have an armed pilots program that's arming very few pilots," said Mackett, who hasn't signed up because of the way the program is run. He said many others won't join for the same reason.

Mackett contends the Transportation Security Administration isn't moving to get substantially more pilots trained to carry guns because it has never really wanted the program.

Last year, Congress failed to pass a bill that would speed the application and training process, allow pilots to carry guns in holsters and let those among them with military or law enforcement backgrounds carry guns immediately. According to the news report, the pilots plan to try again this year.