To OFCC,

In light of your recent posting on your web site about Fifth Third's profits falling, I thought you might find my story about their bank relevant to this discussion. I am currently in the process of starting a new real-estate investment company. We are in the process of getting pre-qualified for the loans we'll need to purchase our first investment property.

My mortgage broker gave me the name of a loan officer at Fifth Third and another bank to contact. Just out of curiosity, I called the Fifth Third contact and left her a voice mail. I told her I might be interested in applying for my loan there, but only if they don't display those discriminatory signs at her branch. I told her if they do they were probably wasting their time to even call me back. I explained that I was an OFCC member and that I would not do business with them so long as those signs were present.

The next day she called back. I wasn't home but my wife took the call. She told my wife (paraphrasing) "we certainly don't want people with guns in our buildings, because of recent robberies, a burglary and a murder". My wife wasn't 100% sure she said "murder", but she's pretty sure she said that. She also said (paraphrasing) "most banks have those signs up".

I called her back that evening but got her voice mail. I left her another message where I made the following points:

1. There are 44,000+ CHL permit holders in Ohio and there hasn't been a single incident involving them doing something criminal or improper in any business.

2. Fifth Third has been robbed several times in spite of their "no guns" signs, so they obviously are useless.

3. When they disarm their customers inside their buildings, they also leave them vulnerable when going to/from their parking lots.

I again reiterated that I would not do business with them until those signs come down.

Right now it might be easy for them to dismiss our business as not much of a loss because we're just getting started. However, we will build this business into a multi-million dollar business in the long term. I have asked our mortgage brokers to avoid contacting Fifth Third for all future loans. I've also asked my realtor to avoid showing me any properties that Fifth Third owns as an REO.

In the long run their ignorant policy is going to end up costing them many thousands of dollars in lost business with us if they don't change their ways. I will also try to get the word out to other investors, contractors, etc. as I network with them in the months to come to avoid Fifth Third for the same reason I am. Thanks.

Gary Martin, President
Sparkling Homes, L. L. C.
Gahanna, Ohio

Related Stories:
''No-guns'' Fifth Third profit falls 6 percent in first quarter

''No-guns'' Fifth Third bank earnings down 60%; competitors' up

Fifth Third Bank: Lost another loan to common sense!

OFCC uncovers report of Fifth Third customer being robbed on exit from bank

Fifth Third: Signs not posted to keep criminals out; They want to keep YOU out

News 14 Carolina is reporting that a Papa John's pizza delivery person who was attacked and shot by a criminal last week in Charlotte, managed to return fire on his assailant. Yet the victim's actions are the ones being criticized by police, and are almost certain to lead to his being fired from his job at Papa John's.

From the story:

…Police say carrying a gun might not be the best course of action for delivery drivers.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Bobby Martin and his family right now,” said Bobby Meroney, director of operations of Papa John’s in Charlotte. “We wish him speedy recovery.”

Bobby Martin, the 41-year-old driver for a Papa John's restaurant on Sharon Road West, remains in fair condition after taking a bullet in the shoulder. Although he missed, Martin also fired a shot at the suspect with a gun he took on the delivery.

While it is not against North Carolina law for him to carry an unconcealed weapon, it is against Papa John's policy.
“We have rules posted in the stores constantly reminding about the security issues out there,” Meroney said.

Gun shop owner Larry Hyatt says the people that make such rules “are not out there delivering the pizzas, they are sitting in the corporate office.” In fact, he says more and more business people are buying handguns, especially those who travel alone or at night.

“The big corporations are afraid of lawsuits so they don't want their employees to have any kind of weapon for self-defense,” Hyatt said.

Police say the best defense for someone in Martin’s situation is no defense at all. Recently, in a similar case, the pizza delivery man involved sensed something was wrong. He never made the delivery; instead he tracked down the police.

“Our officers posed as that delivery person, went to that location and arrested a couple of subjects,” said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spokesman Keith Bridges.

No doubt if Martin had sensed he was in danger, he would have left the area as well. The point is, we don't always get warning when we are about to be attacked, nor do we always have time or ability to retreat.

Papa John's has not yet announced what course of action they will take with Martin, but the last time an employee of Papa John's dared defend himself against attack, the insensitive company, fired him, apparently more concerned about perceived liability concerns than they are for employee safety.

Here in Ohio, the Mansfield News Journal is reporting that another defenseless fast food worker was taken hostage and robbed Friday evening. And in Newark, police are asking for citizens' help in finding a man wanted in an aggravated robbery of a "no-guns" Pizza Hut last December (many family restaurants, like this Pizza Hut, are victim zones by state law).

Ohio businesses that voluntarily disarm their employees and customers should be held liable for 100% of the resulting trauma, injuries or loss of life that results.

CBSNews.com is reporting that a criminal in Jacksonville, FL picked the wrong convenience store to rob last Friday, and has a bullet wound to show for it.

From the story:

A man accused of bursting into a convenience store demanding money was in the hospital Friday — shot, authorities said, by the great-great-grandmother working behind the counter.

Janet Grammer was filling in for the regular clerk Thursday afternoon when a man entered the store waving a gun and fired two shot at the back wall.

"I think he thought I was an old woman and would just give him the money," Grammer, 64, said Friday. "My life was at stake. I thought he was going to kill me."

So she pulled a pistol out from under the cash register and fired once, hitting the man in the chest. He fell to the ground, dropped his gun and then fled, leaving a trail of blood. Grammer fired two more shots as he was running away.

According to the story, the sheriff's report said a man fitting the suspect's description and injury went to a hospital a short time later. He told doctors he shot himself. The man, whose name has not been released, was being treated at Shands Jacksonville hospital Friday for a wound to the chest. Police spokesman Ken Jefferson said the man faces robbery charges.

Again, from the story:

Grammer, who has 10 children, 32 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, said she worried she had killed the man. "All I could think about was his poor parents," Grammer said.

Grammer said she never had to shoot anyone during her 10 years of working as a security guard. "I'm sick over it. It was very upsetting. I'm not feeling real perky."

Sadly, the story was much different for a defenseless woman in Ohio recently.

No one wears seat belts only when expecting an accident. Why carry a gun only when "expecting trouble"?