The Toledo Blade is reporting that Toledo Municipal Court Judge Gene Zmuda heard oral arguments yesterday on a motion to dismiss the charge against a Wood County man who was cited for carrying a gun in a city park.

From the story:

Bruce Beatty, of Luckey, Ohio, was cited April 9 for carrying a firearm in Ottawa Park during a party he hosted to challenge Toledo's prohibition of concealed weapons in city parks.

He has pleaded not guilty to the minor misdemeanor.

William Stephenson, a Rudolph, Ohio, attorney who represents Mr. Beatty, argued to Judge Zmuda that the city park rule under which his client was cited conflicts with the state's concealed-carry law.

He said there are 10 exemptions in the law that allows anyone to carry a gun, but state legislators didn't include public parks.

"The city is in open defiance of this, your honor," Mr. Stephenson said.

As we and several other news outlets reported, although several (13ABC put the number at five) other people were also carrying their firearms in the park at the time of his arrest, police did not investigate beyond Beatty.

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August 4, 2005
Toledo Blade

Why do those in Ohio's Legislature who support Second Amendment rights always get labeled as "doing the NRA's bidding," but those who support gun control are somehow doing it for the people? Why the double standard?

Does The Blade also scapegoat and stereotype NAACP, NOW, or any other liberal groups like it does the NRA?

Would The Blade also accept the argument of restricting voting rights under so-called "local control"? Civil rights need to be protected, and if the local government won't protect them, then good for the state if it does.

The Blade also complains about the disregarding of millions of Ohio citizens who favor restrictive gun laws. Well, why does this paper disregard the millions of Ohio citizens who don't favor restrictive gun laws? There is no legitimate reason to restrict semi-automatic rifles; they are not "assault weapons."

James Mullen
White Hall, MD