By Chad D. Baus

Last week, the Toledo Blade reported that an employee who was wounded during a shooting rampage two years ago at DaimlerChrysler AG's Toledo North Assembly plant has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the facility's security firm.

From the story:

Michael Toney, a manager who was among four workers shot by Myles Meyers, claims that Wackenhut Corp. was negligent in allowing the disgruntled employee into the plant with a loaded 20-gauge shotgun.

Tomorrow marks the second year since Meyers opened fire in the plant.

Roy "Tom'' Thacker, 50, a supervisor, was killed and two others - Mr. Toney, 47, and Paul Medlen, 43 - were wounded before Meyers shot and killed himself.

The suit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Toledo and assigned to Judge David Katz, seeks unspecified compensatory damages and legal fees from the Florida-based Wackenhut Corp.

As I wrote at the time of this incident, when companies prohibit employees who have Concealed Handgun Licenses (CHLs) from bringing their protection on company property, they explain by way of making a lot of promises.

Click on 'Read More' for the full commentary.

They say without the prohibition, there is a risk of misuse, poor judgment or accident by license-holders.

They say the prohibition will make a safer work environment.

The following was submitted to this website as News Commentary. If you are a writer and have material you would like to be considered for publication, please use the SUBMIT News feature. The link can always be found in the top-left info block on the homepage.

By Michael A. Kotch

Determining effective solutions to the violence, which threatens our communities requires real honest efforts to keep us safe. Cosmetic answers to complex problems might present the allusion of safety, yet more suitable solutions to ending violence are required. Guns have been epitomized as the culprit to disorder in society. This shallow explanation for the causes of social disorder has blinded many people from the truth. Stricter gun-control laws will ultimately fail in reducing crime. As a committed educator I am fully aware that the proper guidance of our children, and the acceptance of personal responsibility for our individual actions provides the soundest solution to addressing all forms of violence pervading our communities.

Ronald Reagan once said, “We must reject the idea that every time a law''s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” This statement embraces the very essence of effective laws geared toward preventing gun-related violence. People who use firearms for unlawful and destructive purposes should be held accountable for their heinous actions.

Stricter measures of gun-control will not reduce violence, but holding individuals who are directly responsible for reprehensible crimes will deter the likelihood of these most unfortunate events from occurring in the future. Let''s start blaming criminals responsible for violent actions, and allow the honest, law-honoring gun owner to live his or her life in peace.