By Jim Irvine

While there is far too much to cover in a single article, we reflect on some of the important events of 2007.

January:
The year started with the swearing in of Governor Strickland (D) finally giving us a friend in the Governor’s mansion. Strickland quickly showed hunters he was a friend by appointing Sean Logan to head the ODNR. Soon Anthony Celebrezze was added to the team. These friends would soon pay dividends to Ohio gun owners.

February:
A killer goes to a “gun free” Trolly Square mall and opens fire. He is stopped by an off-duty police officer who is carrying a concealed firearm. Anti-gun New York mayor Mike Bloomberg is suspected breaking federal laws in his so-called sting on Ohio gun shops. He was never charged for those crimes.

March:
HB347 takes effect 90 days after Governor Taft’s veto was overridden. Ohio has uniform laws throughout the state. Cleveland’s Mayor Jackson holds a press conference to cry that he can no longer stop criminals. He and Chief McGrath refuse to answer questions about how often they prosecute criminals. Months later, we learn why.

Ken Hanson’s second edition of “The Ohio Guide to Firearms Laws” is released. It outlines Ohio’s new laws including improvements with “plain sight” problems. Purse carry is now permitted, but many other traps remain.

Buckeye Firearms CCW wallet cards are introduced. Students and instructors love them and demand remains strong.

April:

By Gerard Valentino

Our second interview of pro-gun politicians is with State Senator Tim Schaffer, a long time defender of the 2nd Amendment, and friend to gun owners in Ohio. Senator Schaffer followed a productive career in the Ohio House, where he voted in favor of each pro-gun bill that was introduced, with his new position in the Senate.

In his short time in the Senate he has started off much the way he ended in the Ohio House, with resolute support of self-defense rights and Ohioans right to keep and bear arms.

Chatting with Senator Schaffer left no doubt about his strong feelings for gun rights and gun voters based on his statement that, “pro-gun voters mean the world to me, they are resolute, dependable, they say what they mean, mean what they say and are dedicated to preserving constitutional rights.”

In all the years Buckeye Firearms Association has dealt with politicians, we have never heard a better description of the people that make up our movement.

Sen. Schaffer further stated that the 2nd Amendment is, “an integral part of stable non-negotiable tenants in public policy that have to preserve the right to bear arms, and the interpretation of laws has to keep self-defense of law abiding citizens at the forefront of the legal process.”

Thus he offered support to the biggest self-defense issue facing Ohio today – the passage and implementation of Castle Doctrine legislation that has proved effective in numerous other states.

By Tim Inwood

On a chilly December night, John Schultz had just clocked out for a break at the Whole Foods store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He heard the manager yell there was a shoplifter trying to exit the store. Having been a US Marine, with a sense of duty, John was not about to let this miscreant get away with his crime. Despite being unarmed, John chased the man and caught him outside, trapping him between cars in the parking lot. The thug made a dash and was on the street with John fast on his trail. John caught up to the man and grabbed him by the coat; this was of course off the Whole Foods property. Making a citizens arrest, he held the man for the police, but within moments the manager arrived and ordered John to release the shoplifter. He complied and the thug ran away.

The next day, Christmas Eve, John was called into the office. For doing the right thing, the “sheep” at Whole Foods fired this fine young man. It seems they have a policy against “touching” a customer…As I read this comment, I thought, “the crook is a customer?” It never ceases to amaze me how many corporations in the United States have adopted the moronic attitude of let the criminal have their way, lay down and submit. I suspect liability lawyers have convinced them to embrace this rubbish. Anyway, company spokesperson Kate Klotz said the policy was clear and that
employees had to sign a statement that they understood the rules before employment. So they sacked this young man, who had shown his initiative and loyalty to the store, the day before Christmas.

By Jeff Riley

In the wake of two mass shootings in Colorado, it is no surprise that the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is calling for more gun control. They start by falsely claiming that the now expired 1994 "Assault Weapons" ban could have prevent both shootings. Not true, as both the weapons used in the shootings in Omaha and Colorado would not have been banned under the provisions of 1994 ban. The WASR AK-47 style gun used in the Nebraska shooting is a direct result of the ban, having been cosmetically altered to comply with the 1994 law. This is a typical reaction to such shootings and is to be expected.

What is of a greater concern to me and to ever big-game hunter in the county is the following statement post on the Brady Center website:

"Perhaps even more shocking, the type of bullet many assault weapons fire (7.62mm full metal jacket) can penetrate four categories of police body armor. There is no legitimate reason the public should have this kind of access to military-style assault weapons."

Not content to go after assault weapons, now they are going after any bullet that can penetrate body armor.

And as usual, they're trying to sway public opinion with inaccurate, misleading, and provably false information.

Click 'Read More' for the full commentary.

By Dave Golowenski
Columbus Dispatch

...Calling Ohio's 1.5 million hunters and anglers "among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups," the report says these outdoor enthusiasts spend more than $1.9 billion a year on hunting and fishing. That dollar outlay puts Ohio ninth among the 50 states.

The report was issued by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, an advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., that seeks to inform lawmakers and other governmental decision-makers about the impacts of hunting and fishing.

"Hunting and fishing represent much more than an outdoor tradition," foundation spokeswoman Melinda Gable said. "These activities generate real economic value to the states and to communities."

While Ohio stands eighth in population, the state ranks fourth in the number of hunting and fishing participants age 16 and older, with 1.14 million anglers and 467,000 hunters.

A total of 33,000 Ohio jobs -- 19,000 related to fishing and about 14,000 to hunting -- are linked to sportsmen's pursuits, the report says. The workers earn about $934 million annually. The report's job and payroll numbers are derived from surveys conducted and data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Dave Graham, chief of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said although he is happy to see reports beginning to draw public attention to the economic value of hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing, such findings have long been known among wildlife agencies.

..."The average angler and the average hunter will spend well over $1,000 a year just on equipment," Graham said.

Click here to read the entire story from the Columbus Dispatch.

Taken from the most recent “Page Nine” Alan Korwin’s “The uninvited Ombudsman Report”

1- Gun Saves Lives

The lamestream media told you:
"Gunman thrown out of school, police say," and "Megachurches expand use of security forces," according to Associated Press headlines on Dec. 11, reporting on a murderer who died while shooting up a church in Colorado.

The murderer's age, background, writings, photographs, history and other personal details have been featured in "news" casts nationwide for days. News reports highlighting heinous criminal activity by misfits seeking notoriety have never been proven to inspire copycat behavior, according to news-media experts.

The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
"CCW-Permit Holder Shoots Murderer, Saves Lives," is a Page Nine corrected headline, changing the earlier phrase "Kills Murderer," now that news reports suggest the perpetrator may have killed himself after being repeatedly shot by a civilian.

Terrified of suggesting that a private citizen volunteer may have stopped a murderer, which could encourage similar copycat behavior amongst the public, national media outlets universally reported that a security guard defended a megachurch in Colorado this week.

CNN in particular bent over backwards to imply that only "authorities" or "officials" acted, could act, should act or would act and to downplay that a private civilian CCW-permit holder was once again a deterrent against an armed sociopath. News professionals refer to this as balanced, unbiased reporting. No ethics violations have been filed.

Click on 'Read More' to continue reading.

By Jeff Riley

Like most pro-gun activists, I have been following the media accounts of the shooting that occurred at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It seems that, just like Eric Flack of WLW here in Cincinnati, they report incorrect facts or leave out important information relevant to the story.

Case in point: I keep reading or hearing reports referring to Jeanne Assam, the hero who stopped the church shooter in Colorado Springs, as a "security guard". She was not - she was a private citizen with a Colorado concealed carry license volunteering to protect her church. Based on the following information it probably was better that she was not officially employed as a security guard at the Church:

Colorado Springs current law restricts security guards employed by a Security Guard service to carrying only revolvers!

CNN is reporting (no doubt with some disappointment) that despite almost a century of attempts by anti-gun Constitutiona revisionists, nearly two-thirds of Americans still know the truth - that the Constitution guarantees each person the right to bear arms.

Click 'Read More' for the story.

Merry Christmas to one and all from all of us at Buckeye Firearms Association.

Our best gift is the friendship and support given by each of you throughout the year.

As we reflect on the year’s passing, we count our many blessings, remember our losses, and give thanks for those who helped us through it all.

We each need to take time to appreciate our friends and family during this special time of year. They are the reason we work so hard to make our world a better place to live.

From all of us to all of you – enjoy a great holiday season. Here's hoping Santa brings each of you your very own "official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time" (or the firearm of YOUR heart's desire).

Editorial: 'Is there no end to the irrational prejudice against Red Ryder and his peacemaker?'

As the year draws to a close, may of us make year end donations. We donate to our church or charities that do good work throughout the year. For those who itemize their Federal tax return, it’s also a way to lower the tax bill.

We have compiled a few organizations that you might want to include in your year-end donations. Not all of these are deductible under IRS rules.

Click 'Read More' to continue reading.