In the hours after the massacre at Virginia Tech, we predicted that "in the coming days, gun control groups like the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, the Brady Bunch and the Joyce Foundation's Gun Guys, will be calling for tighter gun control measures as a result of this massacre."

It didn't take days. In fact, gun ban extremist Toby Hoover, who fronts what often appears to be a one-woman show at the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, issued a press release before the total number of victims was even known.

Commentary by Buckeye Firearms Association Northwest Ohio Chair Chad Baus in crimson type.

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

April 16, 2007
ANOTHER GUN MASSACRE IN AMERICA
State's Leading Gun Violence Prevention Organization Says: "It's About the Guns"

Toledo, Ohio: The deadliest mass shooting in the history of the US occurred today at Virginia Tech. So far reports are that 31 have been killed, including the shooter, and at least 29 injured. Our hearts go out to the families, the students and the school. We thought about waiting until we knew exactly how many died before dancing in the blood of the victims, but frankly, we've suffered so many legislative losses in the past few years, we just couldn't help ourselves.

Again, from the press release:

By Tim Inwood

The sadness of Monday, April 16, 2007, will echo for
some time. Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to the family
and friends of those killed at Virginia Tech.

What we do
know is that the murderer was a
23 year old South Korean named Cho Seung-Hui. He was a resident alien who lived here for 14 years, and he went to Virginia Tech as a student. On Monday, April 16, filled with evil, this malevolent
force of nature, armed with two handguns, committed the worst atrocity ever on an American school campus. In
the end, thirty-three people, including Cho, were
dead. Another 30 or so people were wounded.

The news
coverage has been wall to wall, and when the talking
heads begin to chatter all sorts of mindless things
are said. As I feared, the knee jerk reaction on many
networks and their guests has been, "What gun control
measure would have stopped this?". Frequently, the
conclusion has been to ban this or that type of
firearm. This reaction is as predictable as it is
dead wrong.

Click 'Read More' for the entire story.

By Larry S. Moore

Some sportsmen might consider too many deer an oxymoron, like owning too many guns. A recent article in the Columbus Dispatch by Dave Golowenski certainly presents what is becoming a common debate.

The article accurately points out the number of hunters, the adaptability of deer, the fact that humans continue to consume more habitat while planting deer attracting foods, the conflicts between farmers and deer, and the number of vehicle to deer incidents.

Compounding the problem is getting hunters into the areas where deer need to be controlled. Dennis Murphy, chief of police in Gahanna, accurately points out many of the problems despite a pro-active deer-hunting program. I applaud Chief Murphy for using hunters in the attempt to solve the problem.

A few years ago the Division of Wildlife made a change in the computer model used to calculate deer populations and density. That change caused an immediate jump in the size estimate of the Ohio deer herd. Now the Farm Bureau wants the herd drastically reduced. The Farm Bureau published an editorial to reduce the deer herd without calling on their members to make hunting available or offering other solutions.

In the Ohio Outdoor News the question was posed to some hunters regarding their plans to harvest additional deer. Most hunters indicated they had taken the number of deer their family and friends would use. That is an ethical approach to hunting to ensure wise use of the resource but hardly encouraging for increased harvest.

Are there solutions?

Click 'Read More' for the entire commentary.

While college campuses across the country examine their security procedures in the wake of the VT massacre, most campus security experts are stressing that while they try to plan for all contingencies, there really is no way to prevent one lone predator with a death wish from wreaking havoc on a college campus.

But one Ohio college dean thinks she has the answer to a heavily armed criminal with intent on murdering as many people as possible: martial arts training!

Click 'Read More' for details.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is at it again. The headline warns "In Ohio, it's really easy to buy a gun". But the 'facts' (as per usual when it comes to this newspaper's coverage of gun-related news) are worth examining.

Commentary by Buckeye Firearms Association Legislative Chair Ken Hanson in crimson type.

TRAGEDY AT VIRGINIA TECH
In Ohio, it's really easy to buy a gun (It is also really easy to buy
crack cocaine, child pornography and stolen/counterfeit electronics. We
should pass laws banning these things.)
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Terry Oblander
Plain Dealer Reporter

Virginia Tech gunman Seung-Hui Cho bought his Glock 9mm handgun easily in Virginia. In Ohio, it would have been even easier. It is debatable whether this statement is factually true. In several ways, it is much harder in Ohio than in Virginia. Ohio has disqualifications for minor misdemeanors, and is the only state to have such, to my knowledge. Further, I have personally had clients who had to get the Virginia Concealed Carry License because they could not get Ohio’s.

In Ohio, he wouldn't have faced the local criminal background check that Virginia requires. As the NICS check already checks local records, why should we duplicate that process? Nor would he be restricted to just one handgun purchase a month. Not that it mattered in Virginia, the Goblin waited over a month to buy the two handguns. So what is the use of a one-gun-a-month law?

Click 'Read More' for further commentary.