By Jim Irvine

SB184 is 75 pages. It will go into effect on September 9, 2008. This is part of a series of articles looking at specific sections of the bill and how it will affect you. Keep in mind that I am not an attorney and this does not constitute legal advice. It is required that you read the Attorney General guide for concealed carry license holders. I highly recommend “The Ohio Guide to Firearms Laws” by Ken Hanson, Esq. (NOW AVAILABLE: Update for SB184)

Castle Doctrine is arguably the most important part of SB184. Indeed, this was the entire bill when it was introduced. As stand alone legislation it passed the Ohio Senate with a unanimous 32-0 vote. Even if every other improvement were stripped from this bill, this alone would have been a significant piece of legislation.

It is important to note that this section does not apply simply to those with a CHL, or just those who have a gun, but to all law-abiding citizens who are victims of a violent crime. No matter how you choose to defend yourself (including being pacifist), this law is important to you.

By Dean Rieck

If you're not thrilled with the idea of having John McCain as the next President of the United States, you're not alone. He's angered gun owners with anti-gun statements and support for so-called "campaign finance reform," which has done little except limit free speech and curtail grassroots political activism.

But would you prefer President Barack Obama? Obama is without doubt the single most anti-gun candidate to ever seek the office of President. By word and deed, he has consistently, without exception, worked to trash the Second Amendment and do away with guns and gun rights altogether.

I know you might not like either of these candidates. But politics is about dealing with reality. And the reality is this: The next President of the United States will be McCain or Obama.

Does that irritate you? It irritates me. But that's the way it is.

Buckeye Firearms Association has presented plenty of information about John McCain and his less than perfect record on gun rights. He has called for GOP "tolerance" for closing so-called gun show loopholes, supported bans on "cheap guns" and certain assault weapons, and wanted safety locks on some guns.

But he's not a hopeless case. He voted against holding gun manufacturers liable for gun crimes, voted against the Brady Bill, voted against background checks at gun shows, and opposed D.C.'s gun ban.

Whatever you think of John McCain, he's not a gun owner's worst nightmare. Barack Obama is.