Medina resident John J. Myers has written an excellent letter to the editor" in the Cleveland Plain Dealer addressing Ohio's status as one of only 6 states that denies its citizens the right to defend themselves, family and home with a firearm. John is fed up with the fact that, according to that city's police chief, Medina has become ''easy pickings'' for armed robbers".

Paradoxically, a second letter writer points out that an AK-47 was used in a recent New Orleans school shooting, and argues that the incident gives reason to uphold the assault weapons ban. Uh...let's think that one over...the ban became law 10 years ago...and the shooting happened 10 days ago. How can that be? Wasn't the ban supposed to prevent such crimes?

Law enforcement bureaucrats like the OHP's Capt. John Born, and liberal media editorial writers like ThisWeek's Vince Dunbar say we shouldn't defend ourselves, but rather need to "let the professionals do the threatening."

Friday's Akron Beacon Journal contains yet another story about people who depended on the professionals for a neighbor's defense.

Mother of four dead; 40 minute response time despite multiple 911 calls

Here are some other recent examples:

Multiple restraining orders fail to restrain; Hamilton County woman dies

Killing: 911 Response too late

Akron: Yet another attack after ''restraining'' order fails to restrain

Dial 911 & Die

On the other hand, here are two examples of 911 callers who didn't wait for the "professionals" to defend themselves:

Off-duty Summit sheriff's deputy shoots suspected intruder at his house
*In the Canton Repository's Friday poll question, relating to this story, 72% say they'd do the same as this off-duty deputy did.

Robbery suspect forced to dial 911 at homeowner's gunpoint

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Columbus ThisWeek's Vince Dunbar, and the Columbus Dispatch's Joe Hallet are very likely cocktail party buddies. Or if they're not, they should be. Both are scared of firearms, and both admit to being absolutely unwilling to listen to reason.

ThisWeek has published Dunbar's official response to all the attention he's been receiving over his admission that "The logic behind concealed weapon proposal eludes me".

It's great entertainment to read his latest column for yourself, but allow us the joy of a quick summary:

• He got more feedback on this issue than anything he's ever written...and only four people agreed with him.

• He totally ignores or fails to respond to the logic and facts, presented to him by OFCC President Jeff Garvas (and countless letter-writers), nor does he offer corrections for his multiple errors. Instead, he focuses on getting his feelings hurt by a few who resorted to name calling, and even insinuates that he felt threatened by some who asked him to consider how he'd feel if his a member of family were threatened.

• He sums everything up by telling a story about a California resident who, while visiting a retail store in Kansas, put a cattle prod to his arm in the belief that it would not be active. Dunbar asks "Are you sure we want Scott to have the right to carry a concealed weapon?"

Guess what Vince? As a California resident, he already does.

Dr. John R. Lott Jr., a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and the author of More Guns, Less Crime and The Bias Against Guns, continues to contribute to efforts to restore Ohioans' right to self-defense.

His latest offering is an op-ed about Ohio's concealed carry reform debate, which has been published in the Columbus Dispatch (perhaps the Dispatch was feeling guilty after they attacked reform efforts via two separate columns in Wednesday's issue?).

Click here to read Lott's op-ed in the Columbus Dispatch (subscription site - paid access only), or click on the "Read More..." link below for an archived copy.

House Bill 12 has been added to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Criminal Justice's agenda for sponsor testimony only on April 30 at 9:00 a.m. in the North Hearing Room, Second Floor, Senate Building.

Due to security checkpoints, it is recommended that those planning to attend should ARRIVE MUCH EARLIER.

Citizens are more than welcome to attend. But remember, THIS IS SPONSOR TESTIMONY ONLY. Future hearings will be scheduled (possibly the first week in May) for those wishing to offer testimony.

Please consider wearing your OFCC shirt to show support for the organization.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

Your presence at this meeting is beneficial to the cause.

If you are interested in preparing testimony for future hearings, and don't know what to speak about, consult OFCC PAC's Education Guide.

When attending hearings on HB12 in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Criminal Justice, keep in mind that parking can be found under the building (if you arrive early) or in neighboring parking garages.

Your support for concealed carry reform is needed NOW: gather your friends and car pool to the hearings wearing OFCC shirts and khaki pants or blue jeans. Simply filling a seat in the Gallery through the entire process makes a serious statement of support, and wearing an OFCC shirt makes it perfectly clear why you're there, and what side you're on.

Two recent home invasions in Ohio had two very different outcomes for the victims, and for the perpetrators.

In Case #1, a 23-year-old Akron woman, Ms. Raysean Clark, was shot in the chest by Timothy D. Secession, after he forced his way into her home and began beating her. Clark is still slowly recovering.

In Case #2, a Columbus homeowner used his gun to stop David A. Griffin when he crashed into the home in an attempted home invasion/robbery. When police arrived they found the robber's body lying in the front yard, with gunshot wounds in upper torso.

Since these perpetrators were obviously undeterred by the various and extensive felony laws they were breaking, isn't the more attractive outcome one in which the innocent victim is spared injury? Since future home invasions, car-jackings, muggings, etc. are bound to occur, doesn't the more attractive scenario involve the intended victim being allowed to exercise their right to self-defense?

The Columbus Dispatch's latest editorial on the concealed carry debate presents readers with an interesting problem:

On one hand, the Dispatch editors admit there most certainly is a problem with the current law, which finds persons guilty until they prove themselves innocent.

Yet on the other hand, they still claim two lower courts' rulings (which correctly found the law to be unconstitutional) should not be upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Instead, the Dispatch suggests a solution followers of the school funding debacle will likely find repulsive. Their brainy solution? An invitation for the Court to issue a ruling which "clarifies the law's application" (i.e. to legislate)...

(One can also not help but notice the editors attempt to push aside constitutional language which protects citizens' right to bear arms) More on that, and the entire archived editorial, can be accessed by clicking on the "Read More..." link below.

The senior editor from the Columbus Dispatch, Joe Hallet, doesn't want to hear from you. Joe doesn't care what you think, and he dreads the email and voicemail messages he anticipates receiving (and plans on ignoring) after writing his latest anti self-defense editorial (which has been archived, and can be read by clicking on the "Read More..." link below).

Gary Stewart, 36, of Green Township is winning praise for getting involved when he realized a man was viciously beating a woman in Miami Whitewater Forest Thursday morning.

"His presence stopped the attack," said Sgt. Dale Reatherford, a Hamilton County Park District ranger. "He did detain the guy."

Stewart, who is training for next month's Flying Pig Marathon, was running in the park shortly after 10 a.m. when he heard a scream.

"I looked back and here's this heavyset guy," Stewart said. "This woman jumped up and said, 'Help me!' "

Stewart told police the man had hit her in the back of the head with what appeared to be a sawed-off baseball bat.

The suspect then made a threatening move so Stewart said he kicked the man in the stomach. Stewart's girlfriend, who was riding in-line skates as Stewart ran, sprayed the suspect with Mace.

The couple held the man until a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy arrived.

The attack appeared to be a random act of violence, Sgt. Reatherford said.

Click on the "Read More..." link below to read what this has to do with concealed carry reform.

Given how much the Ohio Supreme Court has been in the news of late, we thought this April 21 Peter Bronson column, published in the Cincinnati Enquirer, would be of interest:

"While Ohio is digging in the couch cushions for spare change like a wino in a bus station, the Ohio Supreme Court is building a new palace bigger than the Capitol.

Lawmakers gave the Court $85 million to repair, renovate and remodel the old Ohio Departments Building near the Capitol in Columbus.

The 1933 Art Deco building will be restored like a treasured relic on Antiques Roadshow. A project manager compares it to the Omni Netherland Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati.

It sounds like a beautiful treasure, worthy of historic restoration.

But the timing couldn't be worse. The appropriations for the project began in 1997 when the tax spigot was wide open and the revenue trough was overflowing.

But now the state is so desperate, Gov. Square Bob Sponge Tax wants to tax cable and satellite TV. That makes the court's palace look nearly as tacky as Saddam's Playboy mansions next door to starving Iraqis."

Click here to read Bronson's entire column.