By Chad D. Baus

In Pt. 1 of the Reality Check for the Ohio Highway Patrol, we told you about Ohio Highway Patrol Capt. John Born expressing the OHP's opposition to any bill that would allow citizens their right to self-defense in an automobile.

"We do not want a loaded firearm readily accessible to the driver of a car,'' said Born.

When presented with the fact that a firearm is useless in a pinch if it's locked up, Born responded: "If there's a dangerous situation and you're in your car, you can drive off.''

What follows are read many, many more accounts of citizens who couldn't "just drive away" when they were attacked in their cars, or who, while driving, came to the aid of fellow human beings who were being attacked.

As you read the following accounts, please keep in mind how these situations would have been different had these citizens been attacked in Ohio.

Incident in Alabama termed 'self-defense'

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- A Cherry Point Marine sergeant visiting family members here shot and killed a carjacker during a shootout in what police are calling a "definite case of self-defense."

Sgt. James C. Lowery, 22, a KC-130 Hercules flight mechanic for Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252, is being treated for gunshot wounds to his face. His wife said from his hospital room Thursday at Baptist South Medical Center in Montgomery "that he is doing much better."

A family member said the bullet hit Lowery in the top left check and stopped near his voice box.

A new survey has been added to the OFCC PAC website, inquiring as to whether or not the General Assembly should add language to HB12 which would ban license-holders from carrying their firearms in their vehicles, in order to appease Gov. Taft and the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Madison County's Lincoln Day Dinner will feature the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, Larry Householder. Householder has been a staunch supporter of the restoration of self-defense rights in Ohio via concealed carry reform.

The annual GOP event will be held Friday, February 28, beginning at 6 p.m., in the First United Methodist Church, 52 N. Main St., London. A social hour and dinner will precede Householder's speech.

Tickets for the event can be obtained from any Republican central committee member.

Those interested also may contact Kitchen at (614) 879-6400, Gladys Griffith at (740) 852-0270 or Sidney Schafer at (614) 879-8058.

Click here to read the entire story in the Madison (County) Press.

The Gongwer News Agency is reporting that State Rep. Jeffrey Manning, a second term Republican from North Ridgeville, will resign to accept appointment as Lorain County prosecutor. Mr. Manning won appointment to the post after Lorain County Republican Party members voted Tuesday night to have him replace Greg White, who was nominated by President Bush as U.S. attorney for the northern district of Ohio.

Last November, Mr. Manning's re-election campaign was identified by OFCC PAC as a KEY RACE. A lot of hard work went into ensuring that this seat was held by a pro-CCW Representative.

Recommendations/ requests that Manning's replacement share his values on CCW/ self-defense rights may be voiced to the Lorain County Republican Party, by calling (440) 233-6298, or by writing a letter to 2303 Cleveland Blvd., Lorain, OH 44052.

OFCC PAC will continue to monitor the process of seeking Manning's replacement.

Click here to read the story from the Gongwer News Service.

Cincinnatians, still suffering with the rest of Ohio from the denial of their self-defense rights, are under a violent crime seige.

The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting a 117 percent increase in the number of Cincinnati homicides so far this year, compared with the same period in 2002, when six people were killed. And last year's 65 slayings were a 15-year high.

Detectives have made arrests in six of the 2003 killings. That adds up to a closure rate of only around 50 percent.

"Murder is an extremely difficult crime to prevent," said Capt. Robert Snow, an Indianapolis homicide supervisor who has written many books on killings. "Take the domestic violence ones - unless you find people with domestic violence charges and assign an officer to their house, you're not going to prevent it."

The homicide rate in Indianapolis (Indiana is a shall-issue concealed carry license state) has declined steadily for the past four years - from 130 when he got the job to 83 last year.

Every day that Ohio's Republican leadership waits to pass concealed carry reform increases the defenseless victim list in our state, and forces otherwise law-abiding citizens into making a choice between facing felony arrest or being unable to defend themselves. This simply should not be.

Click here to read the entire story in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

UPDATE: Deborah Cook was approved by the committee on a 13-2 vote. She now awaits a vote in the full Senate. No vote has yet been scheduled.

The (U.S.) Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote this morning on the nomination of Ohio Supreme Court Justice Deborah Cook to sit on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. Almost two years have passed since she was first tapped by President Bush to join the federal bench.

The Akron Beacon Journal has published a lengthy editorial denouncing the hack job that the nation's media (including today's New York Times) has done on Deborah Cook's record.

While it is refreshing to see the BJ stand up for what's right by denouncing this political partisanship, we wonder why they apply their complaints only to Ms. Cook, who is from Akron, and not to the other federal judges that are being "Borked" by Democrats in the U.S. Senate, and not to state issues that are subject to just as much media bias.

As we've been reporting for some months now, the outcome of this national debate will present interesting dynamic for Ohio's Supreme Court, and thus for the CCW ban Hamilton County constitutionality lawsuit, for which OFCC is a funding co-plaintiff. If Cook receives her appointment, Gov. Bob Taft will appoint her replacement to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Click here to read the entire editorial in the Akron Beacon Journal.

The Cincinnati Enquirer agrees.

A wonderful letter to the editor, short and to-the-point, has been published in today's Columbus Dispatch. Since the paper's website is subscription-only, an archived copy is provided here:

Wednesday, February 26, 2003

I am confused. On one hand, we are warned to prepare to do battle with terrorists who will attack us in our neighborhoods. On the other hand, the liberals are trying to disarm the law-abiding Americans who are the targets, through the proven stupidity of gun control.

Who should I fear most: liberals or terrorists?

JOHN D. COWAN
Upper Arlington

Pro-CCW residents of House District 45 in Akron will have the opportunity to speak to their representative face-to-face this week. State Rep. Robert J. Otterman, D-Akron, will hold office hours on Thursday and Friday.

Otterman is a consistent anti-CCW voter. Interested constituents may wish to take copies of the OFCC PAC Education Guide, and this Akron "Tale of Two Cities" article, to a visit with Rep. Otterman.

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

COLUMBUS -- A bill to issue concealed weapons permits to Ohioans began another round of hearings in the House Tuesday, featuring a quick debate sparked by Democrats.

Rep. Jim Aslanides, R-Coshocton, repeated his belief to House committee members that the issue is critical to protect the rights and safety of Ohio residents.

"The right to carry a hand gun allows individuals, common folk, you, to immediately respond to a life-threatening situation," he said. "Withholding this right is to leave the citizen defenseless until the police or other law enforcement arrives, and we know they cannot be everywhere."

The concealed weapons bill was among the most debated topics in the House last year, and the issue has commanded dozens of hearings in both chambers dating back to 1995.

Click here to read the full story in the Coshocton Tribune.

Other news outlets covering the story:

Cincinnati WCPO.com: Concealed Weapons Bill Back, With Court Ruling Pending

Toledo WTOL.com: Concealed Weapons

Columbus Dispatch: Revised concealed-weapons bill unveiled

Ohio News Network: Concealed Carry Bill Back Before Statehouse Committee

Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Hearings begin again on gun bill

Canton Repository: Concealed weapons bill back, with court ruling pending

When politics and behind-the-scenes quid pro quo leads to the positioning of certain law enforcement groups against concealed carry reform, it is often tempting to place the blame on law enforcement itself.

The leadership of groups like the Fraternal Order of Police labor union, and the Ohio Highway Patrol, continue to put up resistance to the restoration of Ohioans' self-defense rights. They say that law-abiding citizens will put officers at risk if they carry a firearm for self-defense in a vehicle, despite the fact that not one documented case exists (nationwide!) to support their claim. They say the average citizen can't be trusted with a concealed firearm without receiving up to one hundred of hours of training (like their officers get).

These safety, training and trust issues bleed of hypocracy. OFCC PAC could print a story a day (or more) on police officers being found to be corrupt, or to have caused a negligent discharge with their sidearm, etc. The simple fact is, a small sliver of society will always be disrespectful of our laws, not withstanding their occupation as police officers, accountants, car salespeople, journalists, etc. And as the following story proves, accidents can happen, even after hundreds of hours of training.

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