By Scott Seibert

Last week I received a call from Brian, a campaign aid for Ohio Senate candidate Jim Hughes (http://www.vote4hughes.com/). His staff and a bunch of volunteers were getting together again Saturday May 10 to commence another "lit drop" [literature drop] in the Hilliard neighborhoods.

I had participated in an earlier lit drop a couple weeks ago, and found it to be a very worthwhile experience. So of course I said I'd do it again!

Here's how it works:

Two weeks ago, it was a man stabbed in the face in a Toledo park at the conclusion of an evening jog. This week, it's a woman kidnapped from the Equestrian Center of the Lorain County Metro Parks’ Carlisle Reservation, raped and shot in the back before being stuffed in the trunk of her own car.

Compelling enough, Justice Pfeifer?

That's just what Buckeye Firearms Association Chairman Jim Irvine is asking in an open letter to the Ohio Supreme Court Justice.

By Linda Walker

Recently, Buckeye Firearms Association had the privilege to co-sponsor a Candidates Reception with the US Sportsman Alliance (USSA). This is the third year that Buckeye Firearms has played a major role in this worthy event. This was the first year that the Ohio Republican and Democrat parties also joined as co-sponsors of the event, amongst other organizations.

Candidates, senators and state representatives from across the state were invited to this reception to mix and mingle with sportsman, hunters and Second Amendment supporters. This is always a great opportunity for individuals to talk face to face with the candidates and for the candidates to hear from the people of what their concerns may be.

By Chad D. Baus

During oral arguments last month on a case challenging the City of Clyde's ban on concealed carry in its public parks, Republican Paul Pfeifer proved himself dangerously out of touch.

Pfeifer remarked that he just couldn't understand why someone would want to lug a gun around in a park, especially in the summer when it would be harder to conceal. He mocked persons who would chose to exercise their Constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense, evoking an image of a jogger strapping a gun to his jogging shorts. He ignorantly suggested that pedophiles are a greater danger in city parks, drawing laughter when he suggested a bullwhip might be a more appropriate weapon.

Last week, Fernando Gonzalez had just finished a jog with his dog in the Swan Creek Metropark when he was stabbed in the face by a violent, cold-blooded criminal.

By Jim Irvine

Ohio Attorney Marc Dann (D) has posted the 2007 Annual Report on Ohio’s Concealed Handgun License law.

Concealed carry has been legal in Ohio for over four years now and over 107,000 Ohioans are licensed to carry a gun. Add to that the people who can carry in Ohio on licenses issued by 25 other states, and it is safe to say that most people cross paths with a license holder on a daily basis.

As in every other state that passed a concealed carry law, none of the fear mongering predictions came true. There have not been widespread shootouts at fender benders, blood in the streets, shootouts ala the OK coral, fist fights turning into gun fights, scared people shooting innocent bystanders (either accidentally or on purpose). Kids have not got their hands on guns being carried concealed. Road rage has not turned into high-speed shootouts. License holders have not become cowboys or vigilantes. And no police have been shot by license holders during traffic stops.

None of the predictions made by the anti-self-defense nuts have come true. Not one.

By Chad D. Baus

The Dayton Daily News reported over the weekend that Attorney General Marc Dann authorized his driver, a concealed handgun license (CHL)-holder, to carry his firearm at all times as part of his job duties.

Dann's driver, who the DDN reports obtained his CHL in January, immediately began running into a problem that faces every single one of the more than 100,000 Ohio CHL-holders on a daily basis: there are far too many "no-guns" victim zones in the Buckeye State.

(Columbus, Ohio) - You are invited to join the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance at the 2008 Candidates Reception on April 15.

The event provides an opportunity for the Ohio sportsmen’s community to meet with state and federal legislative candidates, rub elbows and voice their concerns.

The reception will be April 15 at the Athletic Club of Columbus from 5:30 to 7:30 PM and all are welcome to attend. The Athletic Club is located at 136 E. Broad St. in downtown Columbus.

Legislative candidates will use the informal atmosphere as an opportunity meet the opinion leaders from Ohio’s many prominent statewide sportsmen’s organizations, while listening to the opinions and fielding questions of their sportsman constituents.

The event is being sponsored and co-hosted by the Ohio Republican Party and the Ohio Democratic Party. Leaders from both parties will address those in attendance, and are encouraging their candidates to make the event a priority.

Oral arguments were held today in the case of Ohioans for Concealed Carry Inc. et. al v. City of Clyde et. al. [Case No. 07-0960]. The proceedings lasted for just under one hour.

Click here to watch a video archive of the hearing (RealPlayer required).

Excerpts of and links to media coverage of the proceedings will be added here as they are published.

Senate Bill 184, Ohio's Castle Doctrine bill, has been added to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Criminal Justice's agenda for Wednesday, April 2 at 10:00 a.m. in the Senate Building's North Hearing Room.

This will be the fourth hearing of the bill by this committee.

For more information on Ohio's Castle Doctrine legislation, see: Buckeye Firearms Association Endorses HB264/SB184; Castle Doctrine Legislation.

Thank you for responding to our call to use our Write to Legislators website feature to contact your legislators. Please encourage your friends and family to do the same.

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Leaders from the Ohio sportsmen’s community will be meeting with state and federal legislative candidates next month, rubbing elbows and voicing their concerns at the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance 2008 Candidates Reception.

Most notably this year, the event is being sponsored and co-hosted by the Ohio Republican Party and the Ohio Democratic Party. Leaders from both organizations will address those in attendance, and will encourage their candidates to make the event a priority.