Editorial: Smoke clears on hidden-gun myth

July 26, 2004
Sandusky Register

When Ohio activated a concealed carry law for guns April 8, opponents of the measure painted visions of aBuckeyestatecitizemy embracing the wild West mentality of shoot -'em ups in the streets...

Now the law is in place and it's clear:
. Permit applications have not reached projected estimates.
. Gun violence in Ohio hasn't markedly increased.
.There are now efforts to fine-tune the law, rather than toss it.
.The state's'highest court recently didn't strike down the new law:
. Nobody is calling this "Dodge City"... yet.

So it's time to take a collective deep breath and take a hard look at concealed carry in
our state.

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

Take the wild West analogy. In the oldWest, guns weren't as prevalent among the population as one would believe.

Usually, the cowboys had to check their ammo and hardware at the city limits with the local law enforcement before they ventured into town.

But the myth was manufactured. Fanciful writers, painting pictures of depravity and lawlessness for their eager and staid Eastern
readers wanting a thrill, were more than a bit loose with the truth in their portrayals of the-Old West.

Years later, opponents of the Ohio concealed carry law tried the same gambit.

They tried to furiously fan the flames of discontent. What resulted was a lot of smoke. Now the smoke has cleared.

Ohio's 88 county sheriffs have given out about 22,000 applications for concealed weapons permits.

Applicants must pass a background check and 12 hours of safety training.

The biggest objection to the concealed carry law is the information the applicants must give to law enforcement in the application process. That information includes the applicant's name, county of residence
and date of birth.

The sheriff has to release that information to the media if it requests it.

Gov. Robert Taft insisted on that precedent before he signed the bill, so that provision is here for the long term. And, obviously, we support full disclosure.

So what's left?

The latest concern about the new concealed carry law is a Cuyahoga County lawsuit that questions a portion of the law that requires weapons in cars to be locked up or in holsters. State Rep.William Seitz, R-Cincinnati, said the Ohio General Assembly needs to look into that provision.

We support the lawmaker's insight. Ohio isn't Dodge City and from all appearances, it
isn't about to become one anytime soon because of the new concealed carry law.