Growth of Ohio Victim List undeterred - Conferees need to act quickly

The fight to restore the right to bear arms for self-defense has always been about two key issues:

1) Allowing citizens the right to choose not to be a victim.

2) Lowering violent crime.

Amongst the recent Conference Committee appointment and 'Defense Walk' headlines, Ohio newspapers are filled with stories of continued victimations by criminals who could care less if concealed weapons are illegal, and who are well aware that their victims are unarmed.

Bob Taft recently said his priorities are other things besides the debate over HB12, the concealed carry reform bill. Republican Sen. Carnes says some members of his party's caucus are reluctant to commit to a veto-override, citing "party solidarity."

Click on the "Read More..." link below, and it'll be more than clear that wherever Taft and certain Republicans' priorities are, they are NOT with the defenseless victims and potential victims of our state. As a result, many Ohioans continue to be made victims by criminals who could care less about the fact that concealed weapons are illegal.

Akron:
Purse snatcher hides inside vehicle

Columbus:
Teen shot dead on way to school

and

3 shot at East Side apartment complex

Cincinnati:
2 men dead of wounds from gunshot

Defenseless victims of yet another robbery. An estimated 133 robberies could have been avoided had HB12 been made law in June.

and

Man guilty in kidnap, assault of woman in her car
This man knew his victim couldn't "just drive away."

Dayton:
Purse theft enlightens victims
Anytime, anyplace - rush hour or otherwise. Anytime a criminal thinks they have an easy victim they may strike. This reporter discovered the hard way that she is totally unprepared to prevent a crime or defend herself. She would have been an equally easy assault or rape victim. She is truly lucky it was only a purse. Concealed
carry makes it much harder for a criminal to profile a potential victim.

Dayton pharmacist shot three times

Lordstown:
Display cases reveal crime is everywhere
Gun control extremists like Toby Hoover advocate open carry, citing some phantom "right to know" that they are in the presence of a firearm. This story proves Hoover's imagined "right to know" is violated by criminals daily.

Middletown:
Car dealership employee kidnapped at gunpoint

Portsmouth:
Former Ohio Associated Press Mr. Basketball shot dead in robbery

Toledo:
Assailant with knife takes woman’s purse
And we thought preventing Toledoans from open carry, concealed carry, banning the sale of inexpensive handguns, and forcing licensing of handguns was supposed to make it so criminals couldn't commit such crimes.

and

Police seek pair of suspects in bank robbery
and

Monroe St. Charter One bank robbed by gunman
Ohio ranks 6th in the nation for bank robberies - Toledo already had 20 in the first 5 months of 2003, and at least four in the past week.

Related Stories:
New Report Shows Ohio Violent Crimes Could Have Been Prevented

For 2 hours, Cincy's Northside was ''Safest Neighborhood in the State''