Letter to the Editor: Stores should welcome concealed-carry law
June 13, 2004
Columbus Dispatch
I respond to the June 5 letter from Lori A. O’Neill, president of the Greater Cleveland chapter of the Million Mom March ("Store owners who take on gun lobby deserve thanks"). O’Neill fails to mention that the only people who are banned from these businesses are the law-abiding, licensed, trained, screened, fingerprinted and honest concealed-carrying public. Those who choose to carry without being licensed are doing so illegally and couldn’t care less about a sign at the door. These signs basically inform the criminal element that no one on the premises can stop them from robbing the business or harming those inside.
Ohio’s concealed-carry law has made the public safer because the criminals do not know who is or is not carrying a concealed weapon, thus they cannot be sure if an intended victim will be the one who will put a stop to their threats. I have many friends, both licensed and unlicensed, who will not shop at stores that have a guns-banned sign, simply because that store is less safe than others that allow those who are carrying concealed handguns. For a business to post that sign, it might as well say that it is a better target for the criminals.
Just as some restaurants offer free coffee to police, it would be interesting to see a convenience store offer a discount to anyone who possesses a concealed-carry license. Do you think that criminals would choose to try to rob a store that encourages concealed-carry permit holders to shop there? Wouldn’t we all feel safer in such a place?
It is my belief that business owners know what is best for their customers and their businesses. I also believe that it is hard to take an organization such as O’Neill’s seriously when it hires such speakers as Rosie O’Donnell to lecture about the evils of guns — and then we find out that O’Donnell hires armed bodyguards to protect herself and her children. Ohio residents are smarter than that.
DAN SCHELLKOPF
Westerville
To read O'Neill's June 5 letter, click on the "Read More..." link below.
June 5, 2004
Columbus Dispatch
Store Owners Who Take on Gun Lobby Deserve Thanks
I was delighted to read in a recent Dispatch article about opponents of
concealed carry promising boycotts ("Banning guns may be bad for business'')
that there are hundreds of businesses in Ohio that have chosen to protect
their employees and customers from potential gun injuries by prohibiting
concealed handguns on their premises. It is heartening to know that Ohio
boasts a number of businesses that place the safety and health of their
employees and customers above the threats of the gun lobby.
Since Ohio's concealed-carry law was signed by Gov. Bob Taft in January, I
have had dozens of conversations with Ohio businesses. What I have found is
that retail businesses that serve large numbers of the general public are the
least likely to choose to protect their employees and customers from concealed
guns.
According to the spokesmen and legal counsels I've spoken to at Wendy's, Home
Depot, Target, Boston Market, Discount Drug Mart, Marc's and others, it is
easier to allow loaded handguns into their stores than to prohibit them and
face the harassment and boycotts of the gun lobby. Interesting, since the gun
lobby represents such a tiny fraction of the total consumer market in our
state.
Retailers that don't want to deal with the harassment of the gun lobby that
results from placing the safety of their employees and customers first are
choosing expediency over safety. They also realize, cynically, that the vast
majority of Ohioans, who will never carry a gun, will find their choices
severely limited if they adopt the same behavior as the gun lobby. These
retailers are more interested in the bottom line than sane policies that
increase safety for all.
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It takes courage, conviction and common sense to face down threats from the
radical fringe. It's a shame that there are so few retailers in Ohio who
possess it.
LORI A. O'NEILL
President
Million Mom March
Greater Cleveland Chapter
Commentary:
There is nothing "million" about Ms. O'Neill's national organization. A recent rally calling for renewal of the Clinton ban on certain semi-automatic firearms in Washington D.C., which had been promoted by a willing media for months in advance, was attended by around 2000 people - just 0.2% of 1 million.
On the other hand, gun ban extremists' attempts to claim that since only a small percentage of Ohioans will obtain licenses, the rest are against concealed carry, is faulty on two counts.
1) Using their own logic, we could assume that since only about one-tenth of one percent of the more than half-million Ohio businesses have posted signs, the rest must be concealed-carry supporters.
2) The highly respected research firm Zogby International has conducted the first installment of its 2004 Zogby Values Poll, surveying 1,200 voters nationwide on issues that included firearms and hunting.
The survey examined how Americans feel about Right-to-Carry laws, with the pollster asking: "Currently 36 states have laws that allow residents to qualify for a permit to carry a firearm to protect themselves if they pass a background check, if they participate in firearms training and pay a fee to cover administrative costs. Do you feel this is a good law or a bad law?"
Voters overwhelming favor these self-protection laws by a margin of 79% to 18%. Right-to-Carry drew better than 70% support in every demographic group, with even non-gun owners indicating their backing by 73% to 23%.
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