Letters to the Editor: Governor gambles with Ohioans' lives

December 7, 2003
Toledo Blade
Governor gambles with Ohioans' lives

Well, it seems Governor Taft just keeps pulling new surprises out of his bag
of tricks.

In his latest effort to ensure law-abiding citizens in Ohio remain at the mercy of criminals, the governor now wants a provision placed in concealed-carry legislation to require public access to the names, birth dates, and counties of residence of all concealed-carry permit holders.

It is obvious that, despite campaigning for election supporting CCW, he has lied, again, regarding the rights of the people. Additionally, in the past he has demanded that the Ohio State Highway Patrol approve, and even be allowed to dictate, any language in the proposed law. Since when did the highway patrol assume legislative authority?

His prior demand, at the behest of unelected bureaucrats, that
concealed-carry would not be allowed in motor vehicles if there was anyone
under the age of 18 in the vehicle, could rightly be called the car-jacker protection clause, making children (and parents) vulnerable and defenseless in the face of criminal attack.

The anti-gun chorus, of course, supports such inane modification of legislation as it serves their cause to deny the right of self-protection. If concealed-carry was such a danger to society, how is it that 45 out of 50
states now allow CCW, with a concurrent decrease in crime in virtually all
cases where "shall issue" concealed-carry laws have been passed?

Every moment the governor wastes proposing that more ridiculous conditions
be placed upon the law-abiding and their rights is one more moment these
very people are wrongfully kept at risk of criminal attack.

Thanks for gambling with our lives, governor.

BRUCE A. BEATTY
Luckey

Click on the "Read More..." link below for five more pro-CCW letters from around the state.

December 2, 2003
Dayton Daily News
Allow Ohioans to carry guns

We need a law for the right to carry a gun in Ohio, for our protection.

Ohio is one of six states that doesn't give citizens a right to carry a gun. It has been proven that crime rates have gone down in the states that have concealed-carry legislation.

Bad people know that Ohio doesn't allow residents to carry guns, so we are
sitting ducks.

Gov. Bob Taft, if legislation is passed that would allow us to carry guns, please sign it. And, to the police, please stand with us.

Richard Stoltz
Vandalia

December 2, 2003
Chillicothe Gazette
Allow Ohioans to carry guns

In the editorial of Saturday, Nov 29, you agree with Gov. Bob Taft that the names, ages, and addresses of those receiving a concealed carry permit should be made public record. I will address your reasoning on two points.

No. 1: There are many people who own guns but will not apply for a concealed carry permit. So how will you know if a person has a gun in the house if they haven't applied? This blows the theory you will know whether to let your kids play at some one's house. By the way, children under the age of 14 are far more likely to be killed in a car wreck or drown in the tub than by firearms.

No. 2: You worry about the public's "right to know." What about my right to privacy? If the general public is allowed to see the records of who has a concealed carry permit, including an address, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that a burglar will know exactly where to go to steal a fire arm.

Speaker of the House Larry Householder is right. The criminals indecision as to who's carrying and who isn't is a wonderful deterrent and protection for us all.

Barbara S. Detillion
Chillicothe

December 4, 2003
Newark Advocate
Self-Protection

In the Oct. 19 edition of the Columbus Dispatch, it was reported that there are 900 wanted felons in Franklin County alone. Then in the Nov. 13 edition, it was reported that there are an average of 56 rapes per month in Columbus alone. That is 672 rapes in the city of Columbus alone in one year, yet the media has on several occasions expressed its opposition to the concealed carry law for Ohioans who are at the mercy of these felons and rapists.

All but a handful of states have some form of concealed carry for their citizens, and none have any desire to reverse their status. The anti-self-defense media in other states predicted wild-west shootouts that never materialized. People who jump through the hoops to obtain concealed carry permits are probably the most trusted in society as they must pass two background checks -- one to purchase a firearm and another to carry it. A person's protection is mostly his or her own responsibility. The time is long overdue to give people at least an even chance to protect themselves against the predators who roam around at their leisure looking for their next victim.

Mike Lowry
St. Louisville

December 7, 2003
Columbus Dispatch
Law-abiding citizens with guns are no threat

Some in our General Assembly and our tentative and indecisive Gov. Bob Taft wring their hands about the safety of law-abiding citizens being licensed to carry concealed weapons. Meanwhile, motorcyclists ride without helmets and anyone can aim a 6,000-pound sport utility vehicle at an unsuspecting motorist while chatting nonsense on a cell phone. Only recently was Ohio forced by the federal government to adopt a 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level for a drunken-driving charge.

And the General Assembly and governor wonder why the federal government must force highway safety rules on our state?

ROBERT A. SICURO
Columbus

December 2, 2003
Record-Courier

No to Gun Registry

Ohio firearms owners who will apply for
concealed-carry permits if and when Ohio passes a concealed-carry law should not be forced to have their name and private information made public. This would,
in effect, place permit holders in the same regard as repeat sex offenders and other criminals whose names and other pertinent information are made public knowledge.

The purpose of concealed-carry is to give permit holders some form of protect against crime. Statistics in states that have passed concealed-carry weapons
laws show direct correlations between passing of the law and falling crime rates. Therefore, it can be assumed that criminals are less likely to attack an individual if they are unsure that the individual is
armed.

Forcing CCW permit holders to have their name and information made public knowledge would create a de
facto gun registry. Think it can't happen in the United States? It has already started. Laws such as the 1994 "assault" weapons ban, highly restrictive gun laws of California and Washington, D.C., are attempts
to thwart the Second Amendment and control firearms ownership toward a bleaker future without a viable means of self-defense or the ability to exercise our
constitutional Second Amendment right to any degree.

Tim Stanley
Windham