Open Letter to the Ohio Restaurant Association and its members regarding opposition to SB239

Editor's Note: The following letter was written by Buckeye Firearms Region Leader Larry S. Moore and addressed to the Ohio Restaurant Association and its members.

Mr. Richard Mason
Director of Government Affairs
Ohio Restaurant Association
1525 Bethel Road, Suite 301
Columbus, OH 43220-2054

Dear Mr. Mason:

I am very pleased to see the Ohio Restaurant Association take a position regarding SB239, concealed carry in restaurants and bars. It is good know which organizations support my right to self-defense and which would deny the basic God-given rights and freedoms for law-abiding Ohioans.

As a competitive shooter, avid hunter, sportsmen and concealed carry advocate, I've traveled Ohio participating in various events. Often restaurants in the area will have huge signs welcoming shooters and promoting their restaurants. Such is the case around Port Clinton, Ohio with the NRA Matches at Camp Perry each year. It's nice to know that our business is not really appreciated by your association.

Smaller rural restaurants often depend on revenues from hunters each fall and winter for a major boost in their sales. Other restaurants along Ohio's interstates may enjoy a boost from the travels of shooters and hunters. The 2008 report, "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy – A force as big as all outdoors" spotlights the impacts sportsmen have on the state economy. While each hunter, shooter or fisherman may not have a concealed handgun license, it is this group that is most familiar with firearms. The Ohio Restaurant Association should take a serious look at the numbers. The numbers are not as large as those claimed by the Association of 550,000 workers and $16 billion in sales, but they are significant.

• Sportsmen support as many jobs in Ohio as the combined employment of the Ohio State University and Proctor and Gamble, two of the largest employers in the state (33,000 jobs).
• Annual spending by Ohio sportsmen is more than the revenues of Columbus-based Bob Evans restaurants ($1.9 billion vs. $1.6 billion). Bob Evans is one of my preferred restaurants since they are not posted.
• More people hunt and fish in Ohio than attend Cleveland Cavaliers and Cincinnati Bengals games (1.5 million vs. 1.4 million).
• The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to an astounding $5.3 million a day being pumped into the state's economy.

Restaurant and bar owners who do not wish to permit the right of self-defense and concealed carry on their property, need only to post one of the no guns signs in plain view at the entrance. The concealed carry holder can decide if they wish to disarm in order to spend money at the establishment. My personal policy is quite simple, "No guns = no money." No problem.

The posting of a "no guns" sign will also inform every criminal that there is no armed resistance to robbery. I cannot understand the logic of rejecting the background-checked concealed handgun license-holder from your business while virtually inviting the criminal element to "come on down!"

All the states adjoining Ohio permit the license holder to carry into establishments serving alcohol. It seems rather amazing those states trust Ohio citizens in their restaurants however, the Ohio Restaurant Association somehow believes we are not to be trusted. I can assure you if I need to stop to dine while traveling out of state, I'll spend my money in the neighboring states rather than in Ohio because of the ability to carry my firearm in freedom and in peace.

SB239 simply puts the association members who serve alcohol on the same playing field as family restaurants that do not serve alcohol. It allows the concealed handgun license-holder to know which businesses appreciates the money we spend, and which would rather deny our freedoms. I have encountered very few posted no gun family restaurants in my travels around Ohio. When they have been encountered, I've not had to look very far for a pro self-defense concealed carry friendly restaurant that is happy to have my business. The same criteria should apply to businesses that serve alcohol.

Sincerely yours,
Larry S. Moore

cc: Senator Shannon Jones