Pro-Gun Punditry: Wednesday's Buckeye State Roundabout

By Chris Chumita

There are more stories pertaining to our gun rights in Ohio then we can possibly draw attention to with individual daily commentary. But they are all worthy of mention.

What follows is our review of headlines from around the state though a pro-gun rights lens.

From Governor Strickland's wife discussing their differing views on gun control to a school shooting in the gun control utopia of Chicago, these articles should be a part of your required reading!

Click on the "Read More..." link below for several days of headlines accompanied by short, concise pro-gun analysis.

4/15/07: State Wide: Ohio First Lady Begins Settling Into New Role

From the article:

"Well, I don't agree with him on the gun issue. My view is that we'd be better off if fewer people were in love with guns. I mean, the mentality of why guns are so important in people's lives bothers me."

Also from the article:

"Ted sees it as a fundamental right, and law-abiding citizens should have it and we shouldn't question why. But I just want to work toward a society where people don't feel like they have to arm themselves to be safe."

Governor Strickland and his wife do not see eye for eye when it comes to Second Amendment rights. Thankfully, Governor Strickland has a long history of defending our rights and does not appear that his wife's anti-gun views will influence him.

4/13/07: Toledo, Ohio: Homicide Up, Overall Crime Down In City

From the article:

The numbers, which are reported to the FBI for its annual Uniform Crime Report, show that murders spiked while other violent crimes - manslaughter, rape, robbery, and assault - dropped. Burglaries, larcenies, auto thefts, and arsons also fell 4.1 percent compared to 2005.

Homicides are up in Toledo despite their strict gun control laws.

4/13/07: Westwood, Ohio: Man Claims To Shoot Suspect In Self-Defense

From the article:

The man told police that he was attacked in a parking lot and he grabbed a gun and shot his attacker.

Sounds like another life is saved by a firearm!

4/12/07: Toledo, Ohio: UT Football Player Arrested After Gun Incident

From the article:

The incident started around 4:30am on Thursday. Police say Deputy Vincent Scott was awakened by the sound of his doorbell ringing repeatedly, and the sound of somebody turning the doorknob. Scott armed himself with his service weapon, and went out the back door and confronted Davis.

I would hate to think of what would have happened if Davis was not stopped by the homeowner who was armed.

4/12/07: Westerville, Ohio: Experts, Police Preaching Awareness In Wake Of Recent Rapes

From the article:

One woman was alone in her car on a residential street in Westerville.

The other was walking alone near the Ohio State University campus.

Their abductions and rapes are unrelated, but sexual assault experts say both cases serve as reminders that women must be vigilant about their surroundings -- and prepared to defend themselves.

Not surprisingly, the so called "experts" did not even mention the possibility of carrying a firearm for self-defense. Both of these rapes may have been prevented if the victims had the ability to adequately defend themselves. When will the so-called experts finally start giving people all of the information about how to prevent rapes and assaults?

4/12/07: Cincinnati, Ohio: Mayors Join Bid To Curb Illegal Gun Sales

From the article:

The mayor of this city, which set a record for homicides last year, and 13 suburban mayors joined a national coalition on Thursday aimed at curbing illegal gun sales and lobbying Congress for more effective gun legislation.

If Mayor Bloomberg and his organization had their way, all gun sales would be illegal.

4/11/07: Hamilton County, Ohio: Undercover Wildlife Officers Bust 7 Tri-state Poachers

From the article:

Undercover wildlife officers have arrested seven people in Hamilton County on suspicion of poaching.

Most hunters have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to poaching. They know that poachers give real hunters a bad name.

4/11/07: Fairborn, Ohio: Police: 3 Armed Men Storm Fairborn Apartment

From the article:

Police in Fairborn are investigating a violent home invasion that happened around 11:30 Tuesday night in the 1700 block of Ironwood Drive.

Investigators said three armed men forced their way into an apartment, tied up the residents and then robbed them.

Another home invasion in Ohio! Is it just me, or do these seem to be happening more and more? This is exactly why we have to fight to keep our right to keep and bear arms!

4/10/07: Rittman, Ohio: Retired Preacher Confronts Burglars Twice In A Week

From the article:

Dr. Kenny McComas has dealt with some rather notorious criminals during his decades of prison counseling, including a face-to-face meeting with Robert Kennedy's assassin, Sirhan Sirhan.

But the retired Baptist preacher is working now at the other end of the law-enforcement spectrum - he's catching crime suspects.

Helping to rehabilitate criminals was a choice for McComas, while catching suspects became a matter of self-defense for the 77-year-old Ohio man who still holds a Bible in one hand but packs big-time heat in the other.

The elderly often make perfect victims and often cannot defend themselves physically. In those cases a firearm is a great equalizer.

4/10/07: Chicago, Illonois: 2 Students Shot Inside Chicago High School, Police Say

From the article:

The shots were fired at the Chicago Vocational Career Academy at about 2:30 p.m., police spokeswoman Monique Bond said. A student with a handgun shot an unarmed student in the leg, and a bullet apparently ricocheted and struck the shooter in the leg.

Another "criminal protection zone" shooting in a school. Chicago's strict gun control laws and a law against having guns on school property did not prevent this incident. When will the gun-grabbers learn that gun laws do not prevent crime!