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 another attack on the NRA to eighteen million safer kids, 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.

1/15/07: National: Are the NRA's Warm and Fuzzy Days Over?

From the article:

Efforts to lose the NRA's white-males-on-Viagra image by recruiting young people and women have been successful with the NRA offering the first ever African safaris for women (Hey ladies: Would you like to shoot your very own zebra? Rhino?) as well as opps to kill bison, elk, boars, antelope, wild turkey and whitetails here at home.

This is just another attack piece of one of the oldest and one of the best constitutional rights organizations, the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Anatomy of Gun Control

You have to checkout this amazing video called "Anatomy of Gun Control." You can watch it here.

1/15/07: Hillsboro, Ohio: An Education On Concealed Carry In Ohio

From the article:

Folks, back when the concealed weapons law was passed a year or so ago, my wife and I had wanted to take the training required. This training is a condition that must be met before an application for a concealed carry license can be made.

Last year was a very busy year for my wife and me and we just never got around to taking the time to attend a concealed carry training program.

Its nice to see a member of the media elite/ academia who actually
bothered to take a CHL class. Like most of the others who took the class, he had a postive experience.

1/13/07: Washington Courthouse, Ohio: Loss Of 4 Deputies Leaves Big Void

From the article:

The Fayette County sheriff’s office lost a quarter of its road patrol staff when it fired four employees for misconduct in a case involving a former auxiliary officer.

Also from the article:

The deputies allowed John Bailey to vandalize his estranged wife’s house, causing $25,000 in damage before he left the house, and they did not arrest him, the sheriff’s office said. Bailey’s sister, Patricia Bailey, interfered with the other deputies when they tried to remove his guns from the house. Stanforth said Hyer, who had a "close personal relationship" with Patricia Bailey, knew what was happening but did not intervene or tell anyone about the potentially dangerous situation.
A week later, John Bailey kidnapped and killed his estranged wife, Lori, who had requested the order, and then killed himself in a rural Fayette County barn.

The Buckeye Firearms Association has been following this story since it happened and we will continue to do so. It is a perfect example of how restraining orders do not always work, and that we cannot always rely on the police for our protection. If the deputies acted appropriately, they could have prevented the death of an innocent woman, the lifelong misery of her family, and a whole county lacking adequate police resources. However, we should note that approximately 16 deputies for road patrol of an entire county was NOT adequate to begin with.....yet another reason to own a firearm for protection.

1/13/07: Springfield, Ohio: 1 Fatally Shot In Apparent Home Invasion

From the article:

Deputies said, at this time, the people inside the home fired in self-defense.

This is another example of why we must fight for our Second Amendment rights. This case could have turned out differently if the homeowner did not own a firearm.

1/11/07: Harrison Twp, Ohio: Deputy: Tree Branch Caused Suspect's Shooting

From the article:

A Montgomery County sheriff's deputy said a tree branch caused his firearm to "accidentally discharge" when he was attempting to arrest a robbery suspect Tuesday night.

Gun accidents can happen to any of us. Always remember to follow the basic safety rules, and if you are in the woods....watch out for tree branches.

1/10/07: Indian Hill, Ohio: Hackett Part Of Gun Incident

From the article:

Indian Hill lawyer and former congressional candidate Paul Hackett - armed with a loaded assault rifle - chased down three men in a car after it crashed into a fence at his home in the early morning hours of Nov. 19.

The driver was charged with failure to maintain reasonable control, driving under suspension and carrying a concealed weapon - a pair of brass knuckles found in his pocket - according to the Indian Hill police.

Indian Hill Rangers consider the matter closed, but a Hamilton County grand jury two weeks ago took testimony from the three men in the car and the ranger who investigated the incident, according to an Indian Hill police report.

In reference to this incident, John R. Lott said it best, we he said "Many are condeming Hackett, saying that what he did was unjustified. It seems to me that when dealing with three men like that, there is nothing wrong about being careful, and in addition the news story doesn't contain a lot of detail about what happened so the conclusions that are being drawn seem strained."

7/27/06: National: Eighteen Million Safer Kids

From the article:

Among children in the Eddie Eagle age group, fatal firearm accidents have been reduced more than two-thirds since the inception of the program, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

What’s more, a 2001 study published in the Journal of Emergency Nursing Online named Eddie Eagle the most effective among the more than 80 programs evaluated, drawing a distinct correlation between the Eddie Eagle Program and children’s lives saved.

This is an older article, but it is still a must read. The Buckeye Firearms Association would like to thank the NRA for developing such a great program everyone who helps teach children about gun safety.