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 worthy of mention.
What follows is our review of headlines from around the state though a pro-gun rights lens.
From a drunk OSHP trooper to a bank robbery, these articles should be a part of your required reading!
What follows is several days of headlines accompanied by short, concise pro-gun analysis.
10/13/06: Gallipolis, Ohio: State Trooper Was Drunk At Time Of Crash That Killed 3
From the article:
A state trooper was drunk when his cruiser spun out of control on a wet road and struck a pickup truck near Gallipolis, killing himself, a sergeant and a Vinton woman.
An autopsy fixed the blood alcohol level of Trooper Joshua Risner at 0.08 percent -- the level at which one is presumed to be driving drunk -- in the fiery Sept. 28 crash.
The administrators at the OSHP want the public to believe that the real threat to society is law-abiding concealed handgun license (CHL) holders carrying concealed handguns while driving. The bureaucrats at the OSHP and other gun-grabbers want you to rely solely on law enforcement officers for your protection, and imply that only law enforcement officers can be trusted with firearms. But incidents such as these reveal that there are indeed bad apples in every bunch.
The Buckeye Firearms Association would like to make it clear that we appreciate the hard work of the OSHP and other law enforcement agencies. We would like to point out that the actions of Trooper
Risner does not reflect the actions of law enforcement officers as a whole, just as the actions of a minute fraction of gun owners do not reflect the actions of law-abiding gun owners as a whole. We also offer our prayers and condolences to the victims of Trooper Risner.
10/11/06: Chillicothe, Ohio: Hunters Urged To Be Cautious In Search For Escaped Inmate
From the article:
Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts in southern Ohio are being urged to take special caution by the task force searching for escaped inmate John W. Parsons, who last week was named to the FBI's 10 most wanted list.
Please be careful out there!
10/12/06: National: NRA Backs Both Sides of Aisle
From the article:
The National Rifle Association has a simple agenda in Washington: protecting gun ownership. But it faces a complex challenge this campaign season: supporting Republican control of Congress while staying loyal to Democratic candidates who supported the gun lobby.
"We will endorse regardless of party," says Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action. "However, gun owners are very concerned and do not want as speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has been consistently vocal against their rights. They understand the significance of these elections."
The Buckeye Firearms Association has also been "questioned" on why we have endorsed non-Republican candidates. We would like to remind everyone that we will endorse whoever is the best when it comes to firearm issues despite what party they belong to.
We would also like to remind everyone that we are a single issue policital action committee. While some of our endorsed candidates may be bad on other issues that are important to our volunteers, they were endorsed based upon where they stand on firearm issues.
10/13/06: Danbury: Trapshooting Expert Dies In Car Crash
From the article:
Dick Baldwin was known across the country as the greatest historian on trapshooting. He wrote a book and several columns about the sport.
He was the director of the Trapshooting Hall of Fame Museum in Ohio , and he dedicated his life to uncovering the storied pasts of famous and not-so-famous trapshooters. "Dick Baldwin -- a great shot, an excellent writer and just a heck of an all-around guy," Jim Bradford Jr., chairman of the Trapshooting Hall of Fame in Ohio, said Thursday.
The 69-year-old Baldwin, a resident of Fairlawn Avenue in Danbury, died Wednesday evening after his car was struck by a Jeep Cherokee on Clapboard Ridge Road.
The Buckeye Firearms Association offers our prayers and condolences to the family of Mr. baldwin.
10/13/06: Euclid, Ohio: Police Looking For 3 Gunmen In Euclid Bank Shooting
From the article:
Surveillance cameras captured three masked gunmen in dark clothing. Two of the men had handguns. Officials said the third was armed with a shotgun, and a shell found on the floor indicates that he fired his weapon.
The victim's husband said his wife was shot a point-blank range. Investigators said there appears to be no motive for the shooting.
"As far as we know, everyone was following orders inside the bank. Everybody was staying put. We don't know the reason why the individual was shot," said Scott Wilson, of the FBI.
This is another incident that could have turned out differently if someone in the bank had a concealed handgun license (CHL). If the story is correct, it helps prove our point that cooperating with criminals is not always the best option.
