DeWine comments on synagogue attack raise concern among gun owners

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S NOTE: Governor DeWine's comments Monday (yesterday) about the San Diego synagogue attack generated a strong response from gun owners in Ohio. BFA leaders immediately began talking to administration officials to seek clarification. We have been assured that there is NO current red flag bill drafted and we have been helping the governor explore options for safety and due process. For many years, we have clearly expressed our opposition to any law that violates due process or infringes on Second Amendment rights. We opposed former Gov. Kasich's red flag law. And we will continue to oppose any such bill.

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Anti-Second Amendment rights politicians and journalists have been out in force in the wake of an attack by a racist, anti-Semitic, anti-Trump, conservative-hating 19 year-old on a synagogue in suburban San Diego, CA.

A cabal of 2020 Democrat presidential wannabes began tweeting their gun ban talking points within hours of the attack. The media have been shoving their microphones in front of every politician they can, asking if this latest attack might prove motivation-enough to pass more gun control laws.

Yesterday, recently-elected Governor Mike DeWine (R) expressed his concern about such attacks on places of worship to the media. From the Columbus Dispatch:

“I am deeply concerned about what we are seeing in this country in regard to attacks on houses of worship,” DeWine said, unprompted by reporters’ questions. “This is something that has to be deplored, I deplore, it’s sickening. People who go to worship ... certainly have the right to believe they are going to be safe.”

Naturally, reporters followed up. StateNews.org reports that, "when asked if he was advocating for changes in Ohio gun laws, at first he said no."

But the questions continued. Again, from The Dispatch:

Asked if he would seek a “red flag” law, the governor responded, “I have asked my team to work on that ... trying to get a ‘red flag’ law that can pass. That’s my goal.”

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During the campaign, DeWine said any such bill to remove guns from Ohioans must be carefully crafted to ensure the due process rights of those accused by family members, police officers or others of being a potential threat are protected in court proceedings.

While no specifics have been outlined by the DeWine, it bears noting that California already has a "red flag" law. California already has a law limiting magazine capacity to ten rounds. California already has a law banning so-called "assault" weapons. California already has a universal background check gun registration scheme in place. And yet this attack is just the latest of many in the Golden State. No respecter of life should be suggesting laws like this would work here when they have cost lives there.

As Buckeye Firearms Association President Jim Irvine stated last year, "no sane person wants evil or dangerous persons to have access to firearms to kill innocent people. Many people think confiscating guns from people who have not done anything wrong will somehow stop criminals from killing. That is an insane idea, that must be confronted at every turn."

Buckeye Firearms Association has always opposed "red flag" laws like the one proposed by then-Governor John Kasich (R) last year, and will continue to oppose ANY laws that don't fully respect due process of law or which infringe on Second Amendment rights.

Chad D. Baus served as Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary from 2013-2019. He is co-founder of BFA-PAC, and served as its Vice Chairman for 15 years. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website, and is also an NRA-certified firearms instructor.

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