Letter to the Editor: Concealed-carry bill too restrictive

The Dayton Daily News has published a group of letters concerning concealed carry reform, both pro and con, in the Wednesday, July 23, 2003

Click on the "Read More... link below for exerpts and a link to the DDN letters page.

Pro-self-defense letters:

• Randall W. Klotz of Germantown writes of Gov. Taft's car-jacker protection provision:

"I disagree with the Senate requirements to keeping a weapon in plain sight if a child is not in a vehicle and to lock the weapon in the glove compartment or plainly visible gun case if someone under the age of 18 is in the vehicle. These proposals defeat the purpose of concealed carry.

The Senate version of House Bill 12 creates the same impasse that House Bill 274 did six months ago. The fact remains, the Senate bill is more restrictive than the current law.

I would suggest that Taft and the state Legislature stop trying to "recreate the wheel," and examine the legislation in the 43 states that currently allow concealed carry."

• John Meyers of Medina writes of the Senate's added restrictions to HB12:

"What is so difficult for the Ohio General Assembly to understand about "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed"? Infringed means meddled with, disobeyed, violated, trenched on or trespassed upon.

Anti-self-defense letters:

OFCC PAC response inserted in BLUE.

• Jesse Taylor of Dayton writes of Dr. John Lott:

"The organization known as Ohioans for Concealed Carry would do far better than to quote John Lott as any sort of authority on the issue of guns.

The concealed-carry lobby would do far better to push its agenda with someone who is not so thoroughly discredited."

Thanks for the tip, Jesse. Actually, there are many, many researchers whose data backs up Lott. Academics who have published refereed academic articles showing that right-to-carry laws reduce violent crime include: Carlisle Moody, Mark A. Cohen, David B. Mustard, John E. Whitley, David E. Olson, Florenz Plassmann, Nicolaus Tideman, Tomas B. Marvell, Stephen G. Bronars, and William A. Bartley. While some other studies claim the laws produce no change in violent crime rates, there is not a single refereed academic publication concluding that these laws produce a significant increase in violent crime.

As for the credibility of John Lott: he handles questions about these issues quite well on his own, at www.johnlott.org. We could endeavor to address the NON-issue no better.

• Jeanne Carlson of Huntsville writes that the sky will fall:

"Voters routinely reject concealed-carry legislation in referendums, as they know that more guns mean more shootings and more crime."

Voters who reject such legislation don't know any such thing. But you are right that they decide emotionally, without all the facts.

Incidentally, recent polls indicate abortion on demand would be made illegal if put up for a referendum. Wonder if you think a vote on that subject would be a good idea, Jeanne?

Click here to read all four full letters in the Dayton Daily News.