Letter to the editor: Mosh pits no place for concealed arms

January 3, 2005
The (OSU) Lantern

It broke my heart to open the paper on December 9th and read that Dimebag Darrell, former guitarist for the great band Pantera, had been killed in Columbus by a gun wielding "fan." The sadness of the news was only compounded by the fact that it happened in the town that I live and often see concerts in. However, the tragedy of the concert was overshadowed by disgust when I read in article in Cleveland's Plain Dealer that quoted a statement released by Ohioans for Concealed Carry. The advocacy group claimed that Darrell's death was a prime case where a crowd carrying concealed weapons in a bar (for defense) would have lessened the violence.

OCC failed to notice that the shooting was the result of a deranged man carrying a concealed weapon. The pro-gun community is so enamored with the prospect of concealed weapons that they have shamelessly pegged themselves as the solution to an incident where their issue was the problem. Perhaps the members of Ohioans for Concealed Carry have never been in a bar or mosh pit before, and therefore don't realize that fights are a common occurrence in the realms of alcohol and heavy metal. Legal concealed weapons would only elevate the atmosphere of aggression, not deter it. Heightened security is the solution to tragedies like Dimebag's shooting, not more guns. It's bad enough that people must worry about lunatics carrying weapons. These citizens shouldn't also have to fear the legal, would-be vigilante that may lose his cool under the influence of liquor and crowds.

Kent Cherny
Sophomore
English and economics

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Commentary:
Doesn't the study of economics require a little bit more analytical thought than this?

Kent claims "our issue" -- advocating the practice of licensed, trained, law-abiding citizens carrying firearms for self-defense purposes -- was "the problem". But Kent missed the fact that Nathan Gale didn't bother to get an Ohio Concealed Handgun License (CHL). When Gale wanted to carry, he simply broke the law. When he wanted to kill, he didn't let a "no-guns" sign or the threat of a felony charge for carrying in a bar stop him.

Kent advocates "heightened security" as a means of prevention for incidents like these. But he misses the fact that Ohio law currently prevents security guards in these clubs from being armed.

Kent wonders if we've ever been in a mosh pit, but we have to wonder where he plans to spend Spring Break. Many states, such as Florida, allow license individuals to enter into liquor establishments, and even to consume alcohol, so long as they do not drink to the point of impairment. If you can legally handle driving a 3000 lb weapon home at 65 mph, the law reasons, you should be able to be trusted with a firearm.

I am aware that there were two trained CHL-holders standing five feet from Dime when he took the first shot. It is highly possible that, given their proximity to Gale when he began firing, they could have ended it in seconds, with only one victim wounded. Instead, they were forced to watch helplessly for several minutes, as Gale murdered again, and again, and again.

When they're clubbing at Daytona or on Miami Beach in a few months, we hope the good students of Ohio State University will take along some homework, by asking Floridians if they're having trouble with Kent's phantom "vigilantes" shooting up bars. When they do, they'll learn there is nothing to fear from law-abiding citizens who choose to defend themselves, and they'll bring a little wisdom home with their tan lines.

Related Story:
Columbus nightclub: Disarmed CHL-holder watched helplessly as people died