Crain's Cleveland Business publishes OFCC response to ''business scare'' letter

The following letter was published in response to yet another letter to the Crain's editor from Cleveland Brady Bunch/"Million" Mommer Lori O'Neill. To those who read her letter, it must be obvious why she has much better success at getting letters printed in Crain's than she does with lobbying efforts in Columbus - the majority of legislators know better.

May 10, 2004
Crain's Cleveland Business

Haven't we been through this before?

Lori O'Neill has been claiming that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has some bearing over concealed carry for more than a year. But careful readers will note that she never mentions actually calling OSHA for their opinion on the issue.

My organization, Ohioans For Concealed Carry, did.

Jeff Lewis, Safety and Occupational Health Manager, of Region 6 of OSHA, has told Ohioans For Concealed Carry that OSHA has no policy or the authority to regulate firearms in the workplace. Should an employer choose to allow firearms in the workplace, Lewis says, he would be under no violation of any OSHA regulation or guideline.

Before creating policies which would render employees defenseless on the trip to and from work, why not ask other states if allowing employees to keep their firearms on their person at work, or in their personal vehicles on company property, has created problems. O'Neill hasn't, but we have.

Mr. Jeff Alan, Director of Legislative Education in the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, told OFCC that in the 7 years since the law was passed, they haven't had EVEN ONE report of a business having troubles meeting OSHA guidelines. What's more, there is no history of any litigation on the issue - and Kentucky law doesn't provide the civil immunity for businesses that Ohio law does!

This information has been available at www.ohioccw.org since O'Neill first made her claims. As a frequent reader of our website, Ms. O'Neill is must certainly be aware of these facts. What should we conclude about her credibility that she continues to make these statements?

Some retailers have informed OFCC that a group of gun ban extremists calling themselves the "Concealed Carry Law Task Force" is delivering signs to Cleveland-area businesses and "ordering" clerks to post them, or in some cases these extremists are posting signs without authorization. And yet O'Neill, a Million Mom March/Brady Campaign worker, claims be an advocate for business' private property rights?

Before posting signs ordering customers with concealed handgun licenses (CHL)'s to shop elsewhere, every owner or proprietor of a business should consider the 2004 Zogby Values Poll. Right-to-Carry drew better than 70% support in every demographic group, with even non-gun owners indicating their backing by 73% to 23%.

We encourage business-owners to call their counterparts in every state that borders Ohio, and in the vast majority of states across this nation. Most businesses have chosen not to post discriminatory signs banning CHL-holders, nor have they experienced any problems as a result.

Many northeast Ohio businesses have already felt the effects of posting these discriminatory signs, and taken them back down: Marc's, Discount Drug Mart, Deacon's Chrysler, Norris Auto Mall LLC, and certain Giant Eagle and Boston Market stores to name a few.

In her conclusion, O'Neill purports to speak for "most" CHL-holders who "will not object to being asked to leave their guns in their cars while patronizing businesses that prohibit guns." This gun ban advocate certainly does NOT speak for Ohio's growing number of CHL-holders, but would-be car and gun thieves certainly hope she is.

Chad D. Baus
Spokesperson
Ohioans For Concealed Carry

OhioCCW.org is a non-profit organization of lawful firearms owners, and is based in Cleveland.

Related Story:
Deja vu all over again: ''Million'' Mommer trying to scare businesses with op-ed

Click on the "Read More..." link below for a another response letter (this time to an anti-concealed carry Crain's article that would more appropriately have been placed on the editorial page.

Faulty Logic

The April 5, Page One story "Business under the gun" was devoid of logic.

In the opening paragraphs, probably hoping to manufacture a scare,
Crain's poses a hypothetical in which a fired person turns out to be "packing a .38 caliber revolver under a sports coat," the reader is left to guess that the hypothetical person -- who by definition is mentally
competent, has had a certification course, is over 21 and has never been
convicted of a felony, and is in a privately owned building that has not
posted a weapons ban -- goes postal with the gun. What a stretch.

Every concern raised in the article is addressed by provisions of the
law now in effect. If the people he interviewed are concerned, they have
a remedy --post the signs. Then they are every bit as safe as they were
prior to April 8, the date the concealed carry law took effect. In fact,
with more people being trained in safety and safe handling and use, any
and all concerned persons should be safer than before.

To be fair, I do appreciate seeing a countervailing viewpoint, al-
beit at the end. Kudos for that.

Shawn McClintic
Lakewood