Case against concealed guns rings hollow

May 29, 2004
Columbus Dispatch

The May 14 Dispatch editorial "No need for fast guns" failed to give one shred of evidence to support a stance against concealed-carry. In fact, none of The Dispatch’s anti-gun rhetoric over the years rises above, "We hate guns and you should, too."

I thought the job of the editorial board is to craft public-policy arguments based on sound research, facts and evidence. Your emotional attachment to a failed social experiment does not — no matter how hard you might wish — count as any of the three.

At first, I was insulted that you quoted me out of context as a setup for a slam piece devoid of fact.

On second thought, I realized if you attacked me in such an unfounded manner, my side must be winning — and we are. Grass-roots support for my point of view continues to grow nationwide, and soon gun control as a means of ensuring public safety will be relegated to scrap heap.

Recent Zogby polls show 79 percent of people nationwide support laws that allow citizens to carry a concealed firearm. Right-to-Carry drew better than 70 percent support in every demographic group, with even non-gun-owners indicating their backing by 73 percent to 23 percent. Clearly the Dispatch editorial board is out of touch with its readers and the beliefs of everyday Ohioans.

It must be hard to know the will of the people when you stand at arm’s length and preach instead of lowering yourself to ask.

Clearly, anti-gun zealots do not accept the gravity of allowing criminals to mill about with the freedom to attack with impunity. The belief that disarming responsible law-abiding citizens — misguided as it is — will lead to a safer Ohio has no basis in fact.

States that enact concealed-carry laws have not seen an increase in gun violence or accidents. Hiding your head in the sand and ignoring the other 45 states’ success will not save your disproved beliefs about concealed-carry.

Detroit saw a 21 percent decrease in reported shootings in the year after concealed-carry became law, according to The Detroit News, and according to the FBI, Michigan saw a 10.5 percent decrease in its crime rate during the same period.

Like it or not — and The Dispatch doesn’t — gun control failed as an ideology and was never accepted by everyday Ohioans.

Only those emotionally invested continue to tout its value. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently concluded that there is no proof that gun-control laws decrease crime or gun accidents.

Ohio’s current concealed-carry law required the 88 sheriffs to accept applications beginning April 8. Some, however, are using a limited appointment schedule to delay the process.

Applying for a concealed-carry permit should be no different than applying for a marriage or driver’s license, which can be done during normal business hours, without appointments. That is the law.

Gerard Valentino
Central Ohio coordinator
Ohioans for Concealed Carry
Pickerington