Letter to the Editor: Think Sky is Falling

On Sunday, December 15, the Defiance Crescent-News printed a letter to the editor from OFCC PAC Vice Chairman Chad Baus. Click on the "Read More..." link below to read the letter.

Former Toledo Mayor Carty and city council enacted a ban on inexpensive handguns, citing rising crime rates. Result? Violent crime continues to rise in Lucas County (Toledo Blade, November 2002).

This week, Toledo Mayor Ford wrote Gov. Taft encouraging a veto on a concealed carry bill, stating that "I remain strongly against any law that would allow a large number of new weapons on the streets of our city." Meanwhile in Kennesaw, GA, where every household has been required by city ordinance to own a handgun since 1982, crimes like those plaguing Toledo have remained at record lows ever since they plunged following passage of the law.

Toledo Police Chief Michael Navarre frets that a concealed-carry law will result in increased suicides, homicides, and accidental shootings. But Berrien County Michigan's Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Arthur Cotter, said this summer that he has to admit that he's pleased the first year of the law hasn't generated the kinds of problems that many feared would occur. "There hasn't been this huge crime wave from people getting concealed-carry permits."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC Police Chief Dennis Nowicki says "the concerns I had - with more guns on the street, folks may be more apt to square off against one another with weapons - we haven't experienced that."

Arlington County, VA Police Detective Paul Larson, previously an opponent of Right to Carry, admits "I was wrong. But I'm glad to say I was wrong."

Forty-three other states already have some form of concealed carry reform. We're not
breaking new ground here in Ohio on this issue. Why are these Toledo officials continuing to warn that the sky is falling?

Chad D. Baus
Archbold, OH

(Chad Baus is the northwest Ohio coordinator for Ohioans for Concealed Carry, and the vice chairman of OFCC PAC.)