Pro-Gun Punditry: Wednesday's Buckeye State Roundabout

By Chris Chumita

There are more stories pertaining to our gun rights in Ohio then we can possibly draw attention to with individual daily commentary. But they are all worthy of mention.

What follows is our review of headlines from around the state though a pro-gun rights lens.

From a home invasion to how "unspeak" is used to take our guns, these articles should be a part of your required reading!

Click on the "Read More..." link below for several days of headlines accompanied by short, concise pro-gun analysis.

2/12/07: German Village, Ohio: INVADED:
Robbed In Their Homes, Victims recall The Terror And Reflect On The Fallout

From the article:

That ended the morning of Sept. 27, 2005, when the robbers invaded her house, terrorized her at gunpoint and tied her naked to a chair before taking cash, jewelry, a stereo, two laptop computers and her Mercedes.

Also from the article:

They didn’t just set out to rob us, they set out to terrorize and humiliate us. ... And they enjoyed it so much that they did it again and again.

Home invasions seem to be happening more and more. They are one of the reasons that we have to fight for our right to own firearms and our right to protect ourselves. We MUST pass a Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground law in Ohio to legally protect people who appropriately defend themselves against home invaders.

2/11/07: State-Wide: Unofficial Check Indicates Record Deer Take

From the article:

Keep in mind the numbers are only preliminary, but the deer kill during the 2006-07 season undoubtedly represents a surge.

The official tally won’t be released until Feb. 20 after the count is checked and adjusted, but the early returns show hunters using bows and firearms tagged a record 233,278 whitetails from Sept. 30 through the end of the season last Sunday. That’s about a 12.5 percent jump from the 207,403 harvested a year ago and about 7.4 percent more than the previous record of 217,301 in 2004-05.

We haven't seen the official numbers yet, but hopefully a recording breaking deer season also meant that more people were out hunting.

2/10/07: Charleston, West Virginia: NRA’s ‘Castle Doctrine’ Bill Passes

From the article:

West Virginia senators unanimously passed a bill giving people criminal immunity for killing someone in self-defense Friday before leaving Charleston for the weekend.

The “castle doctrine” (SB197) that passed 33-0 is part of the National Rifle Association’s push to pass similar legislation nationwide. It allows the use of deadly force to repel an attacker in a person’s home or automobile.

This is excellent news for the citizens of West Virginia! Hopefully, we will see a Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground law passed in Ohio this year.

2/8/07: Oviedo, Flordia: Men Followed From Shooting Range, Robbed Of Guns

From the article:

Oviedo police think two people may have been followed home and robbed after they left a local gun range.

Also from the article:

Police agree the attack was brazen, because it seemed planned and it means two more powerful handguns are on the street.

We all could learn a lesson from this incident. Please pay a little extra attention on your drive home after a trip to the range or gun store.

2/8/07: Chicago, Illonois: County Takes A Shot At 10-Cent-A-Bullet Tax

From the article:

What could be the nation's first tax on bullets is being floated as a way to help balance Cook County's budget.

Commissioner Roberto Maldonado wants to slap a 10-cent-a-bullet tax on those buying ammunition in the county. It's one of dozens of plans offered to close the county's $500 million budget deficit.

Bullets are expensive enough WITHOUT an added tax. A 10-cent tax per bullet would add $5.00 to a 50 round box of bullets! How long before we see it proposed in an Ohio county is it passes?

2/8/07:Van Wert, Ohio: 'Don't Ever Apologize'

From the article:

It's either you or them. That was a message stressed at the self-defense class held on Tuesday night at the Van Wert YWCA.

That is a great message. Innocent people must be legally able to do whatever they have to do to survive an attack.

Also from the article:

Tips included keeping blankets, water, a flashlight, warm clothing and pepper spray in vehicles and how to use items commonly found in a purse as weapons. Instructors showed how mascara tubes, lotion bottles, combs, brushes, perfume, hairspray and even the purse itself can all be used to thwart an assailant.

How much do you want to bet that the topic of using a firearm for self-defense was not even mentioned or was discouraged. If that was the case, I would like to ask the instructor a question. Would he/she prefer to use a firearm, tube of mascara, or a lotion bottle to defend him/herself from an attack? What about the representatives from the police department?

2/7/07: National: ATF Probing Mayor Bloomberg's 'Rogue Gun Sting'

From the article:

The federal government confirms it is investigating New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's sting operation against gun dealers in five states.

Five months ago, The Second Amendment Foundation called on U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to investigate Bloomberg for obstruction of justice relating to Bloomberg's "rogue" operation.

It is about time that someone tries to hold Bloomberg accountable. If the reports are true, his investigators committed felonies during the course of his so called "investigation." we will have to wait and see how this one turns out.

2007: National: 'Unspeak' and the Gun Prohibitionists

From the article:

I’ll start with "Saturday night special," a label applied to small-caliber, small, easily concealed, cheap handguns that are the favorites of criminals and for which honest citizens have no legitimate uses. The gun prohibitionists claim that, at least, and the mainstream media haven’t questioned their claims. "Saturday night special" has been tossed around for half a century through these media as if the label is precise and the troublesomeness of these guns has been well established. Who would want such a gun other than a criminal?

"Unspeak" is basically the erasing or silencing of any possible opposing point of view on a political topic. The article discusses how the anti-gunners are using "unspeak" to go after our guns.