Baseballs to Starter Pistols…Mark Mallory embarrasses Cincinnati again

By Tim Inwood

I love Cincinnati. It is a great town with a rich history. The Museum Center in the old Union Terminal train station lays it all out before you. I can easily spend days down there reading the panels and admiring the displays. The mock up of a river boat, the old Crosley car and of course the scale model of Cincinnati in the World War II era are so fascinating. Some of my favorite restaurants are down there. Morton’s of Chicago in the Carew Tower, The Precinct, the original Montgomery Inn as well as the Boat House, Carlo and Johnny’s. I love La Rosa’s pizza and my pal Matt McGowan’s family’s restaurant, Campanello’s, is one of the best Italian restaurants in town...

I love Cincinnati. That is why it breaks my heart that Cincinnati has such an anti-gun ninny for a mayor. Yes, I know - strong words. But let's face it, friends, Mayor Mark Mallory is a blithering idiot and a huge embarrassment to the Queen City.

Cincinnatians have been catching on to this for some time. Sadly, after his latest stunt, the whole country now knows it.

Mallory made national headlines when he threw out the first pitch on Opening Day this year...what he was throwing at we are still not sure, but he did toss the ball at something - it just was not the catcher behind home plate. Then he joined up with that other idiot mayor, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in his quest to destroy the legal firearms industry.

Like Bloomberg, Mallory seems to be blissfully ignorant of our Constitutional rights or the many positive benefits of gun ownership, as well as the benefits of living in a state with a shall-issue CCW law.

Since the State of Ohio adopted our concealed carry law, there have been quite a few incidents where CHL holders have defended themselves successfully from criminals. The very fact we have a concealed carry law benefits all as the criminals of this state are not sure whom it is safe to attack. Prior to 2003 it was safe to attack all of us, as carrying a gun for defense was pretty much prohibited. Sure, we had open carry. The problem, of course, is the thugs could see who was armed, and our fellow citizens had trouble distinguishing us from someone that needed to call the cops about. Now, with concealed carry the criminals have no idea who is armed, and the deterrent effect can be enjoyed by all.

Now we see the latest embarrassment Mayor Mallory has brought upon fair Cincinnati. Mallory has been asked to start a foot race using a starter pistol on Saturday, August 25. This pillar of symbolism over substance refused--refused to use the starter pistol, that is. He still wanted all the publicity he could get. He blathered to the Cincinnati Enquirer about how he would not use the starter pistol because of the "symbolism" involved. Hmmm. What did that mean? How many folks have been killed with a starter pistol, I wondered? Some research of the issue has shown - NONE! That’s right, not a single soul has been killed with a starter pistol. How can they, since the darned things just make noise - nothing solid emerges from the barrel. So what "symbolism" is Mallory talking about? God knows, for the logic defies a thinking man.

I do know this though: Cincinnati, the Queen City, great and wonderful as she is deserves a real Mayor. All Ohio’s great cities do, but most are lacking! How men like Mallory, or Coleman in Columbus or that empty suit in Cleveland, Frank Jackson, rise to lead people is a puzzle to me. How are citizens misled into giving power to such vapid people? The town certainly deserves much better.

Luckily for neighboring city Cheviot, they can vote for a man who will respect their Second Amendment rights. He is a bright and logical fellow who can certainly improve that city. I hope they will take the opportunity to make Matt McGowan their Mayor. They certainly would have a much better one than the one who has made Cincinnati a national laughing stock.

Tim Inwood is the current Legislative Liaison and Past President of the Clinton County Farmers and Sportsmen Association, an Endowment Member of the NRA, Life Member of OGCA, and a volunteer for Buckeye Firearms Association.