Bartenders' irrational fear of Ohio's law-abiding gun owners is sickening

by Brent Greer

The Ohio General Assembly, in the Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives, have passed two different bills that -- essentially -- allow the carry of concealed firearms into restaurants and certain establishments that serve alcohol.

Of course, the usual suspects are waving their arms in their best Chicken Little fashion and predicting all sorts of rapturish, end-of-the-world mayhem if a combined bill is signed into law. Reportedly, officials at the Ohio Restaurant Association are pressuring Gov. John Kasich to veto the bill.

Once the versions are reconciled between the two houses, and it passes to his desk, he can either sign it into law, veto it, or let it become law without his signature.

An article in The Columbus Dispatch quotes dissenting bartenders, who wonder how they will tell which patrons are carrying guns. Which is interesting, in my opinion, considering it is common knowledge that bad guys currently carry guns into bars. I wonder how bartenders make that determination now? And how it will change?

Oh, but the difference here is that they have an irrational fear of law-abiding people, but no fear (or head in the sand?) about criminals who currently carry into their bars? That is sick and twisted and NOT in a good way!

READ THE BILL PEOPLE! Ohio CHL (that's concealed handgun license) holders cannot drink while carrying if they enter one of these establishments. Can bartenders guarantee they haven't served criminals previously (that would be people who currently carry a gun into a bar and imbibe)? Nooo...they can't.

Here is hoping that lawmakers reconcile differences, and pass a good bill to Gov. Kasich for his signature. Just as CCW made Ohio safer, such a bill will greatly help reduce the liklihood that a Luby's Cafeteria incident will happen in the Buckeye State.

And if it saves only one life (that is a common refrain of crusading lawmakers), then this is a good law whose time has come. Thank you Ohio lawmakers.

Gov. Kasich? The ball will soon be in your court, and it's time to put your money where your mouth is. That is, prove you are not a threat to Ohio firearms owners or their rights. Demonstrate through your actions, what your surrogates kept saying during last year's gubernatorial campaign.

Now . . . we wait and see.

Brent Greer is a long-time civil rights activist in Ohio. He is a past chairman of Peoples Rights Organization (PRO), an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, and certified personal safety instructor teaching the Refuse To Be A Victim curriculum.