Pro-Gun Punditry: Wednesday's Buckeye State Roundabout

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 worthy of mention.

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

Find out about what turned out to be an embarrassingly bad week for the promoters of "no-guns" school "safety" zones and other "no-guns" Victim Zones. This article deserves be a part of your required reading!

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

Wednesday in Cincinnati: 2 shot behind Hyde Park high school

A shootout in Withrow High School's parking lot Thursday night left a 17-year-old in critical condition with a bullet wound to the upper chest. A second person was shot in the leg, police said. The names of the victims were not available. The shootings here were the second and third in less than a week in Hyde Park. Police said witnesses heard six shots. What led to the shooting was unclear Thursday night; two teenage witnesses gave police conflicting stories. What police do know is this: The 17-year-old was in a green Ford Taurus parked behind the school. He got out of the car and into a cream-colored Lexus. The shots were fired inside the Lexus. Police said the 17-year-old was struck once in the chest. The Lexus raced off down Dana Avenue, police said, and drove south on Interstate 71. It was unclear what direction the Taurus went, or in which car the two teens who were left at scene had been. Police said the 17-year-old stumbled down Dana Avenue and collapsed. A heavy coat belonging to the victim could be seen later lying in the road where he fell. He was taken to University Hospital. About the time police got to the scene, the other victim was dropped off at University with at least one gunshot wound in the leg. Police think the victim was brought there by a good Samaritan. News of the shootings worried Hyde Park resident Julian Jackson, 23, who lives less than 100 yards from the rear entrance to the school. The East Side neighborhood has traditionally been considered one of the city's safest. On Saturday, though, a Blue Ash man was killed after a gunman opened fire on him when he pulled into a pub here.

Those darn criminals just can't seem to understand that the Ohio legislature banned gun possession in schools and bars, can they? Gun control doesn't control much of anything, other than the right of self-defense by law-abiding citizens.

Thursday in Columbus: Zogby Poll Shows Blackwell Beats Strickland

...The Wall Street Journal's Zogby Poll today showed Republican Secretary of State Ken Blackwell leading Democrat Congressman Ted Strickland in a head to head general election survey by 4.5% (45.9% to 41.4%). The poll showed Attorney General Jim Petro trailing Strickland by 7.5% (41.8% to 34.3%) with the third GOP candidate, Auditor Betty Montgomery, trailing Strickland by more than 10% (42.8% to 32.5%). The survey had a margin of error of 2.8% (plus or minus) and was conducted January 6-12, 2006. Blackwell also did the best of the GOP candidates against all other potential Democratic candidates, including State Senator Eric Fingerhut. Blackwell bounced Fingerhut by 7.6% (47.3% to 39.7%)....This survey marks a continuation of Blackwell polling success, even in surveys sponsored by his opponents.

The best news of all is that for the first time in a long time, pro-gun candidates are front-runners in BOTH party's primary races.

Thursday in Columbus: Crime remains ongoing problem in OSU area

The abduction and slaying of Stephanie Hummer prompted an outcry about crime near the Ohio State University campus a dozen years ago, but it didn’t put an end to the problem. This week, OSU police issued three crime alerts after armed robberies near campus. In one incident, a 21-year-old student was robbed of his wallet and cellphone by two gunmen who struck him on the head at E. 14 th and Indianola avenues — one block east of where Hummer was last seen alive. "We believe these are three separate, distinct events that are in no way tied together," OSU Assistant Police Chief Rick Amweg said. "But it’s a reminder that we live in an urban environment where these things can happen." In 2005, OSU police issued 20 crime alerts, 15 after robberies on or near campus. Thirteen crime alerts were issued in 2004, six for robberies. "The campus area has always been a happy hunting ground for criminals," said Columbus Police Officer Lawrence Geis, the community liaison officer for the University District. He said students who live in and visit the district are seen as easy marks because they leave valuables in unlocked cars and apartments and don’t take enough precautions while out after dark. "Some students put themselves in dangerous situations," he said. "They walk alone after dark and instead of walking on main streets, they’d rather cut 50 feet off the walk by cutting behind a building or down an alley."

Funny how this community liaison officer neglects to mention another reason why college students are deemed easy marks by criminals - the fact that their human right to self-defense is stripped from them by Ohio law.

Sunday in Toledo: Lives, litigation move forward after shooting

[The family of one of the victims in last year's Toledo Jeep plant shooting] feels DaimlerChrysler and Wackenhut "are responsible for allowing this atmosphere to exist at the plant and for a total lack of any kind of effective or sensible security system. "It's obvious the limited security system that was allegedly in place was inoperative and not functioning even at the most basic levels," she said, adding that automatic door locks "in certain parts of the building" were not operative. Ms. Gordon said the company has a responsibility to the employees to make sure that there is adequate security. "It would be basic corporate responsibility to make sure that is the case," she said. DaimlerChrysler reviewed its "security processes" following the shootings, Mr. Saenz said, adding that security and employee safety are company priorities. "Certainly for us our employees are our most precious resource - then, now, and in the future," he said.
Several rank-and-file Jeep workers told The Blade they haven't seen many changes in security measures since the shootings. No metal detectors have been installed. Workers' bags are searched randomly when employees enter or leave. A few workers said they would consider some measures a violation of their rights.

As reported at the time when this shooting occurred, company policy prohibits these Jeep plant employees from bearing arms for their own self-defense. Companies which take away the self-defense rights of their employees or patrons do indeed have a moral obligation to provide for their security, yet sadly, Ohio law provides liability protection for companies in just such an instance. It is highly possible that litigation from this case may become the first test of the ridiculous liability exemption clause that became law under House Bill 12, Ohio's concealed carry law.

Monday from Columbus: PERSPECTIVE: Some Democratic platforms sound familiar to GOP

One candidate for Ohio governor wants to slash taxes for big business. One wants to loosen controls on guns and talk more about faith. And neither is a Republican. The contenders for the Democratic nomination for governor show how the party, after 16 years out of the governor's mansion, is trying to appeal more to a diverse bunch of job-hungry Ohio voters. State Sen. Eric Fingerhut, of Cleveland, last week said he would attract jobs by doing away with the six-month-old tax on business that was meant to replace two other taxes. That would leave only individuals and some small businesses paying personal income tax. U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, of Lisbon, opposes assault weapons bans and other limits on private gun ownership that he says will affect only law-abiding owners and not criminals. "It's pretty clear, not just in Ohio but nationally, the Democrats have to do a better job of getting to what some people describe as the culture voters, or the culture war voters," said Dale Butland, a Columbus Democratic consultant. Democrats recognize both that Ohio has become a red state and that they can't retake state offices simply by harping on ethics problems that plagued the GOP last year, said William Binning, a political scientist at Youngstown State University who has worked on GOP campaigns.
"They're going to need a platform of some kind that appeals to the center in Ohio, which appears to be center-right. The Bush victory (in 2004) is defining the Democratic campaign," Binning said.

The power of gun owners in the voting booth continues to be represented through the refocus of the Democrat party to at least sound like they are less in the pocket of gun ban extremists. However, trust that it's a true conversion should come only after strong ACTION to defend our Second Amendment rights.

Tuesday in Columbus: Students Robbed at Gunpoint

Apparently, increased security after a series of crimes around the Ohio State University campus was not enough to keep a couple of students safe. The two were robbed at gunpoint Saturday night. One of those victims shared her story with 10TV. For safety reasons, the student asked that her identity not be revealed. But she wanted other students to know what happened to her so they can take precautions to prevent similar crimes. "There was no time to do anything," she said of the sudden attack. It was just before 1:30 Saturday morning when the Ohio State junior was walking home with a friend. They took a shortcut down an alley just south of East 14th Street and east of Pearl Alley. "Someone walked out from behind a garage and pointed a gun at us and cocked it, and told us not to yell and to give him our purses.” The girls did what the man said, handing over their cash, credit cards, keys, and cell phones. "He told us to run fast. And we just took off in the other direction." "It was scary." This is the fourth armed robbery reported near campus in just one week. Columbus Police even assigned plain-clothed officers to the area and stepped up patrols in the alleyways around the University District. But the student who spoke with 10TV said what happened to her shows that officers cannot be everywhere. And she hopes students will take their safety into their own hands.

If a person is old enough to fight and die for their country in a foreign land, they are old enough to be trusted to carry a concealed handgun for their own protection - on campus or off.

Tuesday in Cincinnati: Student Finds Assault Rifle In School Parking Lot

Officials said students at Edgewood High School in Butler County did the right thing Monday when one of them found an assault rifle. Students were out of school Monday, so the Fairfield Township Police Department used the school's parking lot for training. But when police packed up, an officer left an AR-15 rifle behind. A student arriving on campus for baseball practice found the gun and turned it over to his coach. The Fairfield Township police chief said the officer who left the rifle has an excellent record. There is no word on any possible disciplinary action.

Stories like these are what often ring in the minds of gun owners when gun ban extremists like John Gilcrest from the Ohio Chiefs of Police offer testimony to legislators and quotes to the media trying to paint gun owners as not being responsible enough to bear arms because they don't get the training police officers do. Everyone makes mistakes, and we're thankful no one was hurt as a result of this officer's error. It's been quite a week for Ohioans forced to live, work or attend "no-guns" school "safety" and other Victim Zones, hasn't it? Unfortunately for the victims, proof that gun control does not work to deter criminals can be found in the crime blotters week after week after week...