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.

From your comments on keeping CHL information private to upcoming sportsman's events, this article deserves to 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.

Thursday in Cincinnati What you say on gun registrations

Reader responses to an Enquirer editorial Keep gun registrations public (Feb. 13).

Concealed-carry permits in both Ohio and Kentucky are issued only after a through background check. The applicant's fingerprints are taken and run against the FBI database. Felons and the mentally ill are not issued permits by law. Far be it from the print media to advocate open records when they refuse to divulge sources "speaking on condition of anonymity." Law-abiding citizens with concealed-carry permits ask only the same treatment.

Avery Proffitt
Reading

To allow employers to prohibit employees from keeping guns locked in vehicles on company parking lots is to allow employers to deny employees the right to carry. Employees would have to leave their guns at home. Prohibition against guns in parking lots does worse than nothing to protect the workplace from an employee bent on murder. It guarantees all other employees will not have ready access to defense. The best defense against a crazy person with a gun is a sane person with a gun.

Eric Rush
Wilmington

If someone has obtained a concealed-carry permit, an investigation of their background by the police has shown that they have no felony convictions, they have never been convicted of a drug offense, they have no mental disabilities, and that they have no criminal record of violence or assault. Does the public believe these are people we need to worry about?

The Enquirer editorial suggests that it is the sheriff's office that we need to check up on, which may be true, but publishing permit holder's names is the wrong way to go about it. Would publishing a list of customers and their account balances be a smart way to check up on a bank?

Paul Feldman
Blue Ash

I very much favor law-abiding citizens' ability to carry concealed weapons. I don't wish to do so personally, nor do I even own a weapon, but I will be safer if the criminal isn't sure about me. It will give them pause ... which will give me time to run.

The media don't know who is carrying illegally. If you let me know, I will try to stay away from those folks ... or at least avoid irritating them. Certainly no good can come from publishing the names of those carrying legally. Don't help the law-abiding citizen be a victim of criminals.

Bob Sumovich
Clifton

Friday in Columbus Another Pizza Delivery Driver Robbed

Police said that Friday's robbery of a pizza delivery driver was likely related to a recent rash of robberies targeting drivers on the city's east side.

A driver was robbed at gunpoint on Friday in the Muirwood Village apartments, Tate reported.

Police said the robbery fit the description of three others recently on the city's east side.

"They know what they're doing," the driver said. "They hide. They sneak up on people and do it quickly."

Police said the number of pizza delivery robberies in Columbus has nearly doubled in the last year, from 75 in 2004 to 135 in 2005.

One more reason why employers (especially ones with high risk employees) should not be allowed to turn employees in to victims by forcing them to be unarmed on the job.

Friday in Cleveland Women's numbers growing in outdoors

Women are in the hunting industry's spotlight these days.

The numbers of women who hunt or shoot has jumped in recent years, said Christine Godleski, vice president and general manager of ESPN Outdoors. She was attending the National Shooting Sports Foundation's annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show last week in Las Vegas.

Participation has increased from 4.2 million to 6.3 million between 1999 and 2004, said Godleski. She predicts the growth will continue as television shows, magazines and grassroots programs cater to women in the outdoors.

"It's the grassroots initiatives and volunteers that encourage women to go out and try it," said Godleski. She pointed to women's programs that range from the National Wild Turkey Federation's Women in the Outdoors to the National Rifle Association's Women on Target and the Becoming an Outdoorswoman program, which is hosted by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Friday from around the State

Boating courses:

The Ohio Division of Watercraft has area boating safety courses in March and April, starting March 4 at the Intercity Yacht Club in Cleveland. One-day courses also are at the Cleveland Watercraft Office on March 25 and Westlake Recreation Center on April 29. Three-session evening courses are at Parma Community Hospital starting April 3 and Solon High School on March 22. Call 216-361-1212.

Meet the candidates:

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is having a political party and blaze orange hunting caps are acceptable dress. The sportsmen's group wants Ohio anglers, hunters and outdoorsmen to meet nominees for statewide and local offices, including governor, attorney general and secretary of state, at a reception on March 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Athletic Club of Columbus, 136 Broad St.

Ontario changes rules:

The Ministry of Natural Resources has proposed allowing year-round walleye sport fishing on Lake Erie in 2007. The walleye season has been closed from mid-March to mid-May to protect spawning walleye. The limit will be six a day, a jump on Eastern Basin of Lake Erie where the daily bag limit had been four. Lake sturgeon fishing, which is open all year, would be closed from May 1-June 30. The daily limit will remain at one.

Distress hoax:

Shawn T. King of Ashtabula will pay a high price for making fake Lake Erie distress calls on a hand-held marine radio in May and June of 2004. King was recently fined $84,000 to pay U.S. Coast Guard costs and jailed for 18 months by U.S. District Court Judge Donald Nugent in Cleveland.

Plan to join Buckeye Firearms Representatives at the USSA Reception and other events in the coming months

Saturday in ColumbusPregnant Woman Calls 911 Before Fatal Shooting

Police are still looking for the person who shot and killed a pregnant woman after she hit him with her car.

Amy Box, 27, died Friday evening after being shot several times, NBC 4 reported.

Police said the shooting possibly stemmed from Box hitting a man while she was driving along an alley on the city's east side.

Box called 911 after the accident.

Minutes later, several 911 calls were received from residents reporting Box's shooting.

More proof that 911 can not save your life. The safety of you and your family rests entirely with yourself. Be alert, be prepared and stay alive. Phone 911 once you and your loved ones are safe and secure.

Tuesday in Cincinnati 9700 can carry hidden guns

Clermont, Hamilton and Butler ranked among the top six counties in the state last year in the number of newly issued concealed-carry gun licenses, according to a report from the state attorney general's office.

That means about 9,700 people in Greater Cincinnati have licenses to carry guns under their coats, in briefcases or purses - except in certain public places, including government buildings, schools and other posted properties.

Clermont County slipped a notch to No. 2 in the state for issuing new licenses in 2005 - behind Montgomery County, which includes Dayton. But Clermont led all counties in the number of licenses revoked or suspended - 41. State law does not require county sheriffs to disclose reasons why a license was revoked.

Both Clermont County and Montgomery County have set excellent example of how the CHL process should be implemented. Any unnecessary obstacles a sheriff chooses to implement only effect the most law-abiding in Ohio and drive dollars for CHL's to other offices.

Tuesday in Middletown Middletown sees jump in crime stats

Drugs, alcohol and a city-imposed hiring freeze contributed to a 5 percent jump in serious crime in the city in the past year, police officials said.

Serious crime – murder, rape, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and domestic violence – increased from 3,589 cases in 2004 to 3,777 in 2005, according to crime statistics the police department released recently.

The number of rapes and robberies almost doubled. Domestic violence was the only crime that decreased.

"It bothers me," police Chief Mike Bruck said, referring to the increase in crime. His department of 85 officers was at 93 in 2003 when the freeze occurred.