Veto Over-ride And The Big City Mayors
Editor's Note: The following op-ed is written in response to this Dayton Daily News story entitled "Officials decry gun law, home-rule threat"
By Larry S. Moore
Mayor McLin and other big-city Ohio mayors are experiencing angst over the recent over ride of Governor Taft’s veto of HB 347. They are spewing forth venom at the legislators and gun owners while spreading dis-information to the public. The big city liberal media outlets are willing accomplices in the effort.
The truth is something entirely different. If the Mayors would simply take a deep breath, get their shorts (or panties as the case may be) out of a wad, and exercise some rare examples of common sense, they might actually be able to address crime rather than foisting feel-good-do-nothing legislation on the unsuspecting masses. Yes, that’s right, their precious “assault weapon laws” were nothing but feel-good-do-nothing legislation. Mayor McLin, exactly when did the Dayton law go into effect and how many cases have been successfully prosecuted?
I first read HB347 sometime about September 2005. The preemption language, very similar to the final version, was in the bill at that time. If the Mayors or the media are surprised, it is only because they were not paying attention.
Meanwhile Mayor McLin cites a “gunfire problem” in the City of Dayton. Apparently the Mayor is admitting that although she served in the state legislature, she really does not know state law. There are state statutes dealing with the discharge of firearms. Try looking at ORC 2923.161 and 2923.162 that deal with improperly discharging a firearm at or into habitation or near prohibited premises, including cemetery, lawn, park, pleasure ground, orchard, church, inhabited dwelling, property of another, charity, and upon or over a public road or highway. My goodness, that sounds like it is illegal to discharge a firearm most everyplace in the City of Dayton.
Here’s a novel concept, try a dose of honesty with yourself and the citizens of Dayton. Consult with Police Chief Julian Davis and see if additional laws are the problem or if more manpower to combat crime is needed. What about the federal prosecution of gun cases, which often include stiffer mandatory sentencing?
Perhaps if we concentrate on getting criminals off the streets no one willl be left to pull the trigger and cause a gun fire problem.
Outdoor writer and hunter education instructor Larry S. Moore is a Region Leader for Buckeye Firearms Association and winner of the 2005 USSA Patriot Award.
UPDATE: Since this article was published, a flurry of new articles on the big-city mayors' plot to subvert the will of the General Assembly were published, thanks to this Associated Press wire story:
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