Your tax dollars wasted on inaccurate attacks against RTKBA

The Ohio State University appears to be starting their students down the liberal anti-gun path that the majority of media outlets have taken in Ohio. Unfortunately it does not appear that they are teaching their students how to do a little research before publishing their misleading drivel. This is not surprising as many media reports are not entirely factual as we have seen recently with the Associated Press and Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Shortly after the introduction of HB347 by Rep. Jim Aslanides, OSU's student newspaper "The Lantern" published an editorial crying for the death of bill in the name of the First Amendment and the need to have a media "watchdog" over Ohio's County Sheriffs.

After some uninformed statements about the media losing all access to CHL-holders information, the author goes on to show how misguided he or she truly is. The Professors overseeing this program should be ashamed that an editorial such as this was made public.

As you read, keep in mind that OSU is a state university and is heavily subsidized by funds from your tax dollars, and this is how they are used.

From the Editorial:

The right to privately conceal and carry a firearm is not inherently greater than the right of the public to know who carries firearms in an open forum. Those who choose to participate in the concealed carry program should do so because they are confident their decision is necessary and dutiful. If that is the case, there is no need to fear retribution for concealing and carrying a firearm. If the reason to carry a gun in public is justified, there should be no fear of attacks or need for media sanctions.

The concealed carry bill passed by Governor Bob Taft last year required sheriffs release a list of those holding the permit to the media upon request. Under the new proposal, reporters would be unable to learn who holds a concealed carry permit. No safeguards will be in place to alert the public of people unlawfully carrying concealed weapons in their community.

Under no circumstances should a person's decision to carry a concealed weapon be withheld from public knowledge or media scrutiny. A person who holds a concealed carry license is granted, by law, certain privileges - but concealed carry is not a right. It should not be treated as a right, and should not receive special protection from the government. The government has a greater responsibility to public safety and the preservation and respect of others' rights. The public's right to safety is undoubtedly hindered by the new proposal.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

We would like to know just exactly where in the constitution does it say people have a right to know who is carrying a gun? The first amendment doesn't state that, and the Ohio Supreme Court has just recently affirmed there is no blanket right to public records.

Maybe it's time for the student editors at The Lantern to retake that Ohio Constitution class. There is nothing in that document about a "right to know who carries". On the other hand, Article 1, Section 4 states that "The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security...

We would also like to know how media "safeguards" with regards to concealed handgun license holders will inform ANYONE of who is carrying a concealed handgun illegally. Apparently this author does not watch the local news in Columbus or read the local papers. If they would take the time to do that they would see countless reports of crimes committed by people that are not allowed to carry a gun under any circumstance.

Do these criminals bother to apply for a concealed handgun license? No. Why? Because the process is a solid one in that thorough background checks are done on every applicant after they complete extensive training requirements and show proficiency with a handgun. Can the crack heads roaming High street say the same? Has the media bothered to check or report that these thugs do not have a license? Again the answer is an astounding NO!

The media establishment has abused the privilege of accessing information related to CHL-holders and has deliberately gone against the wishes of Ohio's Legislature by plastering the personal information of thousands of CHL-holders all over their newspapers for no newsworthy reason.

The rest of the editorial is not worth commenting on as it shows only more confusion on the part of the author. There were several people that responded however that deserve to be heard.

No public benefit from concealed list
Published: Monday, September 26, 2005

To the Editor:

I just read your editorial advocating releasing the identity of concealed carry permit holders. I'm sorry, but part of concealed carry is keeping criminals from knowing who is carrying. If that weren't the case people would be required to carry their guns exposed instead of concealed. Giving criminals a list of who might be carrying and who probably has guns at home that could be stolen is a terrible thing.

I'm lost about your idea of undesirable dangerous gun carriers. Those are already screened out by the background and criminal checks involved with getting a license. I see no benefit from letting someone else look over the list. Does the average person have a better list of criminals? It doesn't really matter either way because the criminal isn't applying for a permit, they're just carrying a stolen gun.

In short, I see no benefits from making the information public knowledge; only the possibility for targeting law abiding citizens for harassment and robbery.

John Mearns

Knowing names no help in stopping crime
Published: Monday, September 26, 2005

To the Editor:

In your editorial entitled "Concealed Guns, Media Left in the Dark," you say no safeguards will be in place to alert the public of people unlawfully carrying concealed weapons in their community.

What I want to know is this: How will media access to the names of everyone who has a concealed weapons permit work to alert the public of any unlawful acts?

After all, when this bill passes, anyone who has a permit will not be carrying unlawfully.

Criminals will break the law no matter what the law says. That's why we call them criminals. They have no regard for the law.

A list of everyone who lawfully carries concealed handguns WILL NOT give the public any information about who is UNLAWFULLY carrying concealed weapons.

The public will only find out when the criminal chooses to use his weapon to commit a crime. Let's hope that public is armed and can respond to the crime as more than another helpless victim.

CJ Landry

Concealed carriers an asset to society
Published: Monday, September 26, 2005

To the Editor:
In the concealed carry editorial, a bill is introduced that would prohibit the publishing of a list of concealed weapon license holders.
The author of this piece bleats on and on, as if the person who legally carries a weapon is a social problem. They are not. They are an asset to public safety.
This has been proven over and over by states that have enacted CCW laws and then see violent crime decrease rather than increase as the naysayers have been spewing.
Furthermore the author of this editorial states "Those who wish to break the law and carry concealed guns from others will not stop their lawlessness. There is no safeguard for such action. But legalizing the same action and taking away the safeguard of a media watchdog exposes innocent citizens even more."
Although it is true that no legislation will stop criminals from criminal activity, I fail to see the twisted logic that the author uses.
The author assumes the media is somehow going to make the world safer by publishing a list of those folks carrying a gun. Although it's possible that it will make the person who is carrying safer, it will not make those folks without the will to be responsible to protect themselves less safe. After all, if a criminal doesn't see your name on the list as being armed, it makes you a helpless target.
I'm happy to be on the armed, ready and responsible list.
D. Survilla