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Misc
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Written by Jeff Garvas
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Monday, 24 July 2006 19:18 |
The Cleveland Plain Dealer published a letter to the editor Saturday written by OFCC Member Rick Troha in response to a spin story they published on their front page Saturday, July 15th. We covered the fact that this story was completely misleading a day later.
Infact, the Cleveland Plain Dealer's T.C. Brown wrote an article on April 4th, 2004 which covered the fact that OFCC was already challenging "park bans" with success before the law went into effect:
Chardon City Council last month passed an ordinance to stop people from carrying guns onto city-owned property such as parks. That prompted a letter from Ohioans for Concealed Carry that reminded the city that the new law prohibits expansion of restricted areas.
Chardon got the message and is expected to rescind the ordinance Thursday, said Law Director Jim Gillette.
When OFCC's Jeff Garvas wrote a more aggressive letter to the editors, and sent it to them twice last week, the Cleveland Plain Dealer ignored it. You can read that letter below.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [Fwd: Front Page Mayors & Guns Story Very Wrong]
Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 06:45:04 -0400
From: Jeff Garvas
To: letters at plaind.com
I was very surprised not to hear from the Plain Dealer about this
letter, so I am sending it again just in case you didn't receive it.
Please consider this for publication.
Sincerely,
Jeff Garvas
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Front Page Mayors & Guns Story Very Wrong
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 16:00:52 -0400
From: Jeff Garvas
To: letters at plaind.com
I was extremely disappointed to read Thomas Ott's July 15th article
"Mayors fear bill would allow guns in parks" and the spin story that
implies HB347, pending in the Ohio Senate, would somehow prevent local
cities from banning concealed handgun license holders in city parks.
Ohio's concealed firearms law is a general law of the State of Ohio, and
as such, local ordinances may not conflict. Since it's inception in
2004 no local government has had the authority to prohibit or otherwise
regulate concealed handgun license holders -- the license system, much
like our driver's license, is intentionally uniform statewide.
While the vast majority of our parks are relatively safe recent events
remind us that no area is perfectly safe. A recent abduction attempt
and rape at Westlake's Crocker Park highlight the fact that violence can
take place against us anywhere -- including the remote secluded trails
of our favorite parks.
Since the law's inception Ohioans For Concealed Carry has worked with a
handful of Cuyahoga and Summit County communities to resolve conflicts
we've become aware of. The Plain Dealer even reported on our efforts to
prevent these signs and our success with communities such as Chardon in
2004.
Claiming that legislation would take away a local government's right to
do something they have not been able to do for more than two years casts
a doubt of suspicion. When the Plain Dealer puts it on the front page of
the paper it's simply using its influence to pander misconception.
Using the mental image of a park, playground, kids, and those evil
holstered and concealed firearms is a deceitful way to foster opposition
to legislation that has virtually nothing to do with a city park.
Sincerely,
Jeff Garvas, President
Ohioans For Concealed Carry
P.O. Box 25488
Cleveland, OH. 44125
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