Senator Explains Need for CCW Reform

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Published on Tuesday, 19 December 2006 15:48

Written by Mike Kinsey

While much of the media throughout the state of Ohio is still reporting on the utter shock of unnecessary legislation that was brutally forced into law by evil gun lobbyists after a mere fifteen months of intense deliberation and numerous committee and floor debates, Senator John Carey (R – 17th District) has published an article in The Chillicothe Gazette to help explain the rationale behind the Legislature’s actions:

When our Founding Fathers set out to establish the governing laws of this nation, much debate centered on the importance of individual freedom. These early leaders recognized that in order to build and maintain a successful society, government power must be limited, citizens must be engaged and every person should be guaranteed certain unalienable rights…

Most of us learn about the Constitution in school and, over time, grow to appreciate the rights and privileges this important document grants us. However, on occasion, there have been some who have questioned the merit of these freedoms and have done their best to restrict them. In particular, a number of anti-gun activists have fought hard over the years to place restrictions on our 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms. In the midst of this struggle, the Ohio General Assembly has taken a number of important steps to ensure law-abiding citizens are able to exercise their Constitutional rights.

In his introduction, Senator Carey eloquently summarizes the big picture for everyone. We have spent months discussing the important details of HB347. This should not preclude us from remembering now and then what we are really fighting for: the fact that our right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed… even if we happen to live in Columbus, OH.

The honorable Senator continued by proving why unnecessary firearm restrictions upon the law-abiding are not only morally unjust, but logically unjust as well:

Before the [oringinal concealed carry] bill went into effect, opponents predicted violent crime would increase, but the reality is that since we passed the law, more than 85,000 Ohioans have obtained concealed-carry permits and there has been no evidence that our communities are any less safe than before.

In fact, evidence shows concealed-carry permit holders have actually prevented crime. A recent article in the Columbus Dispatch highlighted a case in which the president of the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, who happens to be a concealed-carry permit holder, was able to fend off an attacker by simply pointing his unloaded weapon at the assailant. Despite what opponents have said, the lack of incidents since concealed carry became law is proof gun violence comes from criminals, not law-abiding citizens who are properly trained and permitted.

Yes, preemption was needed so that state-issued Concealed Handgun Licenses can be utilized uniformly throughout the state. Yes, nullifying the onerous “plain sight requirement” for motor vehicles was just as necessary. However, while we are chiseling away these smaller milestones, we must now and then step back and admire the ongoing sculpture that firearm advocates are creating when attempting to restore their innate and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms for their security.

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