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Written by Jeff Garvas
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Saturday, 10 March 2007 |
We all know that the media loophole that gave access to the personal information of concealed handgun license holders was never intended to become public record and available in bulk. Even The Cincinnati Enquirer's latest story, 7 Secrets Government Keeps, admits that Governor Taft "compromised" on a solution that made the records anything but public.
Originally, the legislature intended to create a system where the news media could ask if an individual had a license to carry a concealed handgun and the Sheriff would respond with the name, county of residence, and date of birth. This was supposed to be a "check and balance" upon the system to ensure that criminals were not receiving licenses from dishonest Sheriffs. Since passing HB12 into law, some members of the news media have blatantly misused their loophole to acquire and publish complete lists of licensees with no other reason than to ostracize our law-abiding CHL community. The Enquirer's story goes on to evoke emotion over a shooting that occurred some time ago. A shooting, by the way, that was ruled as a justified use of self-defense force by Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters.
Effective Tuesday, however, a state law will impose new rules on viewing, making it more difficult for reporters to find out if someone has a concealed-carry permit.
Without those records, the public wouldn't know, for example, that Bennie Hall Jr. - who shot a 14-year-old who was stealing his car in Kennedy Heights last October - had a license to carry a gun.
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Written by Tim Schmidt
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Friday, 09 March 2007 |
The following article from the U.S. Concealed Carry Association is reprinted with permission.
I want to start by saying something very simple. I LOVE America... I really love my country. I love the history of America during the days of "The Revolution".
On a quick side note, my wife bought me a framed reproduction of the Declaration of Independence for Christmas recently. We just hung it up on the wall in a very prominent position near our front door. It makes me proud to read that document!
Okay, where was I? Ah yes... Tim loves America. I believe that the Godly principles that this country was founded upon are the sole reason for the success of this country. These principles are SO powerful that they've been able to carry a country that really no longer deserves the freedom it enjoys. (This is just my humble opinion!)
I truly believe that a country gets the government that it deserves. If the citizens of a country are unwilling to elect honest & morally sound people to lead them, then they deserve what they get. If the citizens of a country are unwilling to fight to preserve the inalienable rights they were born with, then they will lose those rights.
Over the past few years, I've gotten into the habit of reading the articles that "M-14 Fred" writes in every issue of ShotGun News. Fred talks a lot about the importance of fighting the "Soft War" now so we don't have to fight the "Hard War" later on.
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Written by Jeff Garvas
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Friday, 09 March 2007 |
We strive to bring you news relative just to Ohio, with a focus on Concealed Carry. Today we find ourselves yet again going beyond that primary focus and bringing you news of a monumental decision out of Washington, D.C. that may make its way into the United States Supreme Court.
This just might be some of the most impressive constitutional gun rights news since the United States, under then Attorney General John Ashcroft, took the position that the Second Amendment is a fundamental individual right as opposed to the collective rights theory.
Today, a divided three-judge D.C. Circuit panel held that the District of Columbia's gun control laws violate individuals' Second Amendment rights. The 75 page ruling can be found here.
To summarize, we conclude that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms. That right existed prior to the formation of the new government under the Constitution and was premised on the private use of arms for activities such as hunting and self-defense, the latter being understood as resistance to either private lawlessness or the depredations of a tyrannical government (or a threat from abroad).
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Written by Kim D. Campbell
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Wednesday, 07 March 2007 |
...to our counterparts at Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, Brady Campaign, Violence Policy Center, Freedom States Alliance, et al.
What then? Let's suppose, for the sake of argument, you manage to get every one of your pieces of dream legislation passed. Will you then fold up your tents and move on? Or will you, like most organizations that "work themselves out of job," expand your original mission statements to embrace heretofore unrecognized threats to our safety?
My money's on the latter. Of course, I sincerely hope it never comes to that. I'm not naïve enough to think you'll ever be convinced of the fallacy of your positions, but I do have faith in the common sense of the average citizen when presented with actual facts rather than the emotional rhetoric supplied both directly by you, and through the (generally) sympathetic-to-your-cause media. |
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Written by Daniel White
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Tuesday, 06 March 2007 |
In an earlier story (National Parks Service Rejects Petition), we reported that the National Parks Service rejected a petition brought by the Virginia Citizen's Defense League (and signed by Ohioans For Concealed Carry) to encourage the Department of the Interior (DOI) to allow local jurisdictions to adopt local laws with respect to carrying a firearm in National Parks.
In a surprising twist, it seems the National Parks Service may not have been authorized to send that rejection!
The following story has been released by the VCDL, and includes a call for action:
VCDL has just learned from our sources on Capitol Hill that the Department of the Interior (DOI) is **livid** over the National Park Service's (NPS) asinine rejection letter sent to VCDL concerning VCDL's Petition for Rule Making!
(http://www.vcdl.org/pdf/NPS_Denial_of_VCDL_PRM.pdf)
That petition would allow a law-abiding citizen to carry a handgun for self-defense in a National Park if the state in which the park is located allows such carry.
Apparently the National Park Service DID NOT CLEAR that rejection letter with their parent - the Department of the Interior!
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Written by Mike Kinsey
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Monday, 05 March 2007 |
Ohioans For Concealed Carry is being praised in the current issue of one of the most widely circulated magazines in the shooting sports, Guns & Ammo. The article cites the success our members' grassroots efforts have provided in educating businesses throughout the state that posting "No Guns" signs in an attempt to make their building safer is not only ineffective, it is counter-productive. Displaying such a sign only disarms the law-abiding and emboldens the criminal already intent on breaking laws against robbery and murder. That criminal is now guaranteed that he will have the only gun and no one inside will be able to defend themselves!
As the article notes, OFCC provides a complimentary service in the "Do Not Patronize While Armed" Database. This directory of businesses that choose to discriminate against Concealed Handgun License holders is a mechanism that allows Second Amendment supporters to be aware of these Criminal Protection Zones so that a licensed individual won't accidentally carry their otherwise legal handgun there and break the law.
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Written by Jeff Garvas
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Sunday, 04 March 2007 |
Visitors to today's open houses held by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources discovered that the ODNR has formally proposed changes to the regulations that limit carrying concealed during certain hunting activities.
Representatives from Ohioans For Concealed Carry visited various district offices today to discuss the issue and we even met some familiar faces.
It has always been legal for a concealed handgun licensee to carry a handgun while fishing, trapping, or hunting any game in Ohio other than Deer or Wild Turkey according to the ODNR. The new rules would propose lifting every restriction that prohibits carrying a concealed firearm, including the regulations that limit you to "one gun" while hunting deer during gun week.
Restrictions to this proposal include prohibiting the hunter from using their concealed firearm for hunting purposes when carrying two firearms. If passed, the proposal would go into effect September 1st, 2007. Therefor, we urge you to print off this letter and mail it to the ODNR in support of this proposal if you have not already done so. Get everyone you know to do the same even if they don't typically hunt -- statewide restrictions like this impact all of us.
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Written by Daniel White
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Thursday, 01 March 2007 |
OFCC is pleased to announce the launch of our new membership recruitment program!
Beginning March 1, 2007, any existing member can sign up new members, or even renew existing members, and receive a $5 bonus per member! Sign up five new members, and you'll receive $25. Sign up 100 and receive $500! There is no limit to the amount of recruitment bonuses you can receive with each paid-in-full membership. Recruitment bonuses are paid our quarterly.
In order to qualify, you must be a member in good standing and the qualifying memberships must be accompanied by your membership number (if you don't know your membership number, it is printed on the top line of the mailing label of every newsletter).
Qualifying memberships are any 1 year new regular membership, or 1 year regular membership renewal, paid in full (student memberships not eligible). In order to receive your bonus, these memberships must be recorded on a recruitment form (available here), purchased through our webstore (the "Who Referred You to OFCC?" box must contain your member number), or completed using an official OFCC membership form (make sure your member number appears on the "How did you hear about OFCC?" line).
If you have any questions about the program, you can contact Recruitment Coordinator Mike Kinsey through our Contact Us form. (Remember to pick Mike Kinsey in the pull down) |
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Written by Jeff Garvas
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007 |
Ohio law requires the Attorney General's Office to issue an annual report to the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President, before March 1st, detailing the results of Ohio's concealed handgun laws. The 2006 annual report was release today and is available on the Attorney General's website here and it details that, as of December 31st, 2006 there were 86,832 licensed Ohioans who can carry a firearm for self-defense lawfully.
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Written by Daniel White
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Friday, 23 February 2007 |
Attention all CHL trainers!
The new Concealed Carry Publication (reflecting the new changes going into effect March 14) required by law to be read by CHL applicants is now available for download from the Ohio Attorney General Website.
Click here to download your copy, or to request copies for your students.
An initial review of the new booklet reveals that the much of the material is streamlined. Some of the boxes and highlights have been reduced to a much cleaner design. Some of the controversy over "beer' being liquor appears to have been removed.
Many items in the booklet, such as carrying concealed in a vehicle, reflect changes in Ohio law that take effect March 14th, 2007 and should not be followed until that time.
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