| State Mandated Victim Zone Robbed |
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| Written by Jeff Garvas | |
| Thursday, 30 June 2005 | |
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The Plain Dealer in Cleveland is reporting that robbers hit the Bureau of Motor Vehicles office in the Cleveland neighborhood of West Park. By default many Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices are state mandated criminal protection zones. OFCC has reported countless examples that the posting of "No Guns" signs does absolutely nothing to deter criminals. It is bad enough that uneducated or emotional business owners choose to post "No Guns" signs. By doing so they enable criminals and discriminate against their law-abiding customers by prohibiting their right to protect themselves while patronizing their businesses. It is worse that our state Legislators saw fit to do the same in any building owned or controlled by the state or state agency. Fortunately private businesses can be avoided for the most part. That is not always the case with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles or other state agencies. While some services are offered via the mail or Internet, most people must visit these offices personally one or more times per year. OFCC's News Team has learned that the neighborhood this office is located in is at the far west side of Cleveland. The area that has the lowest crime rate as well as the lowest violent crime rate of any area in the city. As is the case with many small towns across Ohio, this seems to be a double-edged sword in that it leads many in that area to feel that there is no need to go armed. It also demonstrates that criminals will go where the money is and where they feel safe plying their trade.  Comments by: Larry S. Moore, OFCC Senate District 10 Coordinator: Another robbery at a location with the famous "gun busters" sign posted. Robbers across Ohio seem to be attracted to these posted locations like bugs to a front porch light this summer. And why not? The robbers are assured of no armed resistance by any customers at the location. Unlike those pesky summer bugs, which might get burned if they are attracted to a bug zapper, robbers are certain to not get zapped if they rob locations where the law abiding citizens are denied a right to self-defense. This little comparison might prove that robbers are smarter than the summertime bugs. So when will our legislators get smarter and remove the state-law mandated criminal protection zones? |