'Feel-good' laws need to be changed

Recently we saw two very public shootings.

The first, in an Omaha mall, ended as these often do these days — after taking a number of lives, the shooter took his own life. The police didn't arrive until six minutes after the first shot was fired.

The mall should have been safe. After all, there were "No Weapons" signs posted. Of course, only law-abiding citizens obey those signs.

The second shooting ended a bit differently. After taking two lives at one location, the shooter moved on to a second location. By all accounts, he was prepared to take many, many lives there. Once inside the church, things changed dramatically from the Omaha scenario. A legally armed citizen (a volunteer security guard) engaged the shooter and saved countless lives.

Sadly, in Ohio, we lean more toward Omaha in our treatment of this topic. Many malls post "No Weapons" signs. Should a CHL holder choose to enter armed anyway, he or she is now the criminal (albeit a misdemeanor). Further, carrying a firearm in a church in Ohio is illegal unless one has specific permission to do so, and it's a felony.

Won't it be a shame when more lives are lost because an armed citizen obeyed the law by disarming? We need to change these "feel-good" laws to something that works.

Kim D. Campbell

Wilmington

Mr. Campbell is coordinator of Ohioans For Concealed Carry.