I had watched closely during the fight to overturn Governor Taft's veto of the bill that would provide Ohio residents with uniform gun laws. I don't live in Ohio--haven't been there in years, and don't know when I'll be back--but since I firmly believe that a victory for gun rights (and thus all rights) in one place is a victory for rights everywhere, I was thrilled to see the forces of good, with the Buckeye Firearms Association at the forefront, overcome the suppression of the rights of law-abiding Ohio residents.
The law goes into effect tomorrow. When it does, the ridiculous requirement that concealed carry licensees carry their firearms in plain sight while driving, will be no more than a minor historical embarrassment. The ban on homeland defense firearms in Columbus will likewise go to the trash, where it belongs. City parks in which the only armed people were lawbreakers will now no longer carry that dubious distinction.
Judging from this Associated Press question and answer piece, there are still some who see armed citizens--law-abiding or not--as threats.
Q: Why did the Legislature feel it necessary to allow people to carry hidden guns in their cars and trucks?"Prodded" by gun-rights advocates, or by their own common sense?
A: Lawmakers, prodded by gun-rights advocates, said the law was inconsistent in allowing permit-holders to carry hidden guns on the street but not in their cars.
Q: What do law enforcement agencies think about guns hidden in cars?Which would seem to imply, although the AP of course doesn't bother to come out and say it, that some law enforcement agencies were actually in favor of the change.
A: Some law enforcement agencies were opposed to the provision because of concerns about officers' safety or were officially neutral.
Q: What was the reasoning behind that change?It's not so much that the NRA and others said there was a patchwork of laws--there indisputably was one.
A: The National Rifle Association and other proponents of getting rid of the community regulations say the state had a patchwork of local gun laws that varied among communities. A person traveling through the state could be obeying the law in one place but breaking it in the next town.
Just gotta love journalistic objectivity, don't you?
Stumble it!
3 comments:
It's after midnight...happy dance time.
The best thing in the whole law is this
"Sec. 9.68. (A) The individual right to keep and bear arms, being a fundamental individual right that predates the United States Constitution and Ohio Constitution, and being a constitutionally protected right in every part of Ohio, the general assembly finds the need to provide uniform laws throughout the state regulating the ownership, possession, purchase, other acquisition, transport, storage, carrying, sale, or other transfer of firearms, their components, and their ammunition. Except as specifically provided by the United States Constitution, Ohio Constitution, state law, or federal law, a person, without further license, permission, restriction, delay, or process, may own, possess, purchase, sell, transfer, transport, store, or keep any firearm, part of a firearm, its components, and its ammunition."
Congratulations, HH--you folks definitely won one for the good guys.
The next thing is to fight the permit itself, as seeking permission to exercise a RIGHT makes it a privilege...if only I had the cash for the best lawyers I would try it.
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