The “defense walks” that Ohio’s gun supporters have staged the past few weekends offer the best proof yet that Ohio’s current law banning the carrying of concealed guns works (“Protesters openly carry guns in bid to carry concealed ones,” Dispatch article, Oct. 13).
Gun proponents are finding that when they strap on their handguns and parade around town, no one bothers them. Isn’t that the point of carrying a loaded handgun openly? To prevent others from bothering you? The gun lobby’s hope is that these public handgun displays will persuade the General Assembly to pass the stalled bill allowing the concealed carry of handguns.
Supporters of a concealed-carry law claim that their rights to self-protection are compromised by the ban on carrying a hidden gun. But what could be more of a deterrent to violent crime than the sight of a person carrying a gun openly? In case of attack by a violent criminal, an openly carried gun is far more accessible than one that is stuffed in a pocket or purse.
Statements by the gun lobby that carrying openly is uncomfortable or socially unacceptable won’t wash. If those in the pro-gun camp genuinely are concerned for their safety, they should be willing to deal with a little disapproval from their fellow citizens.
Any prudent person carrying a loaded handgun should be a little uncomfortable. It represents a risk of instant injury or death. Carrying it concealed doesn’t remove that risk; it just hides it from everyone else, which isn’t fair to law-abiding citizens who may not want to expose themselves or their children to the potential deadliness of loaded guns. When a gun is carried openly, those around the carrier at least have the choice to remove themselves from the vicinity of the gun. Concealed guns take away that choice.
I hope the gun walks will make concealed-carry proponents more comfortable with their guns, calm their fears of their fellow citizens and finally convince them that they already have a legal way to protect themselves.
Lori A. O’Neill
October 22, 2003
President
Greater Cleveland chapter
Million Mom March
Chagrin Falls
WALKS SHOW CONCEALED CARRY IS UNNEEDED
From the comments here.
[Remember that the MMM is part of the Brady Campaign (http://millionmommarch.com/ takes you to the Brady site) who is vehemently opposed to open carry.
As Jeff in the comments said, “What short memories….here in Ohio first they were for it, now they are against it…”
But O’Neill is not the current contact person for Ohio Chapter of the MMM/Brady Campaign so I suppose it is possible she has been fired or replaced for heresy or some such thing.–Joe]
oooh, “it represents a risk of instant injury or death” unless you’re an Only One…love the “logic”…
Then again, I wouldn’t mind walking around with a Desert Eagle or Taurus Raging Bull on my hip…lol
Wait. They are advocating for open carry to stop concealed carry? My mind just broke trying to comprehend their position.
Pete; don’t bother trying. There’s little point in trying to understand such a mind. You can chalk it up to “I hate guns and gun owners and so anything I can do to berate, obstructm or otherwise harrass gun owners is a sensible idea.” It makes “sense” because it’s against the wishes of the evil “gun lobby” and that’s all that counts.
The main takeaway is that we need to defeat such people, on an on-going basis, to keep human rights intact.
Now where’s my compensation? I could be doing something productive right now, but instead I have to take time out of my day to defend my supposedly rock-solid, guaranteed rights. I want restitution. It’s time to cash the check.
Lyle,
For some reason your comment started an ear worm with these lines (from here):
Joe; LOL.
Cattle are worth good money though, whereas statists are a dime a dozen.
It wasn’t just Lori O’Neill who tried to argue that since open carry was legal, we didn’t need to pass a concealed carry law. The Columbus Dispatch said so in an editorial, as did Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence founder Toby Hoover. (Of course now Hoover runs around saying people have a “right” not to have to share space with anyone who has a gun – it’s her argument any time we work to get victims zones removed, such as our current fight to have restaurants that serve alcohol be taken off the banned list.
For more on their idiocy, go here:
The gun banners’ forgotten push for open carry in Ohio
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/6598
Open carry marches were a big reason we got concealed carry in Ohio. After the Ohio Supreme Court agreed with the O’Neill’s and Hoovers of the state, ruling that our concealed carry ban wasn’t unconstitutional since open carry was an option to exercise the “right to bear arms for…defense and security,” as is recognized in our state constitution, we held open carry walks all over the state to show people how we were being instructed to exercise our right. Hundreds of people came out in cities and towns all over the state. Within three months, we had a concealed carry law passed after ten years of trying.
For what Lori O’Neill is up to now, go here:
More northeast Ohio mayors suspicious about how their names were added to Bloomberg’s gun control list
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/6888
and here:
Buckeye Firearms Chairman Jim Irvine debates Bloomberg crony on gun show “loophole”
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/6949
Chad….its Jeff….LOL Joe’s quote is from the Buckeye article….I had posted it in a earlier discussion. Joe just promoted it to QOTD.
Don’t try to understand how they think. It doesn’t follow lines of logic or reason.
I completely agree with ohio’s laws. I disagree with “safe zones” as I’ve yet to see anything resembling guaranteed safety in any of them. If the people carrying openly have issues because the guns they carry are uncomfortable, then they definitely need to visit their local holster shop.
However, since where the gun is carried has no impact on the person carrying it, (aside from slower ready times) then by her own argument, these people should be encouraged to carry concealed. They’ve made the argument easy for those who wish to carry concealed.
Personally, in a bad part of town, I’d prefer to go heeled. At a formal dinner, I’d likely prefer to conceal. (Unless we have a formal banquet at the next GBR.) The decision should be up to the owner of the gun where he or she will carry it. Sometimes I put my car keys in my pocket, other times they attach to my belt loop. In terms of danger, cars are far more capable of causing death and injury, but no one seems to care where I put them.
Brain Damage, pure and simple.
Hi gentlemen: Imagine my surprise when I was Googling for stories regarding the proposed gun store/gun range in Columbus, to come across my name in a topix link! Imagine how incredibly surprised I was to read a nearly seven year old letter to the editor I wrote regarding open carry vs. concealed carry! What are you guys resurrecting material that old for?
Chad and Jeff Garvas: I hope you will let your brethren know that I have narrowed the focus solely to stopping the trafficking of guns to criminals, teens, domestic violence abusers, and terrorists. In fairness, anyone who cares about their subject also learns, revises, refines their positions. That’s mine.
Learn more at http://www.citizensforsafety.org.