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Concealed carry: Why the uproar?
The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio) ^ | April 30, 2012 | Ken Hanson

Posted on 05/01/2012 3:39:33 PM PDT by neverdem

April 8, 2012, marked the anniversary of a law that affects the lives of more than 270,000 Buckeyes.

Ohio’s concealed-handgun license law turned 8 years old on that Sunday afternoon.

Notably absent from the festivities were blood in the streets, Wild West reenactments and an epidemic of accidental gun injuries. To understand the significance of this event and why today it seems completely unremarkable, simply Google “Ohio concealed carry 2003” and prepare to be astonished.

• “The widespread carrying of concealed handguns, however, will result in far more cases of senseless killings that occur simply because a loaded gun was readily available.” — Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, March 4, 2003.

• “Imagine your child’s class is visiting the Statehouse on the same day a group known for violence is scheduled to attend in protest.” — State Highway Patrol, March 5, 2003.

• “If 200,000 to 300,000 citizens begin carrying a concealed weapon, common sense tells us that accidents will become a daily event.” — Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, March 5, 2003.

Eight years later, we know definitively that these dire warnings were groundless. Ohio was the 46th state to adopt licensed concealed carry, allowing residents to obtain a predetermination of their legal ability to carry a handgun without facing potential arrest and prosecution. This number has since increased to 49 states, with Illinois as the lone holdout.

Of these 49 states, several, including New York and California, have a license that is technically available. However, courtesy of “may issue” laws in these states, it is nearly impossible for mere mortals to meet the arbitrary, subjective standards to obtain a license. In these states, bureaucrats have absolute discretion over whether to issue a license. A federal court in Maryland recently struck down that state’s “may issue” law on the grounds that these government officials are given power to freely discriminate against applicants for any reason. Indeed, almost all gun-control laws have their roots in racial or ethnic discrimination. In the next year or two, it is entirely likely that the U.S. Supreme Court is going to decide that all “may issue” systems are constitutionally impermissible.

Despite more citizens than ever carrying a gun for self-defense, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics continue to show that accidental gun injuries are, if anything, decreasing. Further, “unjustified” shootings by licensees remain an extremely rare occurrence, and these occurrences are statistically insignificant, especially when compared to the instances of lawful self-defense use.

We now know that the burdensome restrictions contained in our original law had nothing to do with safety and everything to do with harassing those who would otherwise obtain the license. Originally, law enforcement insisted upon Ohio being the only state to micromanage how a licensee carried a handgun inside a vehicle. Ohio has since removed this micromanagement.

Ohio also originally forced licensees to disarm in order to use a bathroom in a park or highway rest stop, and this provision has similarly been removed. Similarly gone is the ability of Ohio’s newspapers to compile and publish lists of licensees.

Perhaps most important, it is now 100 percent clear that cities, villages and townships cannot interfere with the gun rights of Ohio residents. Gone forever is the impossible task of tracking and complying with a patchwork of 250-plus sets of gun laws across Ohio.

Ohio’s licensees are your neighbor, Little League coach, dentist, insurance agent and the person sitting next to you at dinner or church. Next time you see one, wish them happy birthday. Do not be surprised if they seem confused; like anyone else, they are probably wondering what all the fuss was about.

Ken Hanson is a Delaware attorney active in gun-rights legislation, litigation and lobbying.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: California; US: Maryland; US: New York; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: banglist; ccw; chl; concealedcarry

1 posted on 05/01/2012 3:39:37 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: Las Vegas Dave; KarlInOhio; TonyRo76
BANG!
2 posted on 05/01/2012 3:45:37 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: neverdem

I have a CCW and never once wanted to shoot anyone. My pistol is like seatbelts in a car or a helmet for a motorcycle: You hope you never need it but you will thank God if you do need it.


3 posted on 05/01/2012 3:46:23 PM PDT by Yorlik803 (better to die on your feet than live on your knees.)
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To: neverdem; marktwain; JohnLott

Thank you John Lott - where ever you are...

ping


4 posted on 05/01/2012 3:48:11 PM PDT by GOPJ (Had a Christian minister yelled at a bunch of gay students - the New York Times would have covered i)
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To: neverdem

I have actually heard the “blood running in the streets” mantra from a liberal face to face. It’s one thing seeing it in print from the usual liberal talking heads, but quite another hearing it straight from somebody’s pie-hole with complete seriousness.


5 posted on 05/01/2012 3:48:51 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: neverdem

You never need a gun until you need one very badly.


6 posted on 05/01/2012 3:52:03 PM PDT by GoldenPup (Comrade "O" has got to GO!!)
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To: SpaceBar

We’ve heard those same dire warnings every time a state went ccw or any easing of gun control laws. The amazing thing is that the MSM repeats these dire warnings every time as if they are brand new.


7 posted on 05/01/2012 4:05:55 PM PDT by umgud (No Rats, No Rino's)
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To: wardaddy; Joe Brower; Cannoneer No. 4; Criminal Number 18F; Dan from Michigan; Eaker; Jeff Head; ...
Has anybody seen a Sharyl Attksson report on "Fast and Furious" broadcast on CBS?

Government's answer to "Fast and Furious" records requests: Blank pages

The Mob in Mobile: The roosting of the Trayvon Martin chickens.

Science and the Republican Brain

Clouds’ Effect on Climate Change Is Last Bastion for Dissenters frontpage hit piece on Richard Lindzen of MIT

Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

8 posted on 05/01/2012 4:18:20 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: Yorlik803

I’d rather have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.


9 posted on 05/01/2012 4:28:31 PM PDT by Carriage Hill (((.)))
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To: SpaceBar

I would say “excuse me, there are X number of states that have had shall-issue CCW for some years now, name me one instance where “blood in the streets” has ever come about!” and secondly, “You say nothing when criminals carry no matter what the law says, but let one law-abiding person seek to protect himself from those dirtbags and you think THAT is more wrong than the criminal? I think you’re the one who needs to examine their reasoning.”


10 posted on 05/01/2012 5:10:41 PM PDT by coydog (Time to feed the pigs!)
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To: neverdem
There's one thing about concealed carry I've always wanted to know. Time and again, whenever a shall-issue carry law was being debated, some fool was sure to say, "If this law passes, our neighborhoods will become Dodge City!"

When Kansas adopted concealed carry in 2006, what did Dodge City become?

11 posted on 05/01/2012 5:14:46 PM PDT by Flatus I. Maximus
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To: Yorlik803

You are so right!! Twice, at the moment I held a brand new gun in my hands, I turned and softly made a blessing upon the gun, “I pray GOD you are never NEEDED.”
If my prayers are answered, I will consider it the BEST money I ever “wasted.”


12 posted on 05/01/2012 5:51:46 PM PDT by CaptainAmiigaf ( NY Times: We print the news as it fits our views.)
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To: Yorlik803

Nobody wants to. Having to shoot someone is only the beginning of the ordeal. Being temporarily arrested and disarmed. Not getting your gun back for years, and possibly in damaged condition. People who were not there armchair quaterbacking your decisions with the luxury of not facing possible death. Civil suits from the thug or their family. Tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.


13 posted on 05/01/2012 5:55:56 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I can neither confirm or deny that; even if I could, I couldn't - it's classified.)
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To: neverdem

Thanks for the ping!


14 posted on 05/01/2012 8:32:40 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Flatus I. Maximus
When Kansas adopted concealed carry in 2006, what did Dodge City become?

NBC did a special on Kennesaw, Georgia's, mandatory-carry laws about 25 years ago (in order to rage against them). They put up all kinds of videotape of "scary-looking" Southern redneck long-haired Swomp Thang guys wearing 1911's on both hips and piling into their "Smokey and the Bandit" Trans Ams (ooooh, scaaary!! -- LOL!), but then at some point they had to admit that street crime in Kennesaw had cratered the minute that ordinance passed! LOLAY, NBC Pukes!!

15 posted on 05/01/2012 10:18:03 PM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: Secret Agent Man
Having to shoot someone is only the beginning of the ordeal. Being temporarily arrested and disarmed. Not getting your gun back for years, and possibly in damaged condition. People who were not there armchair quaterbacking your decisions with the luxury of not facing possible death. Civil suits from the thug or their family. Tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.

Not where states have passed ammended Castle Doctrine laws like Florida. I'm pretty certain the recent Trayvon tragedy isn't going to result in negative backlash on our so called Stand Your Ground defensive laws. Because of this law, the State Attorney is basically barred from bringing a malicious prosecution as would have been normal when Janet Reno was the State Attorney in Miami. Also, any civil suits by decedent's families are also barred in the event the shooting is ruled justified or excused. It's because other states often DON'T have this kind of ammended law on Castle Doctrine that I worry about retiring away from Florida to the place we really would like to live, someplace in the mountains of North Carolina. I live in hope that the Tarheel state will wise up and make their state more gun friendly.

16 posted on 05/02/2012 9:26:51 AM PDT by ExSoldier (Stand up and be counted... OR LINE UP AND BE NUMBERED...)
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To: lentulusgracchus; doug from upland; Travis McGee; Joe Brower; wardaddy; El Gato; Squantos
NBC did a special on Kennesaw, Georgia's, mandatory-carry laws about 25 years ago (in order to rage against them).

I wish lentulusgracchus, but you're getting close. The bearing part of the RKBA argument would be much more advanced if Kennesaw, GA had passed a mandatory carry law.

Gun Ownership Mandatory In Kennesaw, Georgia --- Crime Rate Plummets

From the current article that I posted:

Of these 49 states, several, including New York and California, have a license that is technically available. However, courtesy of “may issue” laws in these states, it is nearly impossible for mere mortals to meet the arbitrary, subjective standards to obtain a license.

--snip--

In the next year or two, it is entirely likely that the U.S. Supreme Court is going to decide that all “may issue” systems are constitutionally impermissible.

Besides the arbitrary nature of the Second Amendment in "may issue" states, there is an excessive or any fee argument. What other right is saddled with fees? Recall the poll tax. Make the states responsible for the costs of backround checks, and most will drop them like a hot potato, IMHO.
17 posted on 05/02/2012 9:51:13 AM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: Secret Agent Man

Some people dont think that far. The bullet travels farther than the person you had to shoot and you pointed it out well.
It aint like the movies.


18 posted on 05/02/2012 2:59:17 PM PDT by Yorlik803 (better to die on your feet than live on your knees.)
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To: SpaceBar
I have actually heard the “blood running in the streets” mantra from a liberal face to face.

It is only a problem depending on whose blood is running.

19 posted on 05/02/2012 3:13:34 PM PDT by BRL
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To: neverdem
Thanks for the correction on the Kennesaw ordinance, which I was recalling from memory.

Also, I think your analogy to the poll tax is a good one.

20 posted on 05/03/2012 2:10:28 PM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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