Headline: “Concealed carry five years later – Why it works”

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

When the decade-long battle for concealed carry reform was raging in Ohio, pro-Second Amendment advocates recognized the Lima News as one of the few newspapers whose editorial page featured opinions as firm in support of the Second Amendment as they were on the First.

Five years after Ohio’s concealed carry law took effect, the newspaper’s news room has proved that they too continue to be one of the few journalistic enterprises in Ohio capable of providing an objective look at Second Amendment issues.

In a story entitled “Concealed carry five years later – Why it works”, reporter Greg Sowinski takes a look at the increasing numbers of concealed handgun license-holders, the police view, views from opponents, and a look to the future of CCW.

The Second Amendment and the Slow Erosion of Time

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By Dave Yost

A year ago, the United State Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms belongs to individuals, not to state militias. The decision started more legal arguments than it settled, and the battle is still raging in the lower courts.

The Supreme Court decision, District of Columbia v. Heller*, has already produced plenty of litigation. Since it’s a Supreme Court case, it can only be overruled by the Supreme Court. But even a Supreme Court decision can lose its authority by the slow erosion of lower court decisions.

A lower court that does not like a binding precedent can look to the facts of the case, and in its opinion, “distinguish” the facts. Once it finds that the facts are different, the binding precedent is no longer binding in the new case.

In its first year, at least 16 lower court cases “distinguished” the holding of Heller, and fifty-two more were decided on the basis that Heller‘s holding was “limited.”

Some of those cases were well-considered, like the felon who tried to overturn his weapons conviction. But other cases contain language that is worrisome.

Chief Investigator for Madison Co., IL Sheriff’s Office reveals details about March church shooting

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

Xenia, OH’s Glen Evans, of the Church Security Alliance, recently conducted a phone interview with Captain Brad Wells, Chief Investigator for Madison County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office. Wells responded to the tragic church security incident on March 8, 2009, when Pastor Fred Winters was shot and killed while preaching.

Among other things, Wells reveals that there was an armed, retired officer in the building who was unable to get to the shooter in time. Wells praised the unarmed church members who intervened as “heroes” (and who received knife wounds for their efforts), and says had they not intervened, the murderer “would have kept going.”

Listen to the interview to get an inside look at what happened that day, and how your church can begin to tackle the issue of church security.

Restraining Orders: A Phony Refuge from an Abuser

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

By Gerard Valentino

A recent story in Indiana should strike home in the self-defense community and should resonate with advocates for battered women in America.

In Brownsburg, just north of Indianapolis, the Associated Press is reporting that a woman was stabbed to death while her daughters, aged 8 and 12, hid in a closet.

Later, the 12 year old girl called the police and reported that “daddy stabbed mommy.” Such a horrific outcome in this case is indicative of the false hope of protective orders. In this case, the victim had just extended an existing order of protection that was designed to keep the murderer from having any contact with his wife and daughters.

As it turned out, the piece of paper had no effect in keeping a deranged man from killing his wife.

Pro-Gun Punditry: Wednesday’s Buckeye State Roundabout

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By Chris Chumita

There are more stories pertaining to our gun rights in Ohio then we can possibly draw attention to with individual daily commentary. But they are all worthy of mention, which brings us to our review of headlines from around the state though a pro-gun rights lens.

From a rape near a “no-guns” victim zone to an invitation to being guns to church, these articles should be a part of your required reading!

What follows is several days of headlines accompanied by short, concise pro-gun analysis.

Ohio Congressman Bob Latta imposes “nuclear” option to oppose knife ban

Posted on by Buckeye Firearms Association

Editor’s Note: Although this does not concern firearms, it will most definitely be of interest to many self defense-minded people who carry a firearm (and possibly also a knife).

By Jim Shepherd

…[A] pair of Congressmen have decided to apply the nuclear option – restrictive amendments to their budgets, to let the Department of Homeland Security know they don’t like the proposed Customs and Border Patrol measure designed to change the definition of a switchblade knife. The new CBP definition, if adopted, would basically cut the modern knife industry to the quick as approximately eighty percent of knives currently in production would fall into the definition of switchblade because of their assisted-opening feature.

Representatives Bob Latta (R-Ohio) and Walt Minnick (D-Idaho) have co-sponsored an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill to restrict funds to the proposed CBP rule on switchblades.

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