Concealed-carry requests escalate in Colorado; Defense against church shootings cited as cause

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By Chad D. Baus

As a regular church attendee, the issue of church security and the more than 500% increase in church shootings over the past 8 years is near and dear to my heart. In recent weeks, I have written several articles on the subject of the need for security preparations in places of worship.

In “Ohio’s ban on defending lives in places of worship: How did it get this bad?” I noted that, thanks to Ohio law, CHL-holders are banned from attending worship services (or even entering the building) while armed, unless they have received special permission from church/synagogue/mosque officials.

In “New Life Church Pastor Brady Boyd speaks out on church security preparedness“, I recounted a discussion by New Life Church Pastor Brady Boyd over how churches need to recognize that they are targets of violence in this day and age, and about how (thankfully) his church had prepared in advance for such a day.

Last week we announced that a “Security for Faith-Based Organizations Seminar” is being offered at greater Cincinnati’s Creation Museum.

Clearly, concerns over security at places of worship have been increasing in the wake of massacre after massacre in “no-guns” (victim disarmament) zones across the country, and even more evidence has come to light this week to support this fact.

According to The Denver Post, applications for concealed-weapon permits have skyrocketed in Colorado, with state’s sheriffs pointing to heavily publicized mass shootings as motivation.

D.C. v. Heller Day: A Terrifying, Glorious 30 Minutes

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The Supreme Court has heard the case. Buckeye Firearms Association LIVE blog published during oral arguments located at end of the following commentary…along with links to the written transcript and to archived audio of the entire hearing…

By Ken Hanson, Esq.

The historic day is finally here. The United States Supreme Court will hear testimony today on what is being called “the Roe v. Wade of gun rights”.

This morning, Alan Gura will be arguing in front of the Supreme Court of the United States in defense of your Second Amendment rights in the case District of Columbia v. Heller. Regular readers of this website know the issues, and the importance of this case. This website will be updated, starting about noon Eastern time, with blog updates on the oral argument as it happens. (Streaming version, my personal trip to D.C. was nixed by a jury trial getting scheduled.) In the meantime, our readers might enjoy some “behind the scenes” insight into the process.

Why District of Columbia v. Heller should not have been necessary

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By Tim Inwood

On this day, March 18th, 2008, the eyes of those in this nation who are interested in issues of liberty will be carefully watching the United States Supreme Court wrestle with the meaning of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and how it applies to the District of Columbia. This is rather sad, in my view. If the American people were properly taught history and understood the Government created in the Constitutional Convention of 1787, known as the “Miracle in Philadelphia”, this would not be necessary at all. The city fathers of Washington D.C. never would have dared to pass this unconstitutional gun ordinance in 1976, nor would the citizens have accepted it. It is unfortunate that so many do not know from whence we came and what sacrifices were made to create our nation. At least one cable television service is doing something to rectify that.

Will Democrats have a pro-gun Vice Presidential candidate?

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By Brian S. Stewart

Senator Joe Lieberman was the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2000 – six years later they effectively kicked him out of the party as a heretic. In 2000, Al Gore ran one of the most anti-gun presidential campaigns in history en route to losing his home state of Tennessee, several swing states, and the presidency. Eight years later, one of the most vocal Second Amendment advocates in the Democratic Party, Senator Jim Webb (D-Virginia), is on the short list for Vice President.

My friend Chad Baus has exposed Clinton and Obama as truly unacceptable on the Second Amendment. While they have attempted to adjust to the new electoral reality (being anti-gun loses votes), their rhetoric doesn’t match their hostile actions against the rights of gun owners. If paired together after a brokered convention, the so-called Democrat “dream ticket” would be a nightmare for gun owners. All of this makes the possibility of Webb on the ticket an interesting scenario.

22 year-old Buckeye state college student helps U.S. troops improve aim

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By Ken Gordon
The Columbus Dispatch

The photo looks like one of those “Which one doesn’t belong?” deals. Seven U.S. Army Rangers stand in fatigues and combat boots. In their midst stands a smiling college kid in tennis shoes, jeans and a hoodie.

The only similarity is they all hold M-16 rifles. Sam Ohlinger, that smiling college kid, was teaching those professional soldiers how to better use them. Ohlinger is a senior on the Ohio State rifle team. Since 2005, the 22-year-old also has been moonlighting as a civilian marksmanship instructor for the Army.

Ohlinger was 19 when he was selected as an instructor, which made him the youngest of the 30 chosen at that time.

The photo comes from his latest gig, a weeklong trip in December to Fort Benning, Ga., to work with the 3rd Ranger Battalion. He previously worked with the 82nd Airborne Division.

Those are two of the nation’s most storied and decorated units. Who would’ve thought that they get shooting lessons from a fresh-faced civilian?

Cincinnati City Council sees need for guns; reverses Mayor’s decision to weaken security at City Hall

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By Chad D. Baus

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory has gone to great lengths over the years to prove his anti-gun, anti-self defense creds.

As a State Senator, Mark Mallory spoke out against persons who participated in open carry ‘Defense Walk’ demonstrations (they were protesting an Ohio Supreme Court ruling upholding what was then a 100 year-old ban on concealed carry) and voted against the restoration of the Constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense in the Buckeye State.

After being term-limited out of the Senate, and being elected Mayor of Cincinnati, Mallory was asked to be the honorary starter of a local 5k race. He embarrased himself by refusing to use a starter pistol, citing the “symbolism” involved. As mayor, he has also joined forces with New York Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts to bankrupt the same American firearms manufacturers who are supplying our troops, and protested legislation that makes gun laws uniform across the state.

Additionally, as the Cincinnati Enquirer noted this week, he proactively acted to endanger everyone who works in or visits Cincinnati City Hall by weakening security measures after taking office in late 2005.

According to the news story, the City Council has finally acted to reverse his irresponsible actions.

Buckeye Firearms Assoc. Legislative Chair Ken Hanson offers House testimony on ‘Castle Doctrine’

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Buckeye Firearms Association Legislative Chair Ken Hanson delivered testimony Thursday before the House Criminal Justice Committee in support of ‘Castle Doctrine’ legislation currently receiving consideration in both the House and Senate.

Following is the complete testimony delivered on behalf of Buckeye Firearms Association on HB264/SB184.

Mobility-impaired hunting opportunities improved with passage of Buckeye Firearms Assoc.-supported legislation

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Buckeye Firearms Association is pleased to announce passage of Senate Bill 209, which will, among other things, create mobility-impaired access lanes on various public hunting lands of the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

In late February, after accepting testimony from Buckeye Firearms Association’s Bob Harsanje and Larry S. Moore, the House Finance & Appropriations Committee voted to amend HB473 into Senate Bill 209, an omnibus fiscal bill that already includes some other natural resources provisions. The amendment, proposed by State Rep. Peter Ujvagi (D), was supported by SB209’s primary sponsor, Sen. John Carey (R) and by Dave Graham, Chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The bill also will allow mobility impaired, licensed individuals to hunt from such lanes with a special permit via electric-powered all-purpose vehicles or in a stationary road vehicle.

“Mobility impaired hunters deserve the same rights to enjoy their pastime as any other Ohioans,” Ujvagi notes. “This plan will help clear some of the obstacles in their way.”

Passage of this bill, which received unanimous support in both chambers of the Ohio legislature, was a long-time in coming.

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.

What follows is our review of headlines from around the state though a pro-gun rights lens.

From a school stabbing to a senior citizen fighting back, these articles should be a part of your required reading!

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

“Security for Faith-Based Organizations Seminar” at greater Cincinnati’s Creation Museum

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By Chad D. Baus

Can we take the lessons learned in blood and lives at Columbine and the World Trade Center and apply them so we’ll never take this [path] again, or do we have to wait until our kids die?” – Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

Concerns over security at places of worship are increasing in the wake of massacre after massacre in “no-guns” (victim disarmament) zones across the country. With an increasing demand for information about what is needed to adequately prepare for the threat has come increased opportunities for the type of training necessary to more adequately prepare.

One such opportunity is being offered by Buckeye Firearms Association this fall, when Lt. Col. Dave Grossman comes to Ohio to deliver his intense, one-day mind training workshop “The Bulletproof Mind: Tactical Mindset for Armed Citizens“. Buckeye Firearms Association is encouraging CHL-holders, members of law enforcement, church and school security leaders (mature teen or adult family members also welcome) from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to attend.

After having written several articles recently on the need for attention to the problem of defenseless places of worship in Ohio, and as a person who believes one can never have too much training, I was encouraged to have been contacted by Jeff Hawkins, Director of Security at the Creation Museum located just outside of Cincinnati.

Designed by a former Universal Studios exhibit director, the Creation Museum is a state-of-the-art, 65,000 square foot museum that brings the pages of the Bible to life by presenting a “walk through history.” After reading my article “New Life Church Pastor Brady Boyd speaks out on church security preparedness“, Mr Hawkins contacted me to let me know about a seminar he conducts on the museum campus, entitled “Security for Faith-Based Organizations.”

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