Posted on 06/24/2011 9:09:02 PM PDT by OneLoyalAmerican
“Guns in Bars” sounds like the concept of a high-octane Hollywood film, kind of like “Snakes on a Plane.”
Unfortunately, it is instead a new law in the State of Ohio.
Issues involving firearms always stir up a great deal of passion in this country, and the degree to which the Second Amendment affords Americans the right to own any and all guns will probably always be debated.
But you’d think there are some gun-related issues on which we could all agree. For example, I would expect that few level-headed people would advocate having loaded weapons in establishments that are primarily for alcohol consumption. Guns and alcohol are now the most toxic mix on our cocktail menus. Even if those carrying guns in bars were not consuming, lethal weapons have no place in an area where a little bit of liquor can lead to a great deal of trouble.
Polls suggest there is a degree of consensus about this. A survey commissioned earlier this year by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, of which I am the Ohio chairperson, found that 80 percent of Ohio residents opposed allowing guns in establishments that sell alcohol. And that 80 percent included 77 percent of gun owners.
So how did this misguided and unpopular proposal become law?
The firearms industry has a stranglehold on Congress and state legislatures around the country. When the the gun lobby says “Jump,” these legislative bodies ask, “How high?”
The argument in favor of this proposal on this issue is similar to the one we hear on all firearms-related issues. The gun lobby contends that, despite all evidence to the contrary, guns make us safer.
The gun lobby argues it is irresponsible not to allow concealed, loaded weapons in bars because, under the current law, those gathered in taverns today are defenseless. By this logic, we should be required to carry a firearm everywhere to protect ourselves, just as we’re required to wear seatbelts in our automobiles.
Of course, that would be ridiculous—though only slightly more ridiculous than passing a law to allow guns in bars. The fact is this outlandish proposal would be a terrible addition to an already bad law.
I fought Ohio’s existing concealed carry law when it was first proposed, and I believe Ohio would be a safer state without it. Like all mayors of big cities, I’ve seen the heartbreaking effects of gun violence up close, and I know putting more guns in more people’s hands promotes more violence, not less.
Proponents of the concealed carry statute point out that Ohioans must go through firearms safety training in order to obtain a permit to carry a gun in the Buckeye State. That’s true, but Ohio also honors concealed carry permits from 20 other states, some of which have less stringent requirements.
Those states include Utah, where residents can get a concealed carry permit after only four or five hours of weapons training. And unlike in Ohio, Utah’s required training does not even include firing the gun.
This means an Ohio resident can go through the lax training requirements to obtain a Utah concealed carry permit, which can then be used to carry a concealed gun in Ohio. Better yet, you don’t even have to go to Utah to get the permit. Ohio residents can get their Utah permits right here at home.
Now, those poorly trained Utah permit holders will be carrying their guns—legally—into drinking establishments.
Now that the gun lobby folks have succeeded in getting this law approved, I can’t imagine where they could do further damage to our community, unless of course they proposed something as irresponsible as the elimination of the concealed carry permit process altogether.
And that is exactly what the gun lobby is now proposing in Ohio. A new bill would scrap the concealed carry permit process while authorizing guns in public buildings, on college campuses and in day care centers.
Day care centers? It sounds like a bad joke. But so did guns in bars. And we aren’t laughing.
Michael B. Coleman is the mayor of Columbus, Ohio
“I know putting more guns in more people’s hands promotes more violence, not less”
It couldn’t be clearer. This low-grade moron fails to distinguish between the probable consequences of:
1. Responsible people having guns to defend themselves; and
2. Bad outlaws stealing and carrying guns for the explicit purpose of committing violent crimes.
Is it a phobia? Everyone who would touch a gun is equally bad? Or just a cynical move to harm the US?
Ah, well, the false moral equivalence is the bread of life to leftard apologetics.
Hey, wuss: God made man, but Sam Colt made them equal.
Don’t refer to yourself with a 5 year-olds name and expect adults to take you seriously.
Did I do that to little Mikey? I'm such a stinker.
Cheers,
OLA
Cool.
Here in Michigan, those of us that have a CPL cannot have even a .02 BAC. Also, I have to have the permission of the tavern owner to even carry openly.
We have an “Open-Carry Law” where one can frequent a restaurant or Bar/Restaurant as long as we “Open-Carry”.
You can’t carry your firearm with a CCW in Idaho if you are intoxicated. Firearms aren’t permitted in bars, K-12, courts and juvenile detention facilities.
May it always be so! Having an entire industry supporting our constitutional rights, how awesome is that?!
If that was the case, then the industry should have them jump right back to pre-NFA days.
They'd really be able to sell ammo if everyone could just go buy a select fire rifle or subgun.
Already that way in North Dakota.
The nibble technique leading to total gun control.
This kind of thinking has not stopped gang shootings in Chicago, or any other large city, where guns are outlawed completely.
Inscrutably enough, this seems to be OK S.O.P. for kopz.
But the actual bill says that the carrying is OK for anybody who is SOBER — not drinking.
As has been said before, if liberals looked at the 2nd Amendment the same way they look at the 1st, then people would be required to carry weapons.
. . . I know putting more guns in more people’s hands promotes more violence, not less.
As Reagan said, it's not that liberals are stupid, it's just that they know so much that isn't so.
. . . an Ohio resident can go through the lax training requirements to obtain a Utah concealed carry permit, which can then be used to carry a concealed gun in Ohio. Better yet, you don’t even have to go to Utah to get the permit. Ohio residents can get their Utah permits right here at home.
??? How does that happen? States will issue concealed carry permits to non-residents? And all this time, I thought a person had to be a resident of a state to get a concealed permit from that state.
I can see it now -- go with friends to a bar, the server comes by, and when it comes to your turn to order, you can say, "I'll have the ginger ale -- I'm the designated shooter."
"I'll have the ginger ale -- I'm the designated shooter."
LOL! Excellent line.
How does that happen? States will issue concealed carry permits to non-residents?
Recipricol aggreements. Plus, seems if two states have an idential standard, why not? In my case, I was an Illinois resident, living in Ohio over 90 days when applying for my first CCW. My wife and I liked the CCW concept so much, we've made Ohio our home.
Funny thing, as a volunteer firefighter, when our members respond to a call, they turn over their firearms to the fire apparatus engineer before suiting up. I-love-it-here.
Cheers,
OLA
Lets say we’re both in a bar along with a lady and her date.The lady’s ex boyfriend comes to the bar with a bad case of “if I can’t have her no one else will!”He decides to take them out plus he might as well take out the other people since they were in on her cheating on him and deserve to be punished as well.Mr.Stalker pulls out his weapon and starts shooting at the couple.West Texas Chuck pulls out his weapon and takes out Mr.Stalker before everyone else gets hurt and Mr.Bonehead4freedom who has no gun in the bar is grateful since he would have just been another target of opportunity if West Texas Chuck wasn’t there to stop this nut case.
Nut cases with guns use free zones every time to maximize their stupidity I have yet to see one attack a police station.
“The firearms industry has a stranglehold on Congress and state legislatures around the country. When the the gun lobby says “Jump,” these legislative bodies ask, “How high?””
Bull-butter!!! The relationship is tenuous at best...
I will bet a dollar to a donut hole that Mayor Mikey B Coleman is part of Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Guns crowd...
I absolutely hate going to Columbus and most of the time that I do go, it’s to take my son to Childrens Hopsital. But I usually take the option of going to the “Close to Home” offices and hit Westerville for that.
Mikey will bite at anything...
HUH?
WHY?
Thanks for asking.
In rural firefighting situations, some firefighters respond to the scene in their personal vehicles, donning their PPE at the scene; others respond to the station bringing the fire apparatus to the fireground. All coordinated by two way radio communications as the available respond. FAE remains with a vehicle, and holds firefighter accountability tokens, alongside the firearm of choice.
We didn't require a law written by some genius in Columbus, nor a NFPA model SOP. Just a consensus of personal preference.
At this time we're not entirely sold upon a necessity for CCW within a fireground hot zone; meaning a burning structure and/or wildland fire interface. Yet, no is going to say: "are you CCW under your turnout gear."
Cheers,
OLA
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