http://www.cincypost.com/2001/aug/09/brink080901.html

Brinkman: Let Ohioans pack guns
By Randy Ludlow, Post Ohio Bureau

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Tom Brinkman views Cincinnatians as being
imprisoned in their homes by fear of the violence in the streets.
His answer to liberating them from their homes and fears in the wake
of more than 90 shootings since last April's riot: Give Ohioans the
explicit legal right to carry hidden handguns for self defense.
''The law-abiding citizens of Cincinnati are locked up in their
homes, afraid to go out,'' the conservative Republican from Mount
Lookout told the Columbus Metropolitan Club.
''If we allow law-abiding citizens to carry guns, they will have the
opportunity to enjoy the freedom of society instead of being locked
up in their homes,'' he said.
Brinkman spoke in support of his bill to allow most adults to carry
concealed weapons - without a state permit and without training and
criminal background checks - during a debate Wednesday.
The freshman lawmaker said his constituents ''want their rights
back'' - the ability to carry a gun without prosecution under the
current law that requires those caught with guns to prove their need
to carry weapons.
Forty-four other states, including Kentucky and Indiana, permit
residents to carry guns without experiencing the ''horror stories''
of a flurry of road-rage shootings and accidents, he said.
Brinkman and gun-rights groups dislike a more-moderate bill to allow
Ohioans to obtain gun permits after submitting fingerprints and a
photograph, passing a background check and completing gun safety and
training courses.
While the House could vote this fall, a concealed-carry bill faces
uncertainity due to Gov. Bob Taft's vow of a veto unless it wins the
support of law enforcement groups that oppose the measure.
Brinkman believes most officers support an armed citizenry. ''I've
had beat officers on the street tell me, 'We're just there to clean
up the mess,' he said. ''They encourage citizens time and time again
to get armed.''
However, opponents of a concealed-carry law, such as Sen. Eric
Fingerhut, D-Cleveland, and Toby Hoover, director of the Ohio
Coalition Against Gun Violence, contend easier access to guns is a
recipe for disaster.
''A person who has a gun sees danger. We will have more shootings,
more accidents,'' Ms. Hoover said.
''Guns will be at the work place, they will be here. They will be at
Little League games, at McDonald's. They will be where children and
others can access them more easily,'' she said.
Fingerhut said more guns would fall into the hands of criminals
since they would be easier to steal from coats, purses, backpacks
and vehicles.
''The presence of a gun is actually likely to escalate violence,''
he said.

Publication date: 08-09-01

Copyright 2001 The Cincinnati Post, an E.W. Scripps newspaper.

Isn't it interesting that the opponents of concealed-carry continuously insist on these "facts" although 31 states have proven conclusively that what they insist is "common sense" is nothing of the kind?  And the media [b]never[/b] calls them on it?[pissed]

Brinkman's the man! [;)]

Unfortunately, Fingerhut embodies the typical socialist mentality of big-city politicians.  

"If we let them play with guns, they'll just hurt themselves."  

"The police unions are against people 'running around' with guns."

Like Indiana and Pennsylvania, Ohio is a conservative state.  But like IL, CA, and NJ, urban enclaves of paranoid socialism keep real CCW reform from happening.

Our Republican gov., Bob Taft, has made it clear that he will veto any CCW bill that does not have the support of law enforcement organizations.  Since when does the constitution give the police the right to veto legislation?  Isn't that the definition of a police state?  No one has accussed Taft of being the sharpest tool in the shed.  The constitutional niceities of a democracy also seem to have escaped him.  Really, has anyone ever heard of cops given the express ability to veto legislation?

Actually, one law enforcement group (county sheriffs) have come out in favor of one of the pending CCW bills.  He probally needs one more (out of four) to get the political cover he needs--the yellow bastard.

I would vote to make Chicago a seperate state.  Illinois is not a liberal state, Chicago is a liberal city in a conservative state.  Indiana is lucky that Indianapolis is not more populated than it is, or else we will completely lose the midwest to liberals.  
Lived in both states, [%|]