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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > December > 14
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Editorial: Do you need right to pack heat in bars?
“I want to be able to go as soon as possible into an Applebee’s, and O’Charley’s or somewhere with my weapon. I don’t want to leave it in the car like I do now.” — State Rep. Danny R. Bubp, R-West Union.
For ages, the National Rifle Association and others have opposed tiny forms of gun control — registration, waiting periods — as the proverbial foot-in-the-door:
If we allow this, what will be next, our hunting weapons?
So it’s not surprising that the gun lobby has taken its own victories as feet in the door.
The law allowing licensed Ohioans to carry concealed weapons is an example. What with efforts to strengthen it, the law has become a full-employment act for gun lobbyists and a never-ending cause for certain politicians.
Last summer, the Ohio Senate passed 23-10 a bill sponsored by Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, that would allow the concealed carriers to bring a gun into a place that serves liquor so long as they don’t drink.
It would also loosen up rules about how guns in cars must be concealed.
The bill was opposed by organizations of police, police chiefs and sheriffs. The legislative chairman of the Fraternal Order of Police said the bill would allow drivers to put their holsters on the dashboard.
Another Senate-passed bill would allow people with certain misdemeanor drug convictions to get concealed-carry licenses. Among the opponents to that one are more than 70 mayors.
The above-quoted Rep. Bubp — with co-sponsorship from Rep. Jarrod Martin, R-Beavercreek — has pushed to get the measures through the House during the lameduck session.
He got 50 Houses signatures — including seven Democrats — in support of an unusual legislative maneuver with that goal in mind. But then he ran into procedural problems. The long-term outlook for the bills is good.
Rep. Bubp was quoted last summer as saying, “If someone goes into a restaurant and gets hurt because they can’t defend themselves, I’m going to be the first to say we should have done this.”
He was not quoted as to what he would say if somebody goes into a restaurant with a gun and an innocent person gets hurt.
He and others argue that concealed-carry laws and provisions like those he wants have not resulted in major problems elsewhere.
And yet it’s hard to see what is broken that needs to be fixed.
Here we have changes that are not going to be loved by a lot of people who own or work in restaurants or bars. Along with the qualms of security people, that ought to give pause, at least.
Moreover, we’re talking about changes that are not exactly being demanded by the public.
The state says 200,000 concealed-carry licenses are in effect. That’s about one for every 40 adults in Ohio. And how many of them want to carry their guns into Applebee’s?
When Rep. Bubp expresses his desire to go into an Applebee’s packing heat, the best guess is that he has not captured a major part of the American dream.
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