News Summary

'Feel-good' laws need to be changed

Recently we saw two very public shootings.

The first, in an Omaha mall, ended as these often do these days — after taking a number of lives, the shooter took his own life. The police didn't arrive until six minutes after the first shot was fired.

The mall should have been safe. After all, there were "No Weapons" signs posted. Of course, only law-abiding citizens obey those signs.

The second shooting ended a bit differently. After taking two lives at one location, the shooter moved on to a second location. By all accounts, he was prepared to take many, many lives there. Once inside the church, things changed dramatically from the Omaha scenario. A legally armed citizen (a volunteer security guard) engaged the shooter and saved countless lives.

Sadly, in Ohio, we lean more toward Omaha in our treatment of this topic. Many malls post "No Weapons" signs. Should a CHL holder choose to enter armed anyway, he or she is now the criminal (albeit a misdemeanor). Further, carrying a firearm in a church in Ohio is illegal unless one has specific permission to do so, and it's a felony.

Won't it be a shame when more lives are lost because an armed citizen obeyed the law by disarming? We need to change these "feel-good" laws to something that works.

— Kim D. Campbell

Wilmington

Mr. Campbell is coordinator of Ohioans For Concealed Carry.

Voinovich needs to support bill

Congress needs to pass legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to oversee tobacco products. Every day, more than 1,000 young people become regular tobacco users.

I want Sen. George Voinovich to co-sponsor Senate Bill 625, currently pending in Congress. It's critical that this legislation become law. Each year, more than 425,000 Americans die from diseases caused by tobacco. Plus, billions of dollars are spent annually on health care costs.

The Institute of Medicine and hundreds of other organizations have recommended that the FDA be given authority to regulate tobacco. Isn't it time that Voinovich take a leadership role and make this happen?

— Patricia R. Hale

Beavercreek

Judge was right in Vick sentence

Re "Vick gets 23-month prison sentence," Dec. 11: We glorify violence in wars, in sports, in crime.

Former Atlanta Falcons football star Michael Vick's torture and killing of dogs is an example of a sick person. In fact, torturing animals as a child can be a clinical sign of severe pathology to come.

Vick has shown no real remorse. He made a business and money from killing in this warped activity.

The judge did the right thing in giving him a longer sentence. Now, hopefully, sports will relegate him to history.

— Deborah Hart

Washington Twp.

Has there been a local miracle?

I see yet another ad from Time Warner, promoting its hookup for the best in HD programming. The line "including all your favorite networks" means one of two things:

• Lin Broadcasting and Time Warner have finally come to terms on WDTN being included in HD on cable; or,

• NBC is not one of our favorite networks in the Miami Valley.

Just wondering if a Christmas miracle has occurred.

— Dale Robbins

Piqua