“Dangerous combination,” The Akron Beacon Journal editorial headline reads. “A lame-duck maneuver to allow guns in bars,” the subhead clarifies.
Ohio Rep. Danny Bubp is trying to get enough signatures on discharge petitions to force two gun bills passed earlier in the Senate to the House floor for a vote. Oxymoronically, the "Authorized Journalists," who ordinarily present themselves as champions of democracy, along with House Democrats, don’t want a vote to happen:
In the House, Armond Budish, the Democratic speaker, wisely has taken a firm stand against the bills. The Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Buckeye Sheriffs' Association and other law enforcement organizations have raised strong objections to allowing concealed weapons in places that serve alcohol. Even when Gov. Ted Strickland promised last summer to sign the bills, House Democrats held ranks. They listened to the common-sense advice from police agencies: Guns and alcohol are a bad mix.
It’s a non-controversial enough bill—to anyone who isn’t an anti-defense zealot prone to hysterics, be they sincere or opportunistic. “Bars,” used as a pejorative, include family restaurants that serve beer and wine. And nothing in the bill “legalizes” drinking while dining armed.
While the gun-grabbers portray it as an open invitation for drunken cowboys to shoot up saloons (and these are the same hand-wringers who warned against Dodge City gunfights over fender-benders in their attempts to defeat concealed carry reforms), what this really will do is allow a law-compliant choice for those who peaceably carry when they patronize establishments that serve alcohol—like Luby’s Cafeteria, site of a madman’s rampage, where the “law-abiding” patrons like Susanna Hupp were disarmed by law, and powerless to stop a massacre.
Naturally, the cop organizations are against you having a choice in the matter. But guess who’s exempt?
This section does not apply to any of the following:
(a) An officer, agent, or employee of this or any other state or the United States, or to a law enforcement officer, who is authorized to carry firearms and is acting within the scope of the officer’s, agent’s, or employee’s duties.
The “Only Ones,” you see…
And we even see the argument presented in a Baltimore case, where officials are reluctant to change a policy requiring cops to be armed when off duty, and even if drinking, offering public safety as the reason to not tamper with the status quo:
Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III is considering changes, such as a restriction on drinking while armed. But he's reluctant to toss out a decades-old policy that he says helps protect the public.
Just in case you were wondering what inspired this latest round of introspection…
Also see:
- Are police the only ones who should be armed in establishments serving alcohol?
- Badged, drunk and armed is no way to go through life, son
- Who are the 'Only Ones' we can trust with guns?
UPDATE: I just received this news via email from NRA-ILA:
Yesterday, Representative Dan Bupp [sic] successfully filed discharge petitions to bring two important bills before the House for a vote before the end of session.
Ohio gun owners: You know what to do. Or you should.
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Comments
Newsflash to the anti-gunners:
Irresponsible people have been having gunfights over fender benders as long as ther have been automobiles, long before CCW laws were passed.
Irresponsible people have been getting drunk and shooting up "bars" as long as there have been bars and firearms.
Having a gun in their car does not make anyone irresponsible. Having a gun in their pocket in a bar does not make anyone irresponsible. Those of us who have gone to the trouble to jump through all of the hoops you have required of us to get a CCW have proven ourselves responsible by our collective record of behaviour since Florida passed its "shall issue" CCW law in 1987. We have proven we are not the problem you are continuously trying to fix.
And on the subject of fixing problems. You would make the rest of us a lot happier if you would confine your efforts to trying to fix real problems that really need fixing.
In short: Leave us the $#@^ alone!
DDS -- NRA Life Member
YEAH! what he said.
Funny, here in New Hampshire, where it's legal to carry in bars, I can't recall a shooting in a bar the whole time I've lived here. We have, however -- at least in Manchester -- had severe problems with COPS in bars (especially Strange brew; Google it).
No problem other than they are ignoring facts and truth - business as usual.
Honest, legal citizens with permits commit far less violent crime that do police officers. and are safer too.
Those states that have had one form or another of carry in places that serve adult beverages have for years and years have had NO significant, reportable problems.
Now I respect police officers in general, but I do not respect the negative agenda or lack of spine to stand up of some politicians - you both are supposed to serve us (pun intended)!
When the new law takes effect in Iowa next month, the weapons carry law will mirror the DUI laws for cars. If you get drunk while you are carrying, you can bet your sheriff will suspend your license. All the no carry where alcohol is served does is keep law abiding citizens from going to restaurants that serve. Most of the time when I go to a restaurant that serves, I don't even drink. It's just something else for the anti's to cry about.
Utah Code Section 76-10-528 provides that "[a]ny person who carries a dangerous weapon while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance as defined in Section 58-37-2 is guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Under the influence means the same level of influence or blood or breath alcohol concentration as provided in Subsections 41-6a-502(1)(a) through(c)." Subsections 41-6a-502(1)(a) through(c) provide that being under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance means that the person "(a) has sufficient alcohol in the person's body that a subsequent chemical test shows that the person has a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 grams or greater at the time of the test; (b) is under the influence of alcohol, any drug, or the combined influence of alcohol and any drug to a degree that renders the person incapable of safely operating a vehicle; or (c) has a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 grams or greater at the time of operation or actual physical control."
In other words, it isn't illegal in Utah for a person to possess a concealed or unconcealed firearm at a location where alcoholic beverages are served and consumed, and consumes such beverages, unless the person's BAC is 0.08 grams or greater at the time.
I don't know of a violation of state law at any restaurant or bar.
David I wish we could find a way to get paid for the hypocrisy of the police and anti-gunners; we could fund our own 2A organization and buy our own members of congress.
I second what DDS said “Leave us alone”
God I’m sick of gun control laws!
Notice the articles about how Chicago isn’t up to speed on the new gun registry for the city?
Let me give you a heads up their not going to be up to speed until Daley steps aside.
And thanks to “ALL” of the Illinois gun owners that stayed home last election it looks like were stuck with the FOID card and NO right to conceal carry for 4 more years.
IMHO you get a gold star for the last paragraph.
DDS -- NRA Life Member
There are no bars in Virginia. There are restaurants that look very much like clubs. Virginia now allows concealed carry in places that serve alcohol so long as the permit holder (who is carrying) does not drink. I find it very reasonable.
And...no problems since July 1, 2010.
We see essentially ZERO PROBLEM here in Texas where the technical definition of a "bar" makes an interesting laboratory: The "51%" rule.
If an establishment derives 51% or more of revenue from alcohol sales for on site consumption, then it is "a bar" by this definition.
Restaurant with alcohol? No problem, carry allowed. 51% BAR? Not allowed.
But notice that hotels and other multipurpose locations have what are clearly "bars" by the look, smell, taste test but because they are part of the hotel (etc) they NOT BARS under law.
Carry allowed.
Guess what? No problem.
One wonders how someone wishing to carry concealed finds out the revenue percentage breakdown of an establishment so as to be in compliance and avoiding possible jail time. Sounds like some people would neglect to carry to avoid problems with the law and others would say, " 'F' it, I'm taking my gun!" Any bets which group would include those none of us want to see armed and/or intoxicated in a bar or anywhere else?
DDS -- NRA Life Member
You answered your own question in the lead - it was an 'editorial' not a news story. Big difference.
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