Public interest in gun rights continues to rise

June 5, 6:48 AMCleveland Gun Rights ExaminerDaniel White

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As I first wrote about almost a month ago (High rate of Concealed Handgun License issuance in Ohio continues) and again last week (CHL issuance continues strong trend with 139% increase), the increase in sales of firearms being reported from all over the country is being accompanied by a similar increase in the number of people carrying those firearms for self defense. An amusing factoid I noted in that first article is that the number of Ohio CHL holders outnumbers Canada's military by 2 to 1!

A very detailed article on Ohio.com looks at the issue to try to determine the causes. Dan Clevenger, a former Fairlawn Police officer and current concealed carry instructor put forth that:

[People] are afraid they are going to have their guns taken away or there will be a change in laws that make it more difficult to get guns and ammunition, and a change in Ohio about the concealed carry weapon laws.

While fears of Ohio's CHL program being eliminated are probably unfounded, there are certainly concerns that the poor economy could lead to an increase in crime, not only due to hardship but also due to the fact that budget cuts are forcing some state and local agencies to cut back on the number of police officers employed. More than ever, people are on their own out there.

Jeff Garvas, president of Ohioans For Concealed Carry, spoke to that effect.

There are going to be many people who think that an increase in criminal activity is inevitable because of the downturn in the economy. You're going to have more people who are desperate to survive, and they going to go to extreme measures to make money.

This has lead to the increase in purchases of firearms, the increase in gun training, the fast pace of CHLs being issued, and the current ammunition shortage as people stock up.

Anti-gun organizations are being hurt by the renewed interest in gun rights and feel that fears of a slippery slope leading to new gun bans are hurting their chances for the kinds of gun control legislation they'd like to see passed.

"The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that it was an individual's right to own a gun," said Toby Hoover, executive director of Ohio Coalition against Gun Violence. "They also said there can be regulation where needed. There's been no indication that anybody is anywhere near even considering taking away people's guns."

Of course, there has been such indications as several high ranking members of the Obama administration have talked about desires to ban "assault weapons" and handguns, only to be told to back down by an administration that seems to be biding its time.

But for the present, it seems that time is far off as the resurgence in interest in Second Amendment rights and firearms ownership looks to be primed to continue for a significant length of time. The failed social experiment of gun control is losing steam. And that's good for all of us.