GOA Praises Ohio Court For Pro-Second
Amendment Ruling
For Immediate Release
April 11 2002
Contact: Andrew Said
703-321-8585
(Thursday, April 11, 2002)--Today, Gun Owners
of America praised this week's Ohio appeals court decision which declared the
state ban on carrying concealed firearms to be unconstitutional.
"Guns save lives," said GOA Director
of Communications Erich Pratt. "The Ohio court decision not only respects
the right to keep and bear arms, it will allow good people to defend
themselves."
The Ohio Constitution closely tracks the
federal one and states that "the people have the right to bear arms for
their defense and security."
"The Ohio Constitution is absolutely
correct on this issue," Pratt said. "Citizens do have a right to bear
or carry arms. And doing so is crucial for their 'defense and security.'
"Dr. Gary Kleck of Florida State
University has shown that every day, almost 1,500 citizens defend themselves
with a firearm away from home. While many of these self-defense cases go
unreported, others still make the papers and can be read on websites such as www.keepandbeararms.com
and www.gunowners.org.
"Ohio legislators should follow the
court's lead and pass a law recognizing the right of citizens to carry firearms.
A comprehensive national study determined in 1996 that violent crime fell
after states made it legal to carry concealed firearms. The results of the study
showed that states which passed concealed carry laws reduced their rate of
murder by 8.5%, rape by 5%, aggravated assault by 7% and robbery by 3%.
"Concealed carry is an idea that
works," Pratt said.
Erich Pratt is the Director of
Communications for Gun Owners of America, a national gun lobby with over 300,000
members located at 8001 Forbes Place, Springfield, VA 22151.
Erich Pratt is available for press
interviews.
