Burglars, beware. You chosen occupation has now become decidedly more
dangerous in Ohio.

On September 9, 2008, Senate Bill 184 took effect in Ohio. This law
enacts what is known as Castle Doctrine, which means that a homeowner
can use deadly force against an intruder with a presumption that the
homeowner acted in self-defense. The law also protects the homeowner
from lawsuits filed by the criminal (or his survivors) for injuries (or
wrongful death) sustained on the premises where he had no right to be
in the first place. The law also extends to vehicles such that a person
in a car can use deadly force to defend against a carjacker.

Glory Hallelujah! Common sense and justice finally prevail. Thank
you, NRA, and Buckeye Firearms Association, which have worked for years
to change the law and give crime victims rights instead of violent
criminals.

Senate Bill 184 also corrects some flaws in Ohio's concealed carry law.
But not enough flaws, in my opinion. I find it repugnant to have to get
government permission, including being fingerprinted like a common
criminal, in order to exercise a constitutional right, and indeed a
natural right (to self defense using the best tool available).

The Second Amendment states that the right of the people to keep and
bear arms shall not be infringed. "Bear" means carry. Something is
either a right or a privilege. If you have to get government
permission to do something, then it is a privilege. But the Second
Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights, not the Bill of Privileges.

Only Vermont and, recently, Alaska, get concealed carry right: no
license needed. So why isn't Vermont, which has long allowed concealed
carry without any license, the murder capital of America, if the
anti-gun groups' assertion that concealed carry is harmful has any
validity? Why are cities with the highest crime rates (e.g.,
Washington, DC, New York, Chicago) the ones with the most gun control?

The reality is: more guns, less crime. Maybe someday Ohio will proudly
join the ranks of free states by emulating Vermont and Alaska.