Vitale introduces Stand Your Ground legislation

0

A line has been drawn in the political sand. Democrats want more gun control and even to confiscate our guns. Republicans have traditionally supported our right to bear arms. However, some Republicans like Governor John Kasich and Representative Michael Henne have crossed the line and introduced a new gun control bill, House Bill 585, the Kasich-Henne Gun Control Act.

As a fellow Republican, I believe these types of gun control bills are disingenuous. Let us be honest. Gun control bills are more about restricting, registering, confiscating and banning.

None of these gun control bills will actually make our lives safer, because they fail to recognize one simple truth. Criminals do not follow the law, and the vast majority of gun owners are law-abiding citizens who have not committed a felony. Why are we legislating against the majority of people? Is it not our duty to legislate for the common good? I believe that instead of punishing the majority of people, we should lay the blame where it belongs: at the feet of the shooters and those who do break the law.

Instead of taking rights away from law-abiding gun owners, I believe that we need to empower them. There are problems with Ohio’s gun laws. We do need to fix our freedoms. However, bigger government will not help protect our freedoms and it certainly will not help protect our right to bear arms.

For these reasons, I have introduced Stand Your Ground legislation with Representative Candice Keller as my joint sponsor. Our Stand Your Ground legislation will fix Ohio’s current gun laws and protect law-abiding citizens’ right to use their firearm to protect their loved ones or themselves. If you are like me, you simply want to get home safely at night, or you want to have a means to protect your family, if criminals should try to break into your home.

Our Stand Your Ground legislation is a simple bill. It is only 10 pages. Even so, it would fix major issues with Ohio’s gun laws. For example, did you know that in Ohio, if you are in a critical incident with a firearm, you are guilty until proven innocent? Our bill would fix this among many other problems.

As a lawful gun owner and a concealed carry instructor, I am tired of politicians making knee jerk reactions in crises, instead of thinking of the major ramifications of their legislation. I am not one for political charades. I came to Columbus to serve my district, and

that means only enacting meaningful legislation. In this case, I will defend the majority of gun owners who are law-abiding citizens and our constitutional right to bear arms.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/04/web1_VitaleNino_14.jpg
Vitale introduces Stand Your Ground legislation

By Rep. Nino Vitale

Contributing columnist

Nino Vitale is the State Representative for Champaign and parts of Shelby and Logan Counties. He can be reached at [email protected] or 614-466-1506.

No posts to display