Ohio Supreme Court Lifts Gun Bans

(Columbus, Ohio) Gun control advocates were dealt a severe setback this week when the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that cities cannot ban guns in public parks.

In a 4-3 decision, the court upheld an appeals court ruling that had struck down the city of Clyde's 2004 ban on guns in its parks because it conflicts with the state's multifaceted concealed-carry law. Clyde is southwest of Sandusky.

The ruling not only eliminates gun bans in Independence and Cleveland Heights parks but also threatens several Cleveland gun restrictions and all but kills further efforts by cities to trump or challenge the 4-year-old state law.

"The main impact is that it is going to restrict municipalities, city councils and so forth from restricting the rights of Ohio citizens who carry concealed weapons in public areas," said Patrick Lewis, a Cleveland attorney and member of the conservative Federalist Society, who was not involved in the case.

Despite the ruling, Second Amendment advocates and opponents remain sharply divided on the issue of firearms. However, the issue before the Supreme Court was argued on the basis of a constitutional provision which allows municipalities to establish "home rule" laws which conflict with state law. The majority ruled that the state concealed-carry law took precedence over the home rule provision since it was enacted by the legislature to apply to the whole state.

Know that the controversy is hardly over. Given the fanaticism of the anti-gun utopians, I'm certain that rights granted by the Second Amendment will forever be under attack.