This map shows all of the counties in the state of Ohio that have passed a resolution, ordinance, preservation act, or another form of declaration in support of the Second Amendment or are covered by similar legislation at the state level. Please be aware that this map only includes sanctuaries that were declared prior to March 1, 2021.
Early in 2020, commissioners in three counties (Cincinnati’s Clermont, Meigs and Scioto) declared them “Second Amendment Sanctuaries.” Why did these counties deem it necessary to make such a designation? Simply declaring the obvious wastes precious time and effort. The amendment speaks for itself, doesn't it?
In these troubled and divisive times, if the commissioners were being proactive in some mysterious way, why not make Scioto a First Amendment sanctum that guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and freedom to petition the government. Or, why not declare it to be a Sixth Amendment Sanctuary, a place that guarantees every citizen the right to a fair and speedy trial and legal representation.
They chose, like so many other counties in Ohio, to designate Scioto County a Second Amendment Sanctuary. Did you ever wonder why? Did they really want to assure the formation of a well-regulated militia?
Actually, designating a county (or anyplace else in Ohio) a Second Amendment Sanctuary is redundant. Since 2006, the legislature, with state Supreme Court connivance, has forbidden local governments from regulating guns. So, to the legislature, everywhere in Ohio is a Second Amendment Sanctuary – with one startling exception.
Perhaps, more’s the wonder that the General Assembly hasn’t declared the Statehouse a Second Amendment Sanctuary, too. An Ohio voter, no matter where she or he lives, may want to ask the local state representative or state senator about that.
In fact, the Ohio Administrative Code says “firearms or other weapons, concealed or otherwise, are prohibited within the capitol buildings without the express written permission” of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, which manages the Statehouse – and which is a “capitol building.”
Thomas Suddes, member of the cleveland.com editorial board, wrote …
“So far, no one has asked the Capitol Square board to bring a gun into the Statehouse. But why should anyone have to ask? Given the legislature’s pro-gun frenzies, if anyplace in Ohio should be a Second Amendment Sanctuary, it should be the Statehouse. But it’s not. And the reason for that isn’t the legislature’s forgetfulness. It’s the legislature’s hypocrisy.”
(Thomas Suddes. “The Ohio Statehouse is effectively a Second Amendment Sanctuary already.” https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2020/01/the-ohio-statehouse-is-effectively-a-second-amendment-sanctuary-already.html. January 19, 2020.)
Scioto Commissioners And Second Amendment Resolution
In January 2020, Scioto County Commissioners voted to adopt a resolution declaring the opposition of the county to any restrictions on the Second Amendment.
The resolution itself declared the opposition of Scioto County to any restrictions on the Second Amendment and stated the Board of Commissioners in Scioto County wish to resolve to protect the right to bear arms in Scioto County, Ohio, even if state and federal laws are passed restricting ownership or possession.
Commissioners reminded the public that their resolution would only serve as documented support for the Second Amendment by the county and would not alter or create any new laws. Their need to reinforce the obvious is puzzling, is it not?
“We are reaffirming our support for the Second Amendment,” said Commissioner Bryan Davis. “Some people have asked us, “Why waste the time?” Well, we do resolutions for retirees. Why do we take the time to do that? It’s important. We take time to honor law enforcement and firefighters and people like that. Why do we do that? Because it’s important. I believe our Second Amendment is important as well as all 27 amendments to our constitution are important.”
“Our founding fathers that created these used great wisdom in doing so, we’re not here to debate laws. We’re here to merely support the Second Amendment,” said Davis.
(Ivy Potter. “Scioto County becomes 2A sanctuary county.” Portsmouth Daily Times. January 16, 2020.)
“We” in Mr. Davis's statement must include “me,” as I am a lifelong resident who cares about truly “important” matters in my home county. “I” want to tell Davis and the other commissioners I am not here to “merely support” anything as a vague, blanket designation without the possibility for needed reform.
I have always thought this sanctuary commission was slyly slipped into official governmental business as both an unwarranted decree and as a doctrine of questionable integrity. I believe in sensible gun control and in measures to help stop the epidemic of gun violence. Jingoism – aggressive or bullying policy – and groundless fear have no place in this issue.
Symbolic?
The commissioners say these resolutions are largely symbolic, as county commissioners don't pass laws. Yet, in Ohio, they also see the state laws passed by a Republican-controlled legislature as strong, particularly the pre-emption law. That law means local municipalities can't further restrict gun ownership beyond state law. Commissioners may not pass laws as part of their job; however, they surely influence the state legislature to do so.
Even, Dean Rieck, the executive director of the state's largest gun-rights group, the Buckeye Firearms Association, told The Cincinnati Enquirer in 2020, he doesn't see a need for Second Amendment sanctuaries in Ohio, given the strong protections at the state level. Yet, the local public servants insist on pushing the highly political platform of resistence to reform.
Hamilton County Board of Commissioners President Denise Driehaus said: "I'm concerned about gun safety, school safety and responding to the fears and concerns of constituents, as opposed to doing something like that that's probably meaningless."
(Scott Wartman. “Who's against Second Amendment sanctuaries? An Ohio gun rights group.” The Cincinnati Enquirer. January 16, 2020.)
Scioto – a Second Amendment Sanctuary? Redundant resolution and meaningless words? Not so fast. The Republican commissioners knew exactly what they were doing. The move is political and the symbolism is real. The public was not canvassed to support the Second Amendment designation – so you can also safely say the GOP commissioners took it upon themselves to do this without authorized representation.
The designation's purpose is to stoke fear. And, once emotions are ignited, the public then slides down a slippery slope of believing they need to commit to the “sanctuary” idea because they are afraid the government is going to take their guns away. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gun safety laws do not infringe on Ohioan's constitutional rights. And – how ridiculous – law enforcement and local governments can't categorically refuse to enforce public safety laws based on a political or theoretical ideology.
Let's be clear – Second Amendment Sanctuary designation in Ohio is all about a dangerous push from the gun lobby to remain relevant.” And, it was in response to Governor DeWine’s proposals to include requiring background checks for nearly all gun sales in Ohio, allowing courts to restrict firearms access for people perceived as threats, increasing community support to identify mental health risks, expanding use of the state’s school safety tip line, and beefing up social media monitoring. Sensible and life-saving reforms? I believe so. In the frenzy of misinformation, now these proposals are history.
Political Pressure And Negative Effects
But recently (March 2022), due to his party's political pressures, the weasel DeWine signed a bill that will allow eligible adults to carry a concealed handgun without a license or training – questionable conveniences in a time of unprecedented gun violence.
For example Mayor Andrew Ginther of nearby Columbus, Ohio, declared gun violence a public health crisis in February 2022, after he said the city set a record number of homicides for the second year in a row. Ginther said the city had 180 homicides in 2020 and 204 homicides in 2021. Of the homicides that occurred last year, 91% involved the use of a firearm, he said.
"We are less than, as a community, because of gun violence," Andrew Ginther said at a press conference. "This issue is plaguing our city to a staggering degree."
"Unfortunately the state and federal levels of governments have not made it easy or in many cases have made it almost impossible to take the sort of action that this moment requires," he said.
"Laws passed in the state house and congress as well as legal decisions handed down by the courts have severely limited our ability to move the needle on gun violence. And just as destructive as these laws can be, inaction is equally infuriating," Ginther said.
The "Columbus Alliance Against Illegal Guns," a coalition of residents, community leaders, faith leaders and medical professionals to "demand common sense gun reform from the state house and congress” was formed last year "to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country," according to the Department of Justice.
Ginther also said he wants Columbus to join the U.S. Justice Department’s firearms trafficking strike forces. The coalition launched in July includes New York City, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.
"We are asking the president and the attorney general to expand that list and include the City of Columbus," Ginther said.
(Nadine El-bawab. “Columbus mayor declares gun violence a public health crisis amid rising homicides.” ABC News. February 16, 2022.)
Gun rights groups and GOP legislators argue that the new Ohio law, set to take effect in mid-June, removes costs and barriers for law-abiding people to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms and for self-defense, while critics argue that it will increase gun violence.
Once in effect, the new law will still allow Ohioans to apply for concealed carry permits, but undergoing training and background check to legally carry a concealed handgun will be optional.
"Nowhere in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution does it say you have to have training to defend yourself or to bear arms," Scioto County Republican and state Sen. Terry Johnson, who sponsored Senate Bill 215, said last fall.
When stopped by police, a person will no longer have to "promptly inform" the officer that they're carrying a concealed handgun, though they will have to disclose that they have a concealed handgun when an officer asks them.
The law also lowers the penalty for not telling a police officer about a concealed handgun from a first-degree misdemeanor to a second-degree misdemeanor and does not allow a police officer to arrest a person solely because they didn't promptly show their concealed carry license.
(Veronica Stracqualursi. “Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signs permitless concealed carry bill into law.” CNN. March 15, 2022.)
Mike Weinman, a retired Columbus, Ohio police officer who now lobbies for the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, worries about negative effects of the new law. The Ohio Fraternal Order of Police “strongly” opposes it.
The Columbus Dispatch reported the shooting accuracy of trained deputies and police officers drops to about 40 percent in high stress situations. And, that’s for an expert shooter. Now, we are going to have people carrying that have no training.
States with looser concealed-carry laws have higher rates of handgun homicide, according to a 2017 study.
(Michael Siegel, Ziming Xuan, Craig S. Ross, Sandro Galea, Bindu Kalesan, Eric Fleegler, and Kristin A. Goss. “Easiness of Legal Access to Concealed Firearm Permits and Homicide Rates in the United States.” American Journal of Public Health 107. 2017.)
Politics runs rampant. There's more in the Buckeye state.
In 2021, Ohio House Bill 62 was introduced aiming to “Designate Ohio a Second Amendment Sanctuary State,” resisting the imposition by federal law of any “tax, levy, fee, or stamp,” or any “registering or tracking” of firearms, firearm accessories, ammunition, or firearms owners “that might reasonably be expected to create a chilling effect on the purchase or ownership of [firearms] by law-abiding citizens.”
That statewide – yes, statewide – designation would also veto the enforcement locally of any restrictions on sales and transfers (which could affect the application of any expansion of background checks), and any laws allowing for the confiscation of weapons from ““law-abiding citizens” (such as “red flag” laws).
According to these gun rights extremists, common-sense gun safety laws infringe on their Second Amendment rights. But the truth is that the Second Amendment is not under threat — and coordinated efforts to purposefully mislead the public or refuse to enforce public safety laws are dangerous.
I guess anyone claiming counties designating sanctuaries is “just ceremonial” or “symbolically supportive” needs to look at Ohio House Bill 62 because it would circumvent any federal laws enacted to forbid gun ownership, tax guns and ammo, or track guns and owners.
My Last Words
It is both unfortunate and ironic that the places across the U.S. passing resolutions in opposition to common-sense gun safety laws are those that would benefit the most from such laws, particularly with respect to suicide prevention.
(“What Are So-Called “Second Amendment Sanctuaries?" https://www.bradyunited.org/act/second-amendment-sanctuaries.)
God knows we have tremendous mental health problems in Scioto County, which annually ranks as the worst in the state for health outcomes. Add the opioid epidemic to that mix and it becomes clear that more guns … especially more unrestricted guns … create more deaths.
Finally, following the massacre in Uvalde, Ohio GOP legislators want to put us only a few steps away from allowing adults to carry guns in schools with just two hours of hands-on firearm training.
Controversial House Bill 99 has its second hearing in the state Senate Tuesday. The bill already passed the House, despite the overwhelmingly negative testimonies from the public. Normally, bills with this much publicity will have more than two hearings, however – the committee schedule has it listed to be possibly voted on.
The bill would allow any adult in a school to carry a firearm with just two hours of hands-on training. Someone would only be required to complete 20 hours of training. Only two of those hours will the individual be holding or practicing with the gun.
Technically, there is also no explicit direction that an 18-year-old student can't carry a gun – but that is because concealed firearms permit can only be given to those 21 and older. In the very rare likelihood that there is a 21-year-old student in high school, however, it is possible they could bring a gun.
(Morgan Trau. “Ohio gets closer to allowing adults to carry guns in schools https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/politics/ohio-politics/ohio-gets-closer-to-allowing-adults-to-carry-guns-in-schools. May 30, 2022.)
An Ohio school district has come under fire after a group of First Graders discovered a gun that was left unlocked and unattended.
According to The Hill (Alexandra Sakellariou, August 17, 2019), the
scary incident happened in March and involved students from Highland
Elementary School in the South Bloomfield Township, though it is only
making the news now. The gun was meant to protect students in the case
of a school shooting, and although none of the children involved in the
situation were harmed, the results could’ve been disastrous if the gun
had accidentally gone off.
And, in a final irony for my fellow teachers, let's be clear: the lawmakers who are pushing for guns in schools are the ones who are cutting funding for the programs they actually need.
Gun sanctuaries? Please, see through this political posturing and oppose such designations. Fears of gun owners are being manipulated by those who seek to retain office. If these officials believe firearms must have a sanctuary – a consecrated place such as an altar in a church (By the way, the term was specifically chosen by the GOP for its historic and religious significance.) – then, I guess some would also make Ohio schools “Second Amendment Sanctuaries” too.
The county and state officials supporting sanctuaries know what they want you to believe. How hypocritical when they also want to deny their precious designation in the Ohio State Capitol Building. Do you wonder why they would do so? Could it be they value their own lives more than yours? Or, could it be that their “bad ass” stance reflects their own flawed logic to justify a legitimate need?
Please sign this petition to rescind the Scioto County designation of a “Second Amendment Sanctuary.” I will present it to the county commissions. It is a simple stop toward helping stop the gun violence epidemic. Thanks. Simply click here: https://www.change.org/p/abolish-the-designation-of-scioto-county-as-a-second-amendment-sanctuary?recruiter=9840246&recruited_by_id=ba364890-eb59-012f-991a-404040c4a56f&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&fbclid=IwAR32iT6Jc4pqKpg03B8G_nibyw3jBwCvaSDJ90JJUqMH0k0MpjCo69RkIFU
It's a little hard
keeping track of what's gone wrong
The covenant unravels, and the
news just rolls along
I could feel my memory letting go some two
or three disasters ago
It's hard to say which did more
ill
Citizens United or the Gulf oil spill
And I'm a long way
gone
Down this wild road I'm on
It's going to take me take me
where I'm bound
But it's the long way around
It's never been that
hard to buy a gun
Now they'll sell a Glock 19 to just about
anyone
The seeds of tragedy are there
In what we feel we have
the right to bear
To watch our children come to harm
There in
the safety of our arms
With all we disagree about
The passions
burn, the heart goes out
And we're a long way gone
Down
this wild road we're on
It's going to take us where we're
bound
It's just the long way around
– Jackson Browne, lyrics from “The Long Way Around”
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