By Al Colombo
Journalist/Writer

According to John Nolan, Associated Press writer, Cincinnati police and Hamilton Sheriff's deputies were given the go ahead by a state appeals court on Friday, 28 July, to enforce Ohio's ban on concealed weapons as they always have. Judge Robert Ruehlman, Court of Common Pleas, gave the original order to halt the arrests until a hearing could be held on 11 August.

"We [simply] enforce the laws. If the law changes-we adapt to that," said Lt. Col. James Smith, assistant police chief, Cincinnati police department.

Smith's comments were in response to comments made by private investigator, Chuck Klein, one of four Cincinnati residents who has sued the city in an attempt to stop the enforcement of Ohio's concealed weapons law.

In response to Lt. Col. Smith's comments and the premise on which Ohio's concealed weapons law is based, I would like to offer the following thoughts:

• First, every country should have a document that defines what the rights of the people are. Ours says that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" (2nd amendment). Even some communist nations have a document that alledges certain guaranteed rights.
  
  

  Of course, the Bill of Rights in the United States only protects the God-given rights of honest, law-abiding citizens, not criminals. So, if a person should break the law, thus becoming a convicted felon, they forfeit the otherwise guaranteed right to own, hold, and transport a firearm.

• Second, despite the fact that no law has been broken, the mere possession of a legal firearm by you and I, honest, law-abiding citizens, can still result in our arrest.
  
  Walla!! A crime where before there was none!