Ohio police chiefs don't have all the answers
Ohio police chiefs don't have all the answers
EDITOR:
On March 15, The Vindicator printed a letter from Gene Rowe, the president of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and chief of the Richmond Heights Police Department, who opposes legislation to allow Ohioians to carry concealed wea pons because he believes they indirectly contribute to school violence.
The chief's letter is noteworthy because Gov. Taft has vowed that he will not sign a bill permitting CC without first receiving approval from Ohio's police organizations.
Specifically, Chief Rowe has received reports of citizens of other states who, upon receiving CC permits, purchased concealable guns. According to the chief, these additional gun purchases are the problem: "The more guns we have, the greater the possibility of kids gaining access to them." He specifically cites "the school violence that occurred around the country recently."
Actually, if Ohio were to allow CC, the affect on the number of guns already in circulation nationwide (200 million) would be negligible. According to a 1994 study published by the Independence Institute of Golden, Colo., only 1 percent to 4 percent of the population actually acquires a permit in states that allow it. If the seven remaining non-CC states (Ohio and six others) suddenly adopted CC, and 4 percent of their populations acquired permits, and every permit recipient purchased a new gun, the nation's pool of firearms would increase approximately 0.6 percent. Ohio would account for about one-seventh of that 0.6 percent increase.
Further, the chief's more-guns-equals-greater-access-for-children theory is flawed because it ignores the fact that those who actually acquire CC permits have been proved to be quite responsible. For instance, Dade County, Fla., stopped its meticulous tracking of CC permit holders in 1992 because negative incidents involving permit holders proved so rare.
Chief Rowe reaffirms the individual's right to possess firearms, but with "reasonable restrictions."
Under Ohio's current law, 2923.12, citizens found to be carrying loaded, concealed guns are to be arrested and charged with a felony. Only after enduring arrest and criminal court proceedings can an "affirmative defense" be presented.
Gov. Taft most certainly should consider input from police administrators concerning concealed carry legislation. But, he has gone overboard by giving this one special-interest group the final word.
JIM ECKMAN
Boardman
Lordstown assembly is GM's most productive single-line plant
EDITOR:
Please allow me to take exception to a letter in the March 14 Vindicator that alleges that GM Lordstown Assembly, of which I am plant manager, fell far short of production goals in calendar years 1995 through 1998.
In addition, the writer claims this alleged production shortfall of 751,500 cars cost General Motors over $9-billion. He lists his information coming from the Associated Press and & quot;GM sources. & quot;
From the perspective of this & quot;GM source, & quot; the writers allegations are simply not true.
From 1995 through 1998, Lordstown built 1,321,265 vehicles, over 300,000 units more than the writer claims. Lordstown has been and continues to be the most productive single-line auto assembly plant in General Motors. Our team has met the corporation's production targets in each of the last five years.
The writer's other statement, that Lordstown was supposed to build 450,000 cars a year, was GM's long-term sales expectation. But the plant was not tooled or processed to meet that requirement. Instead, our production capacity has been adjusted to meet actual sales on an annual basis.
I urge The Vindicator to be more responsible in publishing false information that can be damaging to organizations and the people who rely on them for a living. I have personally agonized over the number of times the wrong information is made public and used to criticize our organization.
To the people of our Valley, I am proud to report to you that the dedicated team members of Lordstown Assembly built 362,425 cars in 2000, our second most productive year in recent history.
Yes, we have challenges, but we continue to strive to be the best we can be. The community's support of our organization is needed and appreciated as we together work hard to win a new product.
By the way, I do agree with that letter writer on one point. The new female manager he refers to, Maureen Midgley, will be an outstanding plant manager. In my opinion, Lordstown and the entire community are lucky to have her.
HERMAN A. MAASS
Lordstown
X Maass is plant manager of GM Lordstown Assembly.
U.S. can have cheap gas and healthy environment
EDITOR:
After reading the article in Sunday's Vindicator, "Should the U.S. permit drilling for oil in Alaska?", it was interesting to note that 87 percent of all women respondents would be opposed to drilling, while men were divided 50-50.
Some of those people interviewed say that animals and land are more important and would oppose drilling, while others polled say that people are more important. Still another person said "we don't need that much gas."
The fact is, my friend, we do need that much gas. We are totally dependent on fossil fuels -- which require drilling. And we depend too much on foreign oil. OPEC has announced it will cut produc tion by 4 percent by April 1.
If you are willing to pay high prices at the pump (which will probably jump to between $2 and $5 per gallon -- and raise all other energy costs as well), then you must be willing to drive two-seat electric cars with three wheels, or ride your bike to work, or pedal a scooter for transportation. You would also have to discard your riding lawn mower, weed wacker, and all of those other gas-guzzling household conveniences. If this makes you happy, then by all means stop the drilling.
However, I don't want to live without such luxuries. I enjoy my car. At the same time, I don't want to pay high gas and energy prices. I do not agree that drilling in Alaska will lead to a country-wide free-for-all drilling spree, leaving no place -- not even land under the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument -- free from the wrath of the drilling rig. I believe that we can drill for oil in Alaska and still leave plenty of unencumbered land for future generations to enjoy.
Don't get me wrong. I, too, like clean air and water, and I love animals of all kinds. But, am I wrong? Is it really possible that we're going too far?
CARL DiTULLIO
Canfield