cuchulainn
Member
from the Zanesville Times Recorder
http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/news/stories/20030327/localnews/2308.html
http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/news/stories/20030327/localnews/2308.html
Anti-gun group questions concealed carry research
By LEO SHANE III
Gannett News Service
COLUMBUS -- Gun control advocates on Wednesday criticized the credibility of a leading firearms researcher and said lawmakers have relied too much on his flawed work in their push for concealed weapons licenses in Ohio.
But the expert, author John Lott, maintains his research is valid, and supporters insist the concealed weapons concept has more justification than just those figures.
Lott, who wrote "More Guns, Less Crime" and "The Bias Against Guns," testified before state officials twice last year, advocating for concealed-carry legislation using his own findings that wider gun ownership leads to safer communities.
Members of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence joined Sen. Eric Fingerhut, D-Cleveland, at the Statehouse Wednesday to ask lawmakers to ignore Lott's work because of concerns about his evidence and honesty.
"There is probably no other issue in which the entire intellectual basis on one side depends so completely on the writings and research of one individual," Fingerhut said.
"I had the opportunity to debate him last year, and I can tell you from first-hand knowledge that when he is challenged he is unable to defend his position in either scientific or logical methods."
Toby Hoover, director of the coalition, took aim at Lott for his use of an Internet pseudonym to defend his research in on-line chat rooms and other postings, saying it creates "a serious credibility problem."
And Hoover said an often-quoted statistic from Lott - that 98 percent of gun carriers merely brandished their weapon to break off a possible attack - has no supporting data behind it.
"He said his computer crashed and he cannot produce any evidence of this survey," she said. "We want legislators to pay attention before they vote on this."
Lott, a resident at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, admits to using the online persona to confuse persistent critics, adding, "we all do silly things."
But he defended the validity of the 98 percent statistic, and said he redid that phone survey for his most recent book and found similar results: 95 percent use the weapon defensively without firing it.
The evidence supporting that finding, he said, is well-documented.
"But this debate shouldn't be just about me," he said. "I suppose it's flattering. But there have been lots of papers published on this issue. All have them have shown a range from small benefits to large benefits."
Fingerhut said many of his colleagues pushing the concealed weapons legislation have relied solely on Lott's work.
"Take away the claim of evidence that (Lott) makes, and any chance of public support on the issue collapses," he said.
Jeff Gravas, president of Ohioans for Concealed Carry, called the coalition's press conference a smear campaign designed to tear down "the person they see as the biggest threat to them."
Lott said his county-by-county research of states with concealed weapons permits has shown an average 1.5-percent decrease in murders and a 2-percent drop in rapes and robberies, thereby dismissing the notion that widespread gun carrying leads to more violence.
The Ohio concealed weapons bill, passed by the House earlier this month, would authorize county sheriffs to issue permits to any resident passes firearm training and submits to a background check.
Bill sponsor Rep. Jim Aslanides, R-Coshocton, said Lott's research has little bearing on the state's need for responsible and fair concealed weapons legislation.
"For (this version of the bill) I've never used John Lott to prove results, and I don't need it," he said. "The heart of concealed-carry is its success in other states."
Gravas echoed those sentiments.
"We don't argue the reason we should go forward is because of John Lott," he said. "We argue that in 43 states this hasn't caused problems, and it can be implemented safely."
Originally published Thursday, March 27, 2003
Copyright ©2003 Times Recorder.
