Ohio is an interesting state, from a gun rights perspective. On one hand, we have a state that may be looking at becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary state. On the other, it seems the anti-gunners in the state are still quite active.

Not only do they hope to repeal the Stand Your Ground law that was literally just passed in the state, but they also want to expand gun control in the state.

Ohio Democrats continue to criticize the state’s new stand your ground law and unveiled a package of gun control legislation Monday that goes further than a proposal from Gov. Mike DeWine that has seen no movement in nearly two years.

Monday’s call comes 20 months since a mass shooting in Dayton and less than a week after another one in Indianapolis. It also comes nearly two weeks after a law that removes the duty to retreat from Ohioans to defend themselves with deadly force went into effect.

“Ohioans have spoken loudly and clearly that we need to do something to end gun violence. Democrats are listening to you, the people of Ohio who overwhelmingly support commonsense solutions to keep our kids and communities safe,” House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes, D-Akron, said Monday at a news conference. “In the 20 months since Dayton, shootings have gone up, not down. We need reform now to ensure the promise of safety and security for all Ohioans.”

The Democrats’ gun control plan includes a repeal of stand your ground, along with universal background checks on all gun purchases, extreme risk protection orders, safe and secure storage of firearms in homes with minors and allowing communities to decide their own gun control laws.

Well…that’s impressive in its stupidity.

First, Governor Mike DeWine has been pushing his own party to pass gun control, only for there to be no movement. If the state’s Republican governor can’t get the GOP-controlled legislature to pass watered-down gun control measures, what hope in hell is there of any of this passing?

None. Absolutely none.

Of course, that’s not why the bill was introduced, either. It’s not about it passing. It’s about political grandstanding. Democratic lawmakers know damn good and well the bill won’t survive a vote. That’s kind of the point.

This way, they can signal their virtue and tell the world they’re good Democrats without actually having to live in a world with the repercussions of their actions.

They know that the state isn’t about to repeal a brand new law, especially without any evidence that it’s causing problems. They know the majority won’t side with such a broad-ranging assortment of gun control.

If not, they’re too stupid to be able to form human speech. Since they can talk–oh, how they can talk–you have to assume they know better.

They just want to make a lot of hay over getting their butts kicked on the gun debate in their state.

Yet there’s a lesson here, one that Republican lawmakers need to remember. It’s about how it’s far better to play offense than defense. Push for gun rights even if you’re in the minority. At worst, you signal to the world that you’re not rolling over.