The gun lobby’s drive to extend the range of citizens with gun permits to the most vulnerable circles of society — from college campuses to busy restaurants — is now advancing on day care centers. That’s right: Legislation approved two weeks ago by the Republican-controlled Ohio House would allow state residents with concealed-carry permits to pack their loaded, hidden guns into day care centers when they drop off the kids.

Is this really necessary? The bill’s sponsor claimed the legislation would end “undue hardships” for license holders under current law that requires them to leave guns in the car while dropping off children. Under the proposed law, citizens would be able to tote their weapons into what gun lobby propaganda describes as “victim zones” — places presumably in need of vigilantism.

The measure was denounced as a dangerous effort to promote gun sales by the Ohio chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. It feeds the fantasies of people who think they have the power to stop criminals — even though, in practice, concealed-carry weapons inflict more harm on gun owners and other innocent victims than on actual criminals.

Image An X-ray image of a handbag containing a pistol. Credit... Getty Images

The Ohio bill also extends concealed-carry privileges into the public areas of airports and police stations, other places high on the gun lobby agenda. Strong objections were offered by the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police.