GRNC Alert 9-19-11: Now Havelock, NC wants to ban carry in parks

According to Havelock Mayor Jimmy Sanders, “I’m not going to get into the Constitutional rights, all I want to say is I would plead with this board to direct the city manager to work to get an ordinance that does not allow concealed weapons in recreational facilities. I cannot put it any farther or any plainer!”

At least the Mayor is honest enough to admit that he doesn’t care about the Constitutional rights of Havelock citizens.  Now, with similar honesty, we need to inform him that in addition to defense against violent crime, this type of governmental arrogance is exactly why the Second Amendment needs protection!

• The Mayor of Havelock, NC doesn’t care about the Second Amendment.
• He has directed the Havelock Board of Commissioners to pass a city ordinance to ban concealed carry in recreational areas.
• Parks, and other “gun-free” areas within our State are particularly attractive to violent criminals.
• We need to vigorously oppose this type of misguided promotion of “victim disarmament zones”.

Immediate action is needed to stamp-out municipal gun bans before they spread!

• Contact the Mayor and Board of Commissioners of Havelock, NC.
• Tell them to start respecting the Constitution and to stop promoting dangerous gun-free zones!

While we’re at it, before we get the bad news that similar anti-freedom plans are being hatched in our own backyards, let’s preemptively contact our Municipal and County representatives to discourage similar attacks on self-defense before they happen!

• Find the websites for your personal municipality and county.
• Contact EACH and EVERY representative via at least email and also by phone if possible:   Town/City/County,  Councilors/Aldermen/ Commissioners, etc.
• Let them know that disarming law-abiding concealed handgun permittees is dangerous and will lead to increases in violent crime.
• Let them know that you will be watching and will work with Grass Roots North Carolina to fight any attempt to disarm law-abiding people in any section of a park.

Contact

• Contact the Commissioners and Mayor of Havelock, NC.
• Email them at: dsmith@havelocknc.us; JSanders@HavelockNC.US; WLewis@HavelockNC.US; BPriesing@HavelockNC.us; GLiner@HavelockNC.us; JStuart@HavelockNC.US; DWalsh@HavelockNC.US;
• Find the website for your personal municipality and county and send a similar messages to each and every representative via email and/or phone.
• Deliver this (polite) message:

Dear Havelock City and Park Officials,

It has come to my attention that you intend to ban concealed carry permit holders from carrying a concealed handgun in certain areas of Havelock parks, such as athletic fields and playgrounds, in response to recent ratification of HB 650, “Castle Doctrine and Concealed Carry Permitted in Parks”.

The Sun Journal recently quoted Parks & Recreation Director Dave Smith as saying “I can’t think of a single reason why there would ever be a need for a handgun in a playground area where we have young children and families participating. I can’t think of any good reason for a handgun to be in any of our parks that we have…”

If you took the time to review the existing evidence*, you would know that in every jurisdiction where law-abiding citizens with CCH permits have been allowed to carry a concealed firearm, violent crime has gone down, not up. This includes states, municipalities, parks, restaurants, and even bars. CCH permit holders have been vetted by local law-enforcement and the FBI to be law-abiding, sane, sober, trained in the use of a firearm, and knowledgeable of the laws regarding self-defense. Everyone, including parents and children at a ball game, are safer when one is nearby. Someday your life or the life of someone you love may be saved by a CCH permit holder.

We live in a dangerous society. I’m sure you recall the deadly massacre at Virginia Tech in 2007. By banning guns from responsible (and permit-carrying) adults in your parks, you are creating an environment much like the Virginia Tech campus where guns were banned, yet a criminal came with a gun anyway. Is it not obvious to you that criminals are attracted to places they know they will not meet armed resistance?

You should be aware that unless you are placing armed guards to provide security at your parks, your proposed gun ban may open Havelock to expensive lawsuits in the event of an assault by a criminal in your parks.

Despite the legal possibility of posting against concealed carry in narrowly-defined areas of Havelock parks, I encourage you not do so; it is a bad idea as it leaves law-abiding individuals and families defenseless against ever-increasing violent crime.

North Carolinian Concealed Handgun Permittees have shown themselves to be extremely responsible and are not a problem that you should be concerned about. Places within Havelock where citizens are not permitted to effectively defend themselves IS a problem that you should begin working to solve.

I will be following progress and will alert Grass Roots North Carolina if you make it necessary to do so.

Sincerely,

A concerned NC voter

* suggested reading: “More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws”, Third Edition (Studies in Law and Economics) by John R. Lott Jr.