GRNC Alert 2-14-14: Lenoir Co Proposes Bans that Violate State Law

Plans open carry, park and recycling center bans…

The lengths repressive municipalities have gone in order to violate Second Amendment rights has been impressive to this point. Declaring lakes “swimming pools” and dog parks “playgrounds” demonstrates the level to which anti-freedom municipal leaders are willing to mislead in order to violate the rights of those they should be serving.

Lenoir County is now demonstrating that it competes with the worst anti-gun municipalities. It has drafted an ordinance proposing to treat its recycling centers as if they were “county buildings” and pronouncing the lawful carriage of firearms as a “detrimental act” subject to nuisance bans. Open carry will be prohibited on all county property via display bans.

Citizens with carry permits will be allowed to keep firearms in vehicles while at recycling centers. Apparently they expect citizens to pull-over before entering the dump, unholster and place handguns in a container – all of which only serves increase handling of loaded weapons and is inconsistent with a genuine desire to improve safety.

Lenoir’s goal is clearly only to make exercising the right to bear arms as inconvenient and difficult as they possibly can, which insults the goal of State law to provide uniformity.

They apparently don’t understand they cannot ban concealed carry in recycling centers. State law clearly prohibits bans outside of very narrowly-defined areas that include only buildings and parks. Claiming a right to regulate lawful carry as “detrimental act” clearly violates State preemption, and is nonsensical as carrying firearms is specifically permitted under State law.

Lenoir’s proposed ordinances were discovered by vigilant GRNC supporters and will be voted on during the Monday, February 17 commissioner’s meeting.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

• Email Commissioners. Tell them to obey state law.

• · CALL Commissioners. Tell them to respect the rights of citizens and to obey state law.

• · Plan to attend the Commissioners’ meeting this Monday, February 17, 4 pm in the Commissioners’ meeting room, Lenoir County Courthouse, 130 S. Queen St., Kinston, NC

• · Help GRNC continue to defend your rights by joining and/or donating HERE or go to: http://www.grnc.org/join-grnc/contribute

Contact Information

Call commissioners:

Linda Rouse Sutton: 252-559-0291

Roland Best: 252-527-3566

Jackie Brown: 252-527-3566

Craig Hill: 252-527-8598

Reuben J. Davis: 252-526-8979

J. Mac Daughety: 252-527-5900

Eric Rouse: 252-523-3558

Email Lenoir commissioners using the cut-and-paste list of addresses below:

lindarousesutton@gmail.com; rolandbest@embarqmail.com; jmbrown626@suddenlink.net; wchill@suddenlink.net; daviswholesaletires@gmail.com; mdaughety@gmail.com; eric@ericrouse.com; rgriffin@eastlink.net

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: “Don’t break law with bans”  

Lenoir County Commissioner:

Since 1995, hundreds of thousands of law-abiding North Carolinians have been carrying concealed handguns just about everywhere in our state. During this same period, violent crime rates have decreased by more than 40%.

Despite “Chicken Little” predictions of those against expanded carry laws, citizens with carry permits have proven themselves to be among the most law-abiding group in our state. They deserve your respect, not your attempts to violate their Second Amendment rights.

The state has wisely expanded where North Carolinians may carry firearms to defend themselves and their families. It has preempted municipal regulation except for within a few very narrowly defined areas that include buildings and areas of parks during organized events. Your proposed ordinance to ban carry in recycling centers will clearly violate State law.

Also, your attempt to regulate carry as a “detriment” under NCGS 153A-121 is not possible under State preemption, and makes no sense – the act of carrying firearms is specifically permitted and therefore cannot be considered detrimental.

I urge you to abandon your plans to violate state law and the fundamental rights of citizens to bear arms.

Sincerely,

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