Gun voters presented a petition to Republican leadership demanding they move ‘constitutional carry’ bills.
Despite passing two committees in the NC House last year, House Bill 189, “Freedom to Carry NC,” continues to languish in the House Rules Committee after being pulled from the calendar for its floor vote at the last minute, reportedly due to Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, who is reported to have said:
“We have passed a substantial bill dealing with some concerns about the Second Amendment. We have done away with the pistol purchase permit which was the number one goal of many of the gun rights groups for a long period of time. I just don’t know if there is a need for us to delve into additional issues dealing with guns.”
In an interview with Townhall Media’s “Cam & Co.,” Grass Roots North Carolina President Paul Valone recently responded:
“I guess it’s not a Bill of Rights anymore but a Bill of Needs, and the person who’s going to decide whether we ‘need’ Constitutional Carry or not is Phil Berger, self-appointed arbiter of needs.”
Republicans expect gun voter help in November: Will they get it?
Twenty-nine states have now passed constitutional carry, meaning that NC Republicans have fallen far behind their GOP brethren in other states. GOP candidates will undoubtedly seek support from Second Amendment voters in November. That is not necessarily assured, however, if Republicans forget, as the saying goes, “who ‘brung ‘em to the dance.”
GRNC volunteers present petition to Berger:
At a time which will be revealed to any member of the media who responds to this press release, GRNC volunteers will deliver many thousands of petitions, by hand truck, to Sen. Berger’s office.
Open letter sent to Sen. Berger
Dear Senator Berger:
Please accept my thanks for the work done by you and Senate Republicans in passing Senate Bill 41, “Guarantee 2nd Amend Freedom and Protections.” I confess, however, that I was taken aback when I heard you say the following: “We have passed a substantial bill dealing with some concerns about the Second Amendment. We have done away with the pistol purchase permit which was the number one goal of many of the gun rights groups for a long period of time. I just don’t know if there is a need for us to delve into additional issues dealing with guns.” [Emphasis added]
Your perception of “need” aside, I’m sure you agree that restoration of constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms should not be rationed. Over the decades, Americans’ rights – including the right to carry firearms for self-protection – have been steadily eroded. It was certainly not the Framers’ intention that a governmental permission slip be required to carry firearms, concealed or otherwise. House Bill 189, “Freedom to Carry NC,” is intended to restore the Framers’ ideals.
As I told Cam Edwards on Townhall Media’s highly popular “Cam & Co.”: “I guess it’s not a Bill of Rights anymore but a Bill of Needs, and the person who’s going to decide whether we ‘need’ Constitutional Carry or not is Phil Berger, self-appointed arbiter of needs.”
In passing constitutional carry, twenty-nine states have now done what North Carolina should have done long ago. That means North Carolina Republicans are now trailing the GOP in other states which have made significant inroads in restoring constitutional freedoms too long curtailed.
Although Republicans undoubtedly want support from gun voters in November, the reality is that North Carolina now falls within a distinct minority of “red” states which have failed to restore constitutionally guaranteed freedoms to their citizens, which may suppress critical voter turnout.
As you will see in the coming days, thousands of North Carolinians have already signed GRNC’s petition for passage of HB 189. I strongly urge you to use the opportunity, created by a supermajority that gun voters helped you secure, to join the twenty-nine other states that have now adopted some form of permitless or “constitutional” concealed carry by giving an immediate vote to HB 189.
Grass Roots North Carolina
Founded in 1994, Grass Roots North Carolina is an all-volunteer 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to preserving individual liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights with emphasis on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
Western North Carolina is home to me. I think there is a very good chance we will see our rights restored this year. GRNC is a superb organization and deserve the fullest support.
I like the wording of the petition! If “Republican” legislators vote and otherwise act like Democrats, IMO there is no reason to support or vote for them over the Democrats. They are the same thing.
GRNC, best of luck to you! How awesome it would be if you become number 30, this year!
If voters have any sensibility as to how badly the Dems have wrecked things everywhere in the past few years we’ll get a huge red wave to overwhelm the nation this November. Unless the cheating gets too rampant, that is.
It was a real pleasure listening to Cam & Company again. I used to never miss a day, going back to the early days of NRATV. With all the court action recently the yourtube lawyers seem to take up all available listening time.
Petitions. LOL!
ln the oId days, Representatives wouId come home more often and couId be in the presence of their voters. They wouId hear how their voters feIt about issues and wouId feeI more pressure to vote the correct way. Now, they just compIeteIy ignore us. And get away with it.
If you understand one central truth about the Republican Party you begin to see the issue clearly. The Republican Party is a Progressive party populated by a majority of progressives. It is NOT a Constitutional Party nor do partisan Republicans focus on defending the Constitution and our natural rights as job number one. This is why you need a leader like Mark Robinson as governor. He and his supporters can change the NC Republican Party in to a Constitutional party and get rid of the transactional progressives like the current President Pro Ten of the Senate. The time for transactional… Read more »
Seems to me Mr. Berger wants this issue lingering for later electoral support and more importantly fundraising. He is more a used car salesman than a champion of human rights (with apologies to honest used car salesman and women everywhere).