Should you need governmental permission to exercise a basic civil right?
Last week, legislative team volunteers led by Grass Roots North Carolina President Paul Valone delivered a hand truck full of petitions calling for constitutional carry to Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, arguably the most powerful politician in the state, and then held a press conference on his doorstep. That is called “speaking truth to power.”
The effort kicked off Grass Roots North Carolina’s renewed campaign to pass House Bill 189, “Freedom to Carry NC,” sponsored by Rep. Keith Kidwell (R- Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, GRNC ****). The bill stalled last year when Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger told reporters that, having repealed the pistol purchase permit law, legislators had no “need” to address another gun bill. GRNC President Paul Valone has countered that ours is a Bill of Rights, not “needs,” and that Sen. Berger is not a self-appointed arbiter of “needs.”
When Berger conceded later to reporters that “Constitutional carry is something that is worth talking about. We’ll talk with our members and see whether there is an appetite to move forward with it,” Valone responded: “We’re the ‘members’ who gave you a supermajority, Sen. Berger, so let’s talk.”
Grass Roots North Carolina in action: For a video of GRNC’s Legislative Action Team holding a constitutional carry press conference on Berger’s doorstep, above.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
It’s time to make your voice heard loud and clear in the halls of the legislature by sending a message to Republican leaders in Raleigh. We would like you to call during a two-hour period from 9:00 AM EDT to 11:00 AM EDT this coming Tuesday, May 7.
Why Tuesday? Because NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and NC House Speaker Tim Moore are more likely to be in their offices. Legislative assistants will prevent you from speaking with them, of course, but they will witness the huge number of resulting calls, all calling for constitutional carry. Set a reminder in your phone.
CALL SEN. PHIL BERGER: Between 9 AM and 11 AM on Tuesday, May 7, call Sen. Berger at 919-733-5708. (See below, under ‘Deliver This Message’ for the message to convey).
CALL SPEAKER TIM MOORE: Also between 9 AM and 11 AM on Tuesday, May 7, call Speaker Tim Moore at 919-733-3451. (See below, under ‘Deliver This Message’ for the message to convey).
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
What to tell Republican leaders:
- Thank them for repealing our Jim Crow purchase permit law, but tell them the job won’t be done until the Republican supermajority passes constitutional carry, including over-riding Gov. Roy Cooper’s inevitable veto.
- NC Republicans have fallen behind Republicans in the 29 other states that have already passed constitutional carry.
- Research by John R. Lott of the Crime Prevention Research Center found no increase in violent crime in constitutional carry states, and even a slight drop in murder.
- Gun voters helped create the supermajority Republicans have used to pass several laws, over-riding Cooper’s vetoes. It is time they acknowledged that by passing House Bill 189, “Freedom to Carry NC” NOW!
- Excuses like legislative rules and placing blame on one chamber or the other are just that: Excuses.
About Paul Valone
Author F. Paul Valone has been kicking leftist tail for twenty-eight years. Alarmed by the U.S. House passage of the “assault weapon” ban in 1994, he decided to take action. Finding no suitable organization, he organized a rally leading to the creation of a 501(c)(4) organization, Grass Roots North Carolina (GRNC), which remains North Carolina’s primary and most successful gun rights group to this day.
