GRNC Alert 3-30-11: GRNC Let's You Be Heard Again!

Grass Roots North Carolina, P.O. Box 10665, Raleigh, NC 27605, 919-664-8565, www.GRNC.org

GRNC Alert 3-30-11:
GRNC Let's You Be Heard Again!

AUTO EMAIL WORKING AGAIN

http://grnc.info/email.htm

As noted in our previous alert, the NC General Assembly in an attempt to silence you has attempted to block GRNC's auto-emailer which makes it more convenient for you to contact all members of the GA. Well, they may have thought that was the rest of the story, but their technical victory is short lived. GRNC's technical team has overcome this and allows you to roar once again. Email them once again using our auto-emailer to let them know they didn't win this round: http://grnc.info/email.htm

HB 111 - 3rd Reading


Sponsored by Reps. Mark Hilton, Jeff Barnhart, Fred Steen and Kelly Hastings, HB 111, "Handgun Permit Valid in Parks & Restaurants," would enable concealed handgun permit-holders to protect themselves in restaurants, and in both municipal and state parks.

Today, HB 111 passed 2nd Reading in the NC House, and will receive 3rd Reading tomorrow. The battle is far from over, however, because not only was a weakening amendment hung on the bill, more are planned tomorrow. Speaking eloquently in favor of the bill were Reps. Hilton, Barnhart, George Cleveland, Leo Daughtry, Glen Bradley, Jonathan Jordan, Bert Jones, Kelly Hastings, and Justin Burr.

Speaking against the bill (or in favor of weakening it) were Reps. Deborah Ross, David Guice (who said he supported the bill, but weakened it as below), Darren Jackson, Bill McGee, Bill Faison, Garland Pierce, and Earline Parmon.

THE GOOD NEWS

The Ross Amendment, which would have induced restaurant servers to ask patrons whether they were carrying firearms, was removed by an amendment made by Daughtry in a 72-46 vote, despite impassioned pleas by Ross to keep it.

THE BAD NEWS

Guice's amendment to allow municipalities to exempt any park which contains a playground, athletic field, swimming pool or other facility passed in a 70-48 vote, with a number of Republicans supporting the amendment. Speaking eloquently against it were pro-gun Reps. Cleveland, Jordan and Jones. GRNC will endeavor to remove this language as the bill moves to the Senate.

OTHER GOOD NEWS

A proposed amendment by Faison to exempt all state parks without camping facilities failed in a 44-74 vote.

MORE NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS: ACT NOW!

Although bills are not generally amended on 3rd Reading, several anti-gun amendments were mentioned for HB 111 in its 3rd Reading TOMORROW. You must act immediately to avoid having anti-gun Democrats and mediocre Republicans turn this bill into something worthless!

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED: NEW MESSAGE

* Use GRNC's adapted new auto-emailer to send this message to all members of the NC House: http://grnc.info/email.htm

* CALL YOUR OWN NC HOUSE REP: Do so even if you know he or she supports the bill, telling them to oppose any other weakening amendments proposed for the bill. Again, find out who represents you in the NC House by going to: http://www.grnc.org/contact_reps.htm

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Dear Representative:

With respect to HB 111: "Handgun Permit Valid in Parks & Restaurants": Today we heard North Carolina's 337,000 concealed handgun permit-holders - who've proven themselves sane, sober and law-abiding for 16 years - painted as dangerous hazards at Little League games. Beyond the legitimate point raise today that such has never happened, my question is this:

WHY DON'T OUR CHILDREN DESERVE PROTECTION IN PUBLIC PARKS?

Controlled, multi-variate studies have demonstrated that predators are drawn to what can only be described as "victim disarmament zones," yet the NC House continues to debate adding such zones, potentially even adding to those zones via amendments to Third Reading on the bill.

Children deserve protection too, and any further attempt to weaken HB 111 will be punished at the ballot box; of that, I can assure you.

I will continue to monitor your actions via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,

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You may find your NC STATE representative by going here:
http://www.grnc.org/contact_reps.htm

You may write your FEDERAL congressman by going here:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

You may write your FEDERAL senators by going here:
http://www.senate.gov/

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Support these PRO RKBA merchants who, as GRNC sponsors, are supporting your Second Amendment rights:

Hyatt Gun Shop, 3332 Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28208, 704-394-0387, www.hyattguns.com
C & E Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060; Phone 540-953-0016 or 888-715-0606; http://www.cegunshows.com/
Dixie Gun and Knife Shows, PO Box 21049, Raleigh, NC 27619, ph: 919-781-1287, www.dixiegunandknifeshow.com/
Ryan & Nina Leonard, Down South Ammo, Home of "SOUTHERN THUNDER" Exploding Targets, http://downsouthammo.com/
Duncan Gun & Pawn, 414 Second St., North Wilkesboro, NC 28659, 336-667-6303, www.duncangun.com
Shooter's Express, 2 Caldwell Dr., Belmont, NC 28012, 800-358-GUNS, www.shootersexpress.com
The Aisle Pawn Shop, 216 N. Main St., Mooresville, NC 28115, 704-663-5656
Gunner's Alley, LLC, 203 N. Harrison Ave., Ste. 130, Cary, NC 27513, www.gunnersalley.com, 919-388-1991, contact: Ed Guerriero, ed@gunnersalley.com
Patrick J. Phelan, Lake Norman Firearms, Inc., 20823 N. Main Street, Cornelius, NC 28031, www.lknfirearms.com, 704-892-7839
Vanguard Security Consulting, LLC, 19135 W. Catawba Ave, Cornelius, NC 28031
DoubleD Media, 8300 Raintree Lane, Charlotte, NC 28277, ph: 704-650-5555, fx: 704-544-0326, donna@doubledme.com

I thank you for your support of HB 111. I am asking that you work to remove the amendment to allow exemption for parks with ballfields and playgrounds. Sometimes I wonder if our Representatives live in the same state I do? There are news reports of sexual predators, drug dealings, and gang activity in these same parks that they wish to continue disarming us in. There are more people, kids and adults, in a crowded Walmart than most parks. I can still carry a firearm there safely. In reality, the people that we would need to protect ourselves from do not care one bit about their silly amendment. And the criminals are the problem here. My problem is that the police simply cannot be everywhere to protect me and my family. But me and my wife can. However, politicians that seem to simply be ignorant of crime and the ability of law abiding citizens to safely carry a firearm wish keep us unable to defend ourselves.

Blood will not run in the parks, streets, restaurants, or anywhere else simply because law abiding citizens are allowed to carry firearms to defend themselves. But too often, the blood running is from a victim of a crime that was not allowed to keep the means to defend themselves. Please work to strike this amendment and pass a law that has some teeth to it. Can you actually point me to a park that does not have these things? There are very few. This would be no win for park carry if this passes.

Thank you for your service to Burke county and the Great State of North Carolina.

Sincerely,



This just ticks me off to no end.

chiefjason said:

I thank you for your support of HB 111. I am asking that you work to remove the amendment to allow exemption for parks with ballfields and playgrounds. Sometimes I wonder if our Representatives live in the same state I do? There are news reports of sexual predators, drug dealings, and gang activity in these same parks that they wish to continue disarming us in. There are more people, kids and adults, in a crowded Walmart than most parks. I can still carry a firearm there safely. In reality, the people that we would need to protect ourselves from do not care one bit about their silly amendment. And the criminals are the problem here. My problem is that the police simply cannot be everywhere to protect me and my family. But me and my wife can. However, politicians that seem to simply be ignorant of crime and the ability of law abiding citizens to safely carry a firearm wish keep us unable to defend ourselves.

Blood will not run in the parks, streets, restaurants, or anywhere else simply because law abiding citizens are allowed to carry firearms to defend themselves. But too often, the blood running is from a victim of a crime that was not allowed to keep the means to defend themselves. Please work to strike this amendment and pass a law that has some teeth to it. Can you actually point me to a park that does not have these things? There are very few. This would be no win for park carry if this passes.

Thank you for your service to Burke county and the Great State of North Carolina.

Sincerely,



This just ticks me off to no end.

Click to expand...

You should have listened to the debate. Then you wold really be ticked off.

cricketdad said:

You should have listened to the debate. Then you wold really be ticked off.

Click to expand...

I'll listen to the debates when I can, but sometimes I know I just won't be able to stand it, and it'll have me livid for the better part of a week. I didn't watch the debate. It passed the second reading, and will likely pass today. Sometimes that's good enough.

cricketdad said:

You should have listened to the debate. Then you wold really be ticked off.

Click to expand...

Haha, BLOOD IN THE ISLES, ON THE SLIDE, ON HOME PLATE!!!! Yeah, somebody else told me the same thing. Humorous and sad all in one.

Any chance we can clean this mess up in the Senate?

chiefjason said:

Haha, BLOOD IN THE ISLES, ON THE SLIDE, ON HOME PLATE!!!! Yeah, somebody else told me the same thing. Humorous and sad all in one.

Any chance we can clean this mess up in the Senate?

Click to expand...

We think so.