GRNC has learned from vigilant Pitt County supporters that an ordinance has been drafted that will prohibit firearms,
“...in the Pitt County Recreational Complex to the fullest extent permitted by State
law”.
The “Complex” at issue is actually an expansive collection of ten separate facilities located within
and around Greenville.
It may be the case that the County is proposing to prohibit to the “fullest extent permitted by State
law” to disguise the fact that virtually no prohibition is possible under State law.
This
misleading language appears designed to
intimidate law-abiding gun owners into voluntarily disarming.
Inappropriate suggestion of a complex-wide ban will confuse both
citizens and
law-enforcement officers. The apparent intentional drafting of an
ordinance designed to confuse is unacceptable behavior on the part of
officials
elected to serve, and not to manipulate the public.
Only narrow, specific bans are permissible
While State law does permit the County to prohibit
carry in buildings and very narrowly defined facilities during scheduled events, these must be “specifically identified by the unit
of local government” (see GS-14-415.23, and the revised
version that becomes effective October 1).
The proposed ban that generally applies to the entire ten-facility Complex
clearly violates this specificity requirement. The proposed ordinance will confuse, likely by design, both citizens and
law-enforcement officers by implying that carry is prohibited throughout the county's recreational areas.
The
purpose of the State Law is to provide
statewide uniformity so that law-abiding permittees are not subject to a
patchwork of confusing laws intended to discourage self-defense.
Apparently
Pitt County has decided that statewide uniformity doesn't apply to
their Recreational Complex. They are mistaken. We need to help
them realize their mistake before the ordinance is voted on.
Vote to be held
Monday morning...
Further
evidence for the nefarious nature of the proposed ordinance is the
secretive manner in which it has been
scheduled for a vote. The powers-that-be seem to already understand that
their ban will be unpopular with constituents, and have attempted to
schedule
it in a manner designed to avoid public scrutiny.
In apparent attempt to “fly under the radar” the ban has been scheduled for a morning meeting
vote this coming Monday, September 16 at 9:55 am. The meeting will be held in the Commissioners’ Auditorium, at the County Office Building,
located at 1717 West 5th Street, Greenville
NC.
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