John Nix: Lenoir County already is a Second Amendment rights protected county

Over the past two months over 50 North Carolina Counties have passed Resolutions through their County Commissions declaring their resolve to protect their residents’ Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution right to bear arms. This movement really sprung up after Virginia Governor, Ralph Northam and the Virginia House and Senate threatened to pass legislation to impose strict gun restrictions never seen before. There was such a backlash in Virginia that Sheriffs threatened to deputize residents recognizing the unconstitutionality of this tyrannical move.

Some of the western counties were first to pass Resolutions brought mostly by local Republican Party members. One of the first was Surry County where the Resolution was authored and introduced by Mark Jones, Chairman of the Surry County Republican Party. The North Carolina Federation of Republican Men, in conjunction with Mr. Jones, took the initiative to spread this successful and well written document to Republican Party leaders across the state. Many Counties used the Surry County Resolution verbatim and some made minor changes. There are currently more Counties in the process of passing their own Resolutions. 

Some say a Resolution has no value. I would heartily disagree. In this case the constituents are getting confirmation that their elected leaders have the same values they put stock in the U.S. Constitution and protecting the rights of citizens. Resolutions have immense value!

Many of you have asked, “What about Lenoir County?”. On Monday, February 18, 2013 the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners considered not one, but two, Resolutions. 1) ”Preserve and Defend the United States Constitution and the North Carolina Constitution” and 2) “Resolution to Protect the Privacy and Security of Law Abiding Gun Owners in North Carolina”.

These initiatives were brought by then Chairman of the Lenoir County Republican Party and now Congressional candidate, Michele Nix. The two resolutions were introduced by Commissioner Eric Rouse and both passed unanimously.

“Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty” – Wendell Phillips, abolitionist. The Second Amendment protects the First Amendment and all other rights given by God almighty. The Second Amendment is our right to self-preservation, to protect ourselves and our families from outside forces. The founding fathers built this safeguard into the Bill of Rights to protect us from a rogue government, akin to the Virginia debacle. 

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” - 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution.

We should be forever vigilant! Below are the 2013 Resolutions passed by the Lenoir County Commissioners:

A Resolution to Preserve and Defend the United

States Constitution and North Carolina Constitution

Whereas, county commissioners taking office solemnly swear that we will support the Constitution of the United States and

Whereas, county commissioners taking office also solemnly swear they will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of North Carolina and to the Constitutional Powers and Authorities which are or may be established for the government thereof; and also promise to endeavor to support, maintain and defend the Constitution of the said State, not inconsistent with the Constitution Of the United States, to the best of our knowledge and ability, 

Whereas, The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed;” and

Whereas, Article I, Sec. 30 in the NC Constitution states “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed;” and

Whereas, our rights are given by Our Creator and listed in the Constitution of the United States as a limit to government; and 

Whereas, a “Militia” when properly formed, is in fact the people themselves ... and includes ... all citizens capable of bearing arms; and

Whereas, “…well regulated” means, that the militia, i.e. the people must be well equipped; and

Whereas, it being “…necessary to the security of a free State” means that the right of the people to bear arms was, and remains, the ultimate barrier to government tyranny; and

Whereas, the lawless are unaffected by prohibitions imposed upon law abiding citizens’ natural rights; and

Therefore, the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners resolve as representatives of the people to defend the2nd Amendment and Article I, Sec. 30 of the North Carolina Constitution.

Resolution to Protect the Privacy and Security of Law

Abiding Gun Owners in North Carolina

Whereas, the people of this state have an inherent right to privacy; and

Whereas, the vast majority of gun owners are law-abiding citizens; and

Whereas, owning a firearm for the defense of one’s person, home, family and liberty is not the exercise of government privilege, but of God given right; and

Whereas, the public disclosure of gun owner’s personal information has resulted in slander as well as victimization by criminals; and

Whereas, the public disclosure of gun owner’s information also exposes an unarmed citizen to risk of victimization by being identified by as such; and

Whereas, law enforcement, detention staff and correction officers have become targets of threat and intimidation following the release of their personal information as gun owners and;

Whereas, 40 states and the District of Columbia have taken steps to make information concerning gun owners private, and only 10 states, including North Carolina, continue to treat gun owner information as a public record; and

Whereas, no public interest is served by the release of the personal information of private citizens that have committed no trespass of law; and

Therefore, the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners resolves, as representatives of the people, to defend the safety and privacy rights of lawful citizens. Furthermore the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners call upon the Governor and General Assembly of North Carolina to enact legislation protecting gun owners from undue and unwanted release of personal information by exempting said information from the public records laws.