As many of you know, North Carolina recently made it a law that you can carry a concealed handgun - with a concealed handgun permit - in parks. With that law they included the right for towns to overturn that law and outlaw the carry of guns in parks.
Recently, Morrisville, NC voted, 6-1, to ban guns in parks. This will ban the use of firearms in any park within Morrisville, to include Lake Crabtree County Park.
A family member of mine recently inquired about this legislation with the only town council member to vote against the ban, Michael Schlink. This is his response:
Recently, Morrisville, NC voted, 6-1, to ban guns in parks. This will ban the use of firearms in any park within Morrisville, to include Lake Crabtree County Park.
A family member of mine recently inquired about this legislation with the only town council member to vote against the ban, Michael Schlink. This is his response:
Thank you and your family your time and efforts. Below is an audio town link (around 42 minutes in ) to our council meeting where we voted on the gun ban for most town properties.
I voted no. My public comments are included below.
http://www2.townofmorrisville.org/audio/32_20120828.MP3
As our town's crime stat's point out we have no acts of violence with or w/o a gun occurring at our parks, playgrounds or greenways.
Morrisville Town Council recently voted 6-1 banning concealed weapons from Morrisville owned sports facilities and recreational areas. My public comments and concerns were that this topic is such a hot button issue that the worst thing we could do was reinforce the public's fears, anxiety and stereotyping over gun violence and mass shootings.
As the council heard, gun owners do not want to be stereotyped as an irrational, ill-informed, fringe group or possible criminals. Numerous public comments and studies have shown many residents feel safer in a public area like a park or greenway knowing it is legal to carry a concealed handgun.
Firearm ownership is not going away, whether for sports or personal security. The national problem of gun violence requires a broader grass root understanding on both sides of the issues, looking at all the facts; there is no single solution (like banning gun ownership) in finding more ways to keep guns from criminals, killers and preventing acts of terrorism.
Thank you again for your involvement,
Michael Schlink
Council Member, District 1
Town of Morrisville
The audio file he included is long, but if you are a resident of Morrisville or surrounding towns, or you frequent any park or recreation area in Morrisville, I urge you to list to the audio.
Click here to listen now.
Click here to listen now.
RSS Feed