On May 5, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America drew “nearly three dozen moms” in opposition to a gun rights bill being pushed by state Representative Jacqueline Schaffer (R-Charlotte).
Schaffer’s bill–titled the Second Amendment Affirmation Act–reforms North Carolina’s pistol permitting process by creating a “standardized system” for those background checks.
According to The Charlotte Observer, the current system in North Carolina has the sheriff conducting some background checks and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) conducting others at the federal level. Sheriffs do background checks on “private sales,” while NICS checks are done on retail sales. And, in Schaffer’s opinion, this two-tiered system is not working well.
Schaffer explained, “There are a lot of individuals around the state who feel they are arbitrarily denied a permit by a sheriff. So if we go to a standardized system, people feel that would be a more fair system.”
Nearly 36 Moms Demand Action members rallied against Schaffer’s bill on May 5, with group spokesman Sarah Green claiming the bill will be “dangerous for North Carolina.” Democrat state Representative Rick Glazier (Fayetteville) agreed, saying the “Second Amendment Affirmation Act” should be called the “Second Amendment Insanity Act.”
Ironically, from the time the Second Amendment was ratified in 1791 until now, Americans throughout the country have purchased guns from their co-workers, family members, neighbors, friends, and other decent Americans without government oversight or permission. And they have done so because the right to keep and bear arms is constitutionally protected.
In demanding background checks for private sales, Moms Demand Action and Representative Glazier are effectively demanding that citizens get government permission before exercising a constitutional right.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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