On Parkland Anniversary, North Carolina Gun Grabbers Unveil Gun Control Package

On the first anniversary of the Parkland shooting, gun controllers in North Carolina have rolled out their anti-gun agenda.

Several anti-gun Democrats filed an omnibus gun control bill, marketed as the Gun Violence Protection Act, which includes universal background checks, high-capacity magazine bans, bump stock bans, and raising the age to buy so-called “assault weapons” from 18 to 21.

Rep. Marcia Morey, D-Durham, lamented the fact that lawmakers have to something on this tragic anniversary:

“It’s sad we have to be here on Valentine’s Day in remembrance of what happened a year ago in Parkland.

Additionally, Morey sees gun violence as a national problem rather than one confined to Parkland, Florida:

“It’s not just Parkland. It’s not just mass shootings. It happens in our communities every day.”

Previous attempts at gun control have not made progress in North Carolina’s Republican-dominated General Assembly in the past few years.

Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, who has religiously filed gun control bills since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, voiced her frustration with gun control’s lack of progress in North Carolina. Harrison argues that the “state has gone the exact opposite direction” on gun control matters.

And gun control remains dead in the water with Republicans still in control of the North Carolina Assembly.

However, GOP House members went on offense earlier this week when they filed their own gun omnibus bill filled with Constitutional Carry provisions. By introducing Constitutional Carry, they are at least shifting the discussion toward more gun rights.

Nevertheless, gun controllers will press on with their gun-grabbing schemes. They’re playing the long-game, and understand that relentlessly pushing for gun control will pay dividends once another mass shooting breaks out.

This was on display after the Parkland shooting, when a solid GOP state like Florida bowed down to anti-gun pressure when it passed SB 7026 which enacted red flag provisions, raised the age to buy a firearm to 21, and imposed a three-day waiting period for all firearms purchases.

The good news is that North Carolina Republicans understand that the best defense is offense.

To defeat gun control once and for all, bad bills must be killed and good legislation like Constitutional Carry must be passed.