Save The Date – GRNC Annual Meeting

Grass Roots North Carolina will be having its 31st annual meeting in Raleigh on Saturday, December 6th. It will be held at Triangle Shooting Academy, 6501 Mt Herman Rd, Raleigh, NC 27617. Preceding the meeting will be a training seminar for activists and following the meeting there will be an impromptu Christmas party.

See below for more details:

Thanks to the generosity of Triangle Shooting Academy (TSA) and its world-class facility, GRNC will hold its 31st annual meeting, together with a legislative tactics seminar, on December 6, 2025 at Triangle Shooting Academy, 6501 Mt Herman Rd, Raleigh, NC 27617. Afterward, we will also have an informal get-together at Irish “gastropub” called Tra’li Brier Creek at 10370 Moncreiffe Rd., Raleigh, NC 27617. See details below.

December 6th Agenda

9:30 AM – 12:30 PM: “Defending the 2nd Amendment in a Politically Polarized Environment”

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM:     Grass Roots North Carolina 2025 Annual Meeting

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM:     GRNC board of directors meeting

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM:     GRNC Christmas party & informal get together at Tra’li Brier Creek

Seminar by Paul Valone:

‘Defending the 2nd Amendment in a Politically Polarized Environment’

Learn how GRNC has won so many legislative battles in the 31 years of its existence. Taught by GRNC co-founder and president Paul Valone, you will learn why conventional lobbying fails by comparison to grass roots mobilization, and why everything you have heard about politics is conveniently wrong. We invite people interested in volunteering at the NC General Assembly with GRNC’s Legislative Action Team to join us, as well as anyone interested in learning better ways to defend your rights. Please RSVP to DirectorOfDevelopment@GRNC.org.

Seminar topics:

  • Why you are probably unprepared for political action
  • The real nature of politics
  • The real nature of politicians
  • The nature of your opposition
  • Issue management
  • Political mechanics of direct action – it ain’t ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’
  • Legislative action via grass roots mobilization
  • How & why we must WIN ELECTIONS

GRNC Legislative Action Team needs you!

GRNC is looking for volunteers for our Legislative Action Team to help pass constitutional carry in the upcoming session of the General Assembly. In addition to performing a vital function, legislative team members will learn valuable skills useful in defending your freedom. Attending the legislative tactics seminar above is recommended, but not required. If you can serve, please contact DirectorOfDevelopment@GRNC.org .

Lunch break (12:30-1:00 PM)

For those staying for both events, we will take a lunch break from 12:30 to 1:00. Catered lunches will be available from TSA’s excellent café, Nero’s.

2025 GRNC Annual Meeting (1:00-2:30 PM)

The Grass Roots North Carolina Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Triangle Shooting Academy, 6501 Mt Herman Rd, Raleigh, NC 27617. A short meeting of the board of directors will follow.

Christmas party & get together

At 4:00 PM, GRNC will have an informal Christmas party and get together at an Irish “gastropub” called Tra’li Brier Creek at 10370 Moncreiffe Rd., Raleigh, NC 27617. If you plan to attend the party, please RSVP to DirectorOfDevelopment@GRNC.org to give us an idea how many are attending.

Voting Members

If you are a paid and current member of Grass Roots North Carolina, you should already have received a proxy postcard for use if you are unable to attend. Please return it ASAP. If you need another proxy, you can mail in the one below. Thanks for helping us make GRNC possible!

As a follow-up note, as the Secretary-Treasurer of GRNC, I will be the one voting your proxy. I didn’t realize that until I got my own proxy card!

Put Next Wednesday On Your Calendar

Wake County has approximately 1.1 million residents. I have to believe that more than just a handful believe in gun rights and believe that permitless concealed carry is the way to go. Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) has vetoed bill dealing with permitless carry and for the protection of students attending private schools. These vetoes must be over-ridden.

Grass Roots North Carolina is organizing a rally at the Legislative Building to push for the override of these vetoes. It is not a sure thing as two House Republicans voted against SB50 – Freedom to Carry NC and another 10 just happened to be absent on the day of the House vote. GOP politicians need to start doing more than just providing lip service to their supposed support for the Second Amendment and gun rights. The veto of SB 50 should be over-ridden in the Senate as Sen. President Pro Tem Phil Berger has his supermajority. It is up to House members to do the same and for Speaker Destin Hall to work his magic on scheduling the vote. The GOP in the House is one short of a supermajority and will depend on a few Democrats being absent.

We have fought for this too long and too hard for it to be postponed another two years. If you are in the Raleigh and can take a morning off of work, please be there.

Here is the information on the GRNC rally:

  • ATTEND NEXT WEDNESDAY IN RALEIGH:  Please plan to be at the General Assembly Legislative Building, Wednesday morning (7/30/2025), by 8:30 AM (or as soon as you can be there). Meet at “Printed Bills,” and there will be a GRNC representative there to fill you in on details as soon as they are available. See below for directions.
    Please dress for the press, business casual or nicer clothing is requested
    .   

  • PLEASE RSVP:  If you can make it, please email us at DirectorOfDevelopment@GRNC.org and let us know how many will attend. The more, the merrier. Check your email for Alert Updates.

  • PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO GRNC: Help us fight gun control while we promote Second Amendment principles. Please CLICK HERE to contribute. Bear in mind that GRNC is an all-volunteer organization, so you can be sure your donations are put to the best possible use. Any amount helps, and any amount is appreciated.

EVENT DETAILS

WHEN: Wednesday, 7/30/2025 at 8:30 AM (or as soon as you can be there) 
WHERE: NC General Assembly – Legislative Building 
16 W. Jones St. 
Raleigh, NC 27601


Meet in front of the “Printed Bills” office (1300 Courtyard) 
WHY: To make an impact and help GRNC
Parking Map: 

 StateGovtParkingLots1_EditSml.jpg
Building Map:
 
 NCGenAssyLegBldgMap2_EditSml.jpg

For North Carolinians – Ring Bell

Rep. John Bell IV (R-Wayne) is the chairman of the House Rules Committee. It is in his committee that HB5 – NC Constitutional Carry Act – is stuck. The Senate has already passed SB50 which is their version of the bill and HB5 has passed through the House Judiciary 2 Committee. All it needs for a floor vote is a positive vote in Rules.

Grass Roots North Carolina issued an alert yesterday evening asking for people to contact Bell’s office tomorrow and ask him to move the bill. If you read between the lines it is saying that GRNC-PVF will work hard to re-elect representatives like Tricia Cotham (R-Mecklenburg). Cotham, you may recall, was the the representative who switched from the Democrats to the Republicans after all the abuse she took for being absent on the day the veto override was held on the repeal of the pistol purchase permit. That she was being treated for long Covid didn’t matter to the progressive wing of the Democrats.

So put this on your to-do list for tomorrow morning:

LET’S RING JOHN’S “BELL” 
Said GRNC president Paul Valone, “Rules Chair John Bell, when asked about both permitless carry bills currently in his committee, gave the usual politician song-and-dance about how he “needs to be sure we can get 72 votes” to override Steins inevitable veto (which is not possible), further vacillating with Who will defend our members in marginal districts?

My direct answer to Bell was, “You won’t know whether you get 72 votes until you take the vote, and the GRNC Political Victory will give cover to any House member in a marginal district who votes for it. We need a vote in the Rules Committee on permitless carry, Rep. Bell.

Since he is apparently not convinced, it’s time “RING” Rep. Bell  and make sure you are heard LOUD & CLEAR, not by email, but by phone. Specifically, we would like you to call Rep. Bell’s office on Tuesday (May 6) between the hours of 9 AM and 11 AM. (If you can’t call then or miss it, call whenever you can.)

Deliver the following simple message, using voicemail if necessary: “Rep. Bell and other Republican leaders need to remember the gun voters who gave them their majority by giving an immediate hearing to permitless concealed carry in House Bill 5  and Senate Bill 50. We were denied permitless carry in 2023. We expect it in 2025.”
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
CALL REP JOHN BELL! 


CONTACT NC House Republican John Bell by phone:   Specifically, we would like you to call Rep. Bell’s office on Tuesday (May 6) between the hours of 9 AM and 11 AM. (If you can’t call then or miss it, call whenever you can!)

Deliver the message below in the “Deliver This Message” Section.

DONATE TO GRNC: We are still low on funds after our highly successful election effort. Please donate by going to: grnc.org/wp/2012/06/donate-to-or-join-grnc/  

CONTACT INFORMATION

Below,  find a the phone number for Rep Bell. Beneath that, in the Deliver This Message section, find the suggested phone message.  Be respectful, but be short and to the point with your phone message/call!

NC HOUSE  REPUBLICAN John Bell

919-715-3017
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

USE VOICEMAIL IF NECESSARY

“Rep. Bell and other Republican leaders need to remember the gun voters who gave them their majority by giving an immediate hearing to permitless concealed carry in  House Bill 5 and  Senate Bill 50. We were denied permitless carry in 2023. We expect it in 2025.


Respectfully, [your name]

Push For Permitless Concealed Carry In North Carolina (Updated)

Do you want permitless carry in North Carolina? Do you live in the Piedmont or within an hour or two of Raleigh? Do you have some free time on Tuesday morning?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions then Grass Roots North Carolina needs your help. Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico), primary sponsor of H5NC Constitutional Carry Act, is having a joint press conference with House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell & Watauga). GRNC will be there to deliver thousands of your petitions supporting permitless carry.

If the General Assembly passed H5/S50 – and overrides the anticipated veto by Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) – North Carolina will become the 30th state with permitless concealed carry. It would mean another 11 million people would have Constitutional or permitless carry.

Here are the details from GRNC:

WE NEED YOU FOR
TUESDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE
We need YOUR help, this Tuesday, to present the Constitutional Carry Petition …

Other than newborn babies, interesting and important things tend to lack a lot of prior notice, and it turns out this Tuesday’s (3/11) pivotal event in our state’s capital is no exception. NC Representative Keith Kidwell, sponsor of HB5 (“NC Constitutional Carry Act”), is getting together with NC’s House Speaker, Destin Hall, this Tuesday for a joint press conference. What exactly makes this presser so important? It turns out that GRNC leaders and supporters (like you) will also be there to present the thousands of ‘Constitutional Carry’ petitions that North Carolinians have signed.  

We Need You There 
We’re asking you to set aside some time and meet us in Raleigh this Tuesday morning. The “and supporters (like you)” part is only true, and only effective, if you’re actually there, and the more gun rights supporters the better to make the greatest possible impact, so please bring along everyone you can. 

The precise time and precise room number is currently unknown, but it will almost surely be before lunch, and in the General Assembly Legislative Building. If there is any chance at all that you can meet us there, it would go a long way in finally bringing constitutional carry to our state. More details are below, with the understanding that updates with precise information will be passed along as soon as they are available. If you can set aside the time, and plan to be at the legislature on Tuesday morning, that’ll do the trick to get things going… 
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

ATTEND THIS TUESDAY’S PRESSER IN RALEIGH:  Precise time and room number are to be determined, but please plan to be at the General Assembly Legislative Building, Tuesday morning (3/11/2025), by 8:30 AM (or as soon as you can be there). Meet at “Printed Bills,” and there will be a GRNC representative there to fill you in on details as soon as they are available. See below for directions.
Please dress for the press, business casual or nicer clothing is requested
.   

PLEASE RSVP:  If you can make it, please email us at DirectorOfDevelopment@GRNC.org and let us know how many will attend. The more, the merrier. If we have your contact information, this will also help us keep you apprised of details. 

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO GRNC: Help us fight gun control while we promote Second Amendment principles. Please CLICK HERE to contribute. Bear in mind that GRNC is an all-volunteer organization, so you can be sure your donations are put to the best possible use. Any amount helps, and any amount is appreciated. EVENT DETAILS   WHEN:  Tuesday, 3/11/2025 at 8:30 AM (or as soon as you can be there) 

WHERE:  NC General Assembly – Legislative Building 
16 W. Jones St. 
Raleigh, NC 27601

Meet in front of the “Printed Bills” office (1300 Courtyard) 

WHY:  To make an impact and help GRNC move the ball on Constitutional Carry in our State
 
Parking Map: 
StateGovtParkingLots1_EditSml.jpg      
Building Map:
NCGenAssyLegBldgMap2_EditSml.jpg

UPDATE: The exact time and place has been announced in a GRNC press release sent out at 2:30pm today. Moreover, Speaker Destin Hall will receive the petitions in person for which GRNC President offered his thanks.

On Tuesday, March 11, at 1:50 PM EDT at Speaker Destin Hall’s office, Legislative Building 
Rm. 2304, 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh, NC. GRNC will present 5,000 petition signatures to NC House 
Speaker Destin Hall, who has agreed to receive them in person in what we regard as significant 
progress in moving the bill.

Remember In November

Grass Roots North Carolina has a biennial project whereby they evaluate candidates at the national and state levels on where they stand on gun rights. Candidates are rated from zero to four stars with four stars being the best. The evaluation process uses any votes the candidate may have taken plus their responses to a survey sent to every candidate at their registered office. It is called Remember in November.

This guide estimates where candidates stand on gun issues by comparing their views with those of a control group of gun owners. As noted below, a “4-STAR” candidate agrees with the control group on at least 90% of gun issues, a 3-STAR agrees on least 80%, a 2-STAR on at least 70%, a 1-STAR on at least 60%, and a 0-STAR candidate agrees on less than 60% of gun issues….

GRNC’s “Remember in November” project estimates candidates’ views on “assault weapons,” concealed handguns, gun storage laws, gun rationing, other gun control and the Second Amendment.  THE EVALUATIONS HEREIN ARE NOT ENDORSEMENTS.  We issued surveys first to a control group of gun owners and then to candidates. Next, we measured how closely each candidate’s views and voting record (if available) agree with the control group.  Pay more attention to voting records than survey results unless, of course, you believe politicians never lie.

The 2024 General Election candidate evaluations have been released. If you want to view by office and name, use this link. If you would prefer to have the higher ranked candidates for each office, use this link. I find the latter more useful myself.

It should be pointed out that if a candidate just blows off the survey, they will get a zero star rating as well they should. Most of the candidates blowing off the survey tend to be the Democrats. That said, you do get Republicans who should be pro-rights just ignoring it as well. See for example both Dave Boliek (R) for State Auditor and Mike Causey (R) for Insurance Commissioner. They are both zero stars as they didn’t return the survey. Likewise for Sherry Higgins who is running as the Republican in my state house district. In my opinion, this is foolish. In a close race every vote is needed and ignoring gun rights voters could be the difference between winning and losing. These are the type of Republicans that whoever coined the term for the GOP as the Stupid Party had in mind.

While the higher rated candidates tend to be either Republicans or Libertarians, I did find a race where both the Republican and Democrat were both 4-star rated. That was in State Senate District 9 located in southeastern North Carolina. Incumbent Republican Brent Jackson faces Democrat Jamie Campbell Bowles. Both are from Sampson County. I’m wondering if Ms. Bowles didn’t get the Democrat’s memo that guns are icky or just ignored it. I’m so old I remember when there was actually such a thing as a pro-gun Democrat.

One last thing. If you aren’t registered to vote, now is the time to do it! As someone who registered to vote on my 18th birthday, it always amazes me when I come across gun owners who are not registered to vote. I just can’t see leaving my rights at risk by not voting.

McFadden caves on gun permit delays

Sheriff Garry McFadden of Mecklenburg County, NC had a disingenuous way of delaying the issuance of NC Concealed Handgun Permits. Under the guise of investigating an applicant’s mental health status, he would have all applicants’ names sent to the Veterans Administration for a copy of their records. Notice I said all. The VA would be getting requests for mental health records for applicants who had never, ever served in any branch of the US military. This created both a paperwork headache for the VA and a prolonged delay for the applicant.

Based on this, Grass Roots NC, Gun Owners of America, and individual sued in US District Court for the Western District of NC. It appears a settlement is in the works which still requires the approval of Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr.

GRNC released the following last night.

In recent days, a press release from the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs’ Office (MCSO) has caused Charlotte news media to prematurely report a settlement in the lawsuit filed by Grass Roots North Carolina, Gun Owners of America, and individual plaintiffs against Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden. 

Per advice from GRNC’s legal team, we have so far refrained from giving details of the settlement. Given MCSO’s public statement adding “spin” to McFadden’s defeat, however, GRNC is compelled to tell the truth about what has been tentatively agreed to by the parties.

At issue are what appear to be intentional delays in issuing concealed handgun permits (CHPs) by McFadden, who previously sent mental health record requests to the Veteran’s Administration for all permit applicants, regardless of whether they served in the military, flooding the VA with paperwork in order to create delays in permits.

This is the second lawsuit GRNC and GOA have filed against McFadden over permit delays. Between the two suits, GRNC and GOA have ended McFadden’s gun permit delays in the following ways:

  • Repealing NC’s Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit law, used by urban sheriffs to delay handgun purchases;
  • Ending the MCSO practice of requiring CHP applicants to schedule appointments, often months ahead, to apply;
  • Ending the practice of sending mental health records requests to the VA for all applicants;
  • Requiring the sheriff to make mental health record requests only for applicants who have previously sought mental health treatment (tentative); and
  • Paying $5,000 toward damages and legal fees suffered by the plaintiffs (tentative).

Most amusing was McFadden’s statement that he will continue to “inquire of each applicant whether the applicant has sought mental health treatment.” In truth, he is required to do so. In fact, it is a part of the CHP application form stipulated by the NC Administrative Office of the Courts.

While we are disappointed that McFadden refuses to pay the full legal fees incurred by those denied their rights due to his malfeasance as a public servant, as a public policy organization, GRNC is happy that McFadden has capitulated on permit delays.

GRNC Feedback Day

Grass Roots North Carolina has declared Tuesday, May 7th, as Feedback Day. In an effort to get HB 189 for permitless concealed carry back on the agenda, they are urging everyone to call NC House Speaker Tim Moore and NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger. You are asked to thank them for ridding the state of the Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit and then urge them to get HB 189 back on track.

I would add that if you live and vote in the 14th Congressional District of North Carolina please remind Tim Moore that he needs your vote if he wants to be elected to Congress.

The alert is below with phone numbers and instructions.

‘FEEDBACK DAY’ ON
CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY

GRNC ‘Feedback Day’ will drop calls into leaders’ offices

 Should you need governmental permission to exercise a basic civil right? 

Last week, legislative team volunteers led by GRNC President Paul Valone delivered a hand truck full of petitions calling for constitutional carry to Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, arguably the most powerful politician in the state, and then held a press conference on his doorstep. That is called “speaking truth to power.”

The effort kicked off GRNC’s renewed campaign to pass House Bill 189, “Freedom to Carry NC,” sponsored by Rep. Keith Kidwell (R- Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, GRNC ****). The bill stalled last year when Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger told reporters that, having repealed the pistol purchase permit law, legislators had no “need” to address another gun bill. GRNC President Paul Valone has countered that ours is a Bill of Rights, not “needs,” and that Sen. Berger is not a self-appointed arbiter of “needs.” 

When Berger conceded later to reporters that “Constitutional carry is something that is worth talking about. We’ll talk with our members and see whether there is an appetite to move forward with it,” Valone responded: “We’re the ‘members’ who gave you a supermajority, Sen. Berger, so let’s talk.

GRNC in action: For a video of GRNC’s Legislative Action Team holding a constitutional carry press conference on Berger’s doorstep CLICK HERE.  
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
It’s time to make your voice heard loud and clear in the halls of the legislature by sending a message to Republican leaders in Raleigh. We would like you to call during a two-hour period from 9:00 AM EDT to 11:00 AM EDT this coming Tuesday, May 7.

Why Tuesday? Because NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and NC House Speaker Tim Moore are more likely to be in their offices. Legislative assistants will prevent you from speaking with them, of course, but they will witness the huge number of resulting calls, all calling for constitutional carry. Set a reminder in your phone

CALL SEN. PHIL BERGER: Between 9 AM and 11 AM on Tuesday, May 7, call Sen. Berger at 919-733-5708. (See below, under ‘Deliver This Message’ for the message to convey). 


CALL SPEAKER TIM MOORE: Also between 9 AM and 11 AM on Tuesday, May 7, call Speaker Tim Moore at 919-733-3451. (See below, under ‘Deliver This Message’ for the message to convey). 


PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO GRNC: Help us fight fun control while we promote Second Amendment principles. Please CLICK HERE to contribute. Bear in mind that GRNC is an all-volunteer organization, so you can be sure your donations are put to the best possible use. Any amount helps, and any amount is appreciated.   
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

What to tell Republican leaders:     

Thank them for repealing our Jim Crow purchase permit law, but tell them the job won’t be done until the Republican supermajority passes constitutional carry, including over-riding Gov. Roy Cooper’s inevitable veto.

NC Republicans have fallen behind Republicans in the 29 other states that have already passed constitutional carry.

Research by John R. Lott of the Crime Prevention Research Center found no increase in violent crime in constitutional carry states, and even a slight drop in murder.

Gun voters helped create the supermajority Republicans have used to pass several laws, over-riding Cooper’s vetoes. It is time they acknowledged that by passing House Bill 189, “Freedom to Carry NC” NOW!

Excuses like legislative rules and placing blame on one chamber or the other are just that: Excuses. 

NRA-ILA Picks Wrong Target

The NRA-ILA is now headed by what I consider their third string quarterback. First, Wayne and company forced Chris Cox out for supposed disloyalty. Then his replacement Jason Ouimet left when he saw the writing on the wall. Now Randy Kozuch, an almost 30-year veteran of the NRA, was appointed as Executive Director of ILA by the Board of Directors on Monday He had been the interim head prior to Monday.

Yesterday, the NRA-ILA posted a release that claimed credit for getting North Carolina’s pistol purchase permit repealed and blasting other 2A groups for taking credit for it.

However, some other 2A groups in the state have instead continued to focus on seeking credit for the legislative victory. At least one group has gone so far as to try claiming exclusive responsibility for the passage and veto override of SB41.

Not only do these laughable claims dismiss over a decade of legislative repeal efforts by NRA members, gun owners, and other 2A groups, but they also create an unnecessary distraction. This is a time when Second Amendment expansion opportunities in North Carolina are possible, including NRA’s push for constitutional carry. We would hope that all pro-gun groups share that same enthusiasm to collectively fight for pro-gun legislation in North Carolina. 

Now I don’t know if this was the work of Randy Kozuch as it reads more like something that Marion Hammer would put out. I do know that someone royally screwed up.

To paraphrase Jim Croce:

You don’t tug on superman’s cape
You don’t spit into the wind
You don’t pull the mask off that old lone ranger
And you don’t mess around with Paul Valone of GRNC

It is bad enough to take credit for another organization’s hard work. The NRA has done that time and again. However, it goes beyond the pale when you then dump on an all-volunteer, highly effective, state-level gun rights organization for having the temerity to claim credit for their actual accomplishments.

As anyone who knows Paul Valone would expect, he is not taking this lying down. He issued a point by point response last night.

Gun Rights Supporters:
The failing NRA, in a desperate bid for relevance, recently made a veiled accusation against GRNC, claiming “…some other 2A groups in the state have instead continued to focus on seeking credit for the legislative victory. At least one group has gone so far as to try claiming exclusive responsibility for the passage and veto override of SB41.” Below are NRA claims, followed by the truth.

Myth: The NRA claims GRNC was the first group to claim credit for Senate Bill 41.

Truth: GRNC was not the one who first claimed credit, it was Fred Edgecomb, a past president of the NRA-affiliated NC Rifle & Pistol Assoc., who was heard to claim credit at a recent IDPA match. We merely responded by setting the record straight.

Myth: The NRA-ILA alert claimed that GRNC “dismiss[ed] over a decade of legislative repeal efforts by NRA members, gun owners, and other 2A groups.”

Truth: The first purchase permit repeal was negotiated by GRNC, Sen. Buck Newton, and the Republican-led NC Senate in 2013 and was included as part of HB 937, an omnibus bill which contained, among other things, restaurant carry. Because the Senate considerably strengthened the weak bill first passed by the NC House, it had to return to the House for a concurrence vote. Unfortunately, NRA-endorsed Governor Pat McCrory threatened to veto the bill if it contained the purchase permit repeal, causing the repeal to be stripped out in conference committee.

Next, in 2021, GRNC worked with Rep. Jay Adams to alter his bill, HB 398, by substituting language for a full purchase permit repeal. We also worked closely with then-NC Sheriffs Association President Dave Mahoney to get NCSA to endorse the repeal and got the bill passed by both chambers before Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed it.

This year, GRNC worked closely with Sens. Danny Britt, Warren Daniel, and Jim Perry to ensure that the SB 41 not only cleared both chambers, but did so without contaminating amendments. For the override vote, we hammered thousands of robocalls and automated text messages into the districts of Democrats who had voted for the bill.

Meanwhile, bill sponsors and other legislators I have asked reported no contact from the NRA lobbyist, DJ Spiker. The NRA was so utterly out of the loop that, at one point, it issued an alert which wrongly described the contents of a gun bill that had been changed in a previous committee meeting. In fact, in videos GRNC made this year of committee hearings on gun bills, you will see only GRNC testifying to the committees, not NRA and not NCRPA.

Finally, GRNC worked for nearly two decades to insert into the public consciousness the phrase “our Jim Crow-era purchase permit law” – a strategy we worked out after reading about the origins of the law in Dave Kopel’s book, ”The Samurai, the Mountie, and the Cowboy: Should America Adopt the Gun Controls of Other Democracies?”

Myth: That the NRA is “push[ing] for constitutional carry.”

Truth: North Carolina’s first permitless carry bill (then called “Vermont carry”) was introduced by Sen. Hugh Webster in 1997 as SB 810 at the behest of GRNC and GOA. We actually went as far as filing a discharge petition when Democrat Marc Basnight refused the bill a hearing. At around this time, we heard reports from gun rights groups in other states that NRA lobbyists were actively sabotaging permitless carry bills. This year, we are working closely with bill sponsor Rep. Keith Kidwell on HB 189, “NC Constitutional Carry Act.” We are unaware of any effort by the NRA on the bill. Frankly, it would be nice if the NRA did something on the bill, since the May 4 crossover deadline is fast approaching.

In closing, it’s bad enough that the NRA, consumed by its inner strife and reportedly declining membership, has been AWOL from the past two sessions of the General Assembly. Worse, however, is when the organization, facing legal challenges due to alleged corruption, siphons off resources from the group that is actually doing the heavy lifting.

Please help ensure that doesn’t happen by going to: grnc.org/join-grnc/contribute

With your help, all-volunteer Grass Roots North Carolina will continue its 29-year history of success.

Armatissimi e liberissimi,

 


F. Paul Valone
President, Grass Roots North Carolina
Executive Director, Rights Watch International
Radio host, Guns, Politics and Freedom
Author, Rules for ANTI-Radicals: A Practical Handbook for Defeating Leftism


Paul Valone is the honey badger of the gun rights community in North Carolina. While the NRA may still consider itself the 800 lb gorilla, “honey badger don’t care“.

SHOT Show 2023 – It’s The People

Seeing all the new products being released at SHOT Show is cool. Since I caught the SHOT Show crud during the show and not after it, I didn’t get to see as much as I usually did. Nonetheless, what I really enjoy most about going to the SHOT Show is reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

I’m not the best at taking selfies but others are. I ran into Charlie Chambers who I first met at a Gun Rights Policy Conference at Range Day. He was there with Amanda Suffecool and Rob Campbell of Eye on the Target Radio. This was taken early in the day before the rain arrived and the wind picked up.

Then there are the people you run into in the Media Room. In this case it was Charlie Cook of Riding Shotgun with Charlie and John Petrolino of BearingArms.com. As Charlie noted, all three of us were recipients of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Ray Carter Blogger of the Year Award.

Thursday was interesting as lunch and then dinner ran the political spectrum from Right to Left. Lunch was with Paul Valone and his wife Lori of Grass Roots North Carolina along longtime GRNC volunteer Josette Chmiel. Paul is the author of the book Rules for Anti-Radicals which deals with defeating leftism.

L-R: Me, Paul, Josette, Lori

Thursday evening I swung to the opposite end of the political spectrum when I had dinner with people from the Liberal Gun Club. Beyond the wonderful food at Bouchon, I had a great time reconnecting with Lara and Ed Smith and trainer/revolver guru Grant Cunningham. Grant was at the SHOT Show representing Lubriplate which makes non-toxic firearm lubricants (among many other things). It had been years since I had seen Grant face-to-face so it was really fun to catch up with him.

Finally, there is my old friend Michael Bane. I ran into him at Range Day where he introduced me to James Tarr. Later that evening, I had dinner with Michael and his “sweetie” along with Paul Erhardt and one person whose name I still don’t remember. The Complementary Spouse insisted I get a picture. Unfortunately, I forgot. Fast forward to Thursday when Michael was doing the giveaway for a customized Tisas 10mm 1911 at the SDS Imports/Tisas booth. His “sweetie” was kind enough to take this picture of us and the Complementary Spouse was pleased.

There were a lot more people I ran into at SHOT than I can name without leaving someone out. Despite coming down with the crud and missing a day of the show because I stayed in bed, it was a good trip and it was the people that made the trip.

USPSA Match To Benefit Grass Roots North Carolina

The Sir Walter Gun Club in Creedmoor, North Carolina is sponsoring an USPSA 8-stage match to benefit Grass Roots North Carolina. The range is located north of both Durham and Raleigh just off of Interstate 85 and US Hwy 15.

More details on the match and how to register are below:

SIR WALTER GUN CLUB- USPSA PISTOL MATCH TO BENEFIT GRNC
Once again the good people at Sir Walter Gun Club are providing their facilities and hosting a USPSA match to help and benefit GRNC. – Which we all know is especially needed at this time. 

Registration link

Registration opens August 26th at 7am
Registration ends September 1st at 8:30pm


Match starts: September 03, 2022 @ 10:00 AM  Match ends: September 03, 2022 @ 5:00 PMMany thanks to the fine folks at Sir Walter Gun Club for their support of GRNC and our 2nd Amendment rights… Sir Walter Gun Club  2507 Hester RoadCreedmoor, NC 27522

USPSA Pistol Match to Benefit GRNC – 8 Stages $30.00 minimum donation. Jr. shooters are $20.00 NOTE: If you withdraw from the match before midnight on the Thursday before the match, you will be refunded your match fee less $1.00 to cover the credit card fees. No refunds will be given for withdrawals after that time or no shows at the match. USPSA level I match, with the following divisions: Limited, Limited 10, Open, Production, Single Stack, Revolver, Carry Optics, PCC