Meeker blames guns for rising crime stats

From Grass Roots North Carolina
GRNC Alert 02-18-09

When all else fails and a do nothing approach to rising crime stats fails, what is a mayor to do. Well, blame gun owners and the existence of their guns of course. That is what Mayor Charles Meeker of Raleigh is doing in an interview with the Raleigh News and Observer that ran Sunday, Feb. 15.

About the record number of killings last year in Raleigh Meeker said that there are too many guns on Raleigh's streets and blames federal and state laws for not being strict enough. He said, "We really don't have any authority there. We're left policing after terrible incidents have occurred." In short he seems to be saying that federal and state laws do not contain enough gun control.

What do you think? Should the mayor of Raleigh be calling for more gun control rather than attempting to solve his own crime problems. We don't think so. Let him know what you think.

charles.meeker@ci.raleigh.nc.us
Phone: (919) 890-3050
222 W Hargett St # 209
Raleigh, NC 27601

Dear Mayor Meeker:

Federal and state laws contain far too much gun control already and are not to blame for the high murder rate in Raleigh, if anything making it easier for honest citizens to protect themselves by being armed would reduce crime rates. Why don't you do the right thing and call for a reduction in gun control? That would be the responsible thing for a mayor who cares about protecting the lives of his law abiding citizens to do.

Please avoid using the mayor's office as a platform to push your personal feelings about gun ownership and examine the facts.

Sincerely,
A Concerned Voter

2009 LPNC Convention

The 2009 Libertarian Party State Convention will be held in Burlington April 17-19 at the Quality Inn (formerly La Quinta). This is the same facility it was held last year, although the hotel has changed names. The hotel is just off I-40 Exit 145.

The primary business of the Convention will be to consider amendments to the bylaws and to elect a new executive committee. All executive committee positions are up for election.

Michael Cloud, noted libertarian writer and speaker, will be the keynote speaker. He'll also present a workshop on communicating libertarian ideas.Clouds book "Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion" and his columns on the Advocates for Self-Government website are must-reads for activists and candidates.

Convention floor passes are $25, which includes the Saturday workshop. Additional workshop tickets are $10 and the Saturday banquet buffet is $25.

A special room rate is available but you must make reservations by March 13. Mike Munger is chair of the organizing committee. Contact him at mike.munger@lpnc.org

The Cary Tea Party

VICTORY! The Town Council has "abandoned" its plan for forced annexation ... at least for now.

Show your support join the Cary Tea Party Rally, February 12, 2009 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in front of the Cary Town Hall (corner of Academy and Wilkerson)

It's time to Stop Cary -- again!

On November 20, 2008 the Cary Town Council approved resolutions of intent to begin forced (they call it "town-initiated") annexation of 10 neighborhoods included in the first phase of the town’s comprehensive annexation plan. Council's action only begins the State-required process.

The next step in the process is a public hearing on the annexations. This will be held during a Town Council meeting on Feb. 12, 2009 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Residents and property owners of the annexed areas can address the council (5 minutes each). The council will not be responding at this time.

Final action by the Cary Town Council on whether to actually annex these properties may be taken in either March or April. Should the council approve the measure, the first-phase annexations would take effect June 30.

From StopCary.com.

The Liberty Agenda

Legislative Agenda of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina

We, Libertarian Party of North Carolina propose present this agenda for action to the 2009 General Assembly.

1. End forced annexation and stop private property seizure under the power of eminent domain by amending the state constitution.

Forced annexation and the seizure of private property ostensibly for "public purpose" is a violation of the fundamental rights of all Americans. Forced annexation is not about providing services, or controlling growth. Forced annexation is about money. Communities should only be annexed with their consent. No government, at any level, should have the power to take or seize private property for any purpose, without the express consent of the owner, and without just compensation.

2. Improve public education through school choice and competition.

It has become fashionable to bash public education rather than sincerely seek ways to improve it. There are many good things happening in North Carolina education. The path to continued improvement is to foster choice. The problem is that anyone who proposes thinking out of the box when it comes to education is beat over the head with the supposed public school mandate in the state constitution.

This selective devotion to constitutional principle is curious, since the legislature freely ignores other parts of the constitution, including the part that says 'all elections shall be free, fair, and open' by restricting the right of people to vote for anyone other than Democrats and Republicans.

3. Restore free, fair and open elections to North Carolina by removing barriers to ballot access.

North Carolina has arguably the most restrictive ballot access laws in the nation. These barriers are specifically designed by the Democratic-Republican duopoly to restrict the people's freedom of choice, prevent independent and third party candidates from getting on the ballot. Elections laws also are used to restrict free speech, by limiting how much an individual can contribute to the candidate of their choice. The people should have the unregulated and unrestricted right vote for and support candidates of their choice.

4. End all corporate welfare and subsidies.

Economic incentives and subsidies, more properly called corporate welfare, are an immoral tax on individuals for the benefit of corporate profits. Recent news reports that the Dell computer company may sell their three year old Winston-Salem plant, built with nearly $300 million in corporate welfare, demonstrate that corporate incentives are ineffective as well as immoral.

Conclusion

Ending property theft by government, improving education, ending corporate welfare, and restoring fair elections are only our top four issues, the beginning. The ultimate goal of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina is to reduce the size, scope and power of government at all levels and on all issues, and consistently oppose any increase in the size, scope and power of government at any level, for any purpose.