ASHEVILLE - After listening to advocates speak for two hours during public comment at their Feb. 4 meeting, commissioners are not likely to vote on a resolution to make Buncombe a "Second Amendment Constitutional Rights Protection County" and oppose new gun regulations.

To make its way on to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners agenda, a resolution on the subject would need to be requested by at least three commissioners. Of the six that currently hold office, three — all of them Democrats — explicitly said that they either oppose the resolution or support gun safety measures that directly conflict with it. One commissioner favors the measure and two did not specify their position.

The county boosted security at its administrative offices in anticipation of a huge turnout at the board's meeting. Sheriff's office spokesman Aaron Sarver said eight additional deputies worked the event "out of an abundance of caution" and to handle the sheer volume of the crowd, which packed the county chambers and filled an overflow room.

Of almost 40 people who spoke, the vast majority did so in favor of a resolution drafted by the North Carolina Federation of Republican Men asking the board to reject laws regulating "the right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms."

If the board were to support the measure, Buncombe would join a list of more than 20 North Carolina counties that have passed Second Amendment-affirming resolutions, many of them motivated by recent gun control measures proposed in Virginia.

Commissioners respond to public comment

Commissioner Al Whitesides said the public exercised its First Amendment right to speak at the meeting, and he appreciated that, but that he would not support the resolution.

"I don't see any need," he said. "We have the Constitution of the United States. ... And if they pass a law in the state, we can't oppose it."

Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara said she is "strongly in support of common sense gun laws and laws that create and protect safety for people."

"That includes things like background checks, requiring permits, banning assault rifles, for example," she said. "The Second Amendment is not under attack, but what I advocate for is common sense laws that help ensure that people are safe and that ensure that we're making sure guns can't get into the hands of folks who will use them to do mass shootings, for instance."

Board Chairman Brownie Newman said that gun safety policies are decided on the state and national level, "so Buncombe County has no jurisdiction on this issue." He said he supports the basic right to own firearms but also "common sense gun safety measures, such as universal background checks.”

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Commissioner Robert Pressley, a Republican, agreed with those who spoke in support of the resolution and said he would vote favorably on it, should the matter reach that point.

"I support the First Amendment, I support the Second Amendment," he said. "I don't know why we're even negotiating on what we do here. We ought to do it."

Commissioners Amanda Edwards and Joe Belcher did not directly say how they would vote on the resolution. Edwards, a Democrat, said she doesn't want Buncombe to "become a pawn in a divisive national issue" and wants people to find common ground.

Belcher, a Republican, said he thought those who spoke were "very respectful ... and that's encouraging," but declined to comment further on the subject, saying he was focused on remembering Commissioner Mike Fryar, who died Feb. 2.

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Fryar's death left a vacancy on the board that will be filled by a member of the same party from the same district — a District 2 Republican — for the 10 months remaining in his term. It's unclear how the addition of that yet unknown person will impact the resolution.

Pro-gun speakers cite protection, rights

Many who spoke on behalf of the resolution argued that allowing law-abiding citizens to be armed helps prevent violence from lawbreakers. Others voiced concerns about having their own access to guns further limited or taken away.

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Sandra Ingle, who was born and raised in Buncombe, told the board she is a single mother and uses a gun to protect her family.

“I'm asking you not to take that away," she said. "I'm asking you to protect that. Help me to protect my family. I abide by the gun laws that there are now. They only affect law-abiding citizens. Enforcing more is only going to affect the law abiding citizens."

Jeremy Jones, from Asheville, told the board he was a Christian and that it is his "God-given responsibility to protect (his) family."

"Evil, godless people exist," he said. "Some murder, some rape and some abduct. ... We are here requesting that you protect our right to protect ourselves and our families. We're not just a bunch of ignorant rednecks who love our guns. We are hardworking, extremely capable, law-abiding citizens that love our freedom, our liberties and our families. Please, do everything that you can, that you should do, to protect our rights."

Bernard Carman, who was given extra time by eight other people in attendance, told the board he was speaking “on behalf of natural rights,” which he said "originate from our creator ... not the U.S. Constitution," which merely guarantees those rights.

"Regardless of legislators’ actions at the local, state or federal levels of government, many Americans consider all counties as perpetually being Second Amendment sanctuaries, and there are millions of us who will not comply with further ineffective, dangerous and illegal firearm regulations," Carman said.

Kirk Lyons, an attorney from Black Mountain and member of the Western North Carolina Liberty Coalition, asked the board to adopt the resolution and interpose itself between the higher levels of government and the citizens.

"That is a reasonable thing to do," he said "Of course, if you pass a resolution, it is just the opinion of the body, but it is needed in this day and age. We need to hear that our rights will not be further infringed.”

Gun safety advocates ask for regulation, background checks, red flag laws

A couple of people said they did not support the suggested resolution because they did not feel their constitutional rights were under threat in Buncombe County. Others outright opposed the measure, suggesting regulatory measures and commenting on active shooter drills and lockdowns that occur at local schools.

Natalie Henry-Howell, whose son, Riley Howell, was killed last year in a shooting at UNC Charlotte, said gun safety measures could prevent other families from going what hers has gone through. She said stronger background checks and lower capacity magazines would have made a difference in her son's case.

“My son had been taught in school to run, hide or fight," Henry-Howell said. "He chose to fight that day. … He was shot multiple times and died on the scene. … When we’re talking about gun safety measures, they matter to the individuals that this has happened to."

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Henry-Howell is a Haywood County resident, where a similar resolution has already been approved. She said later that people need to "work together to find solutions to the epidemic of gun violence in our country."

"At the heart of the matter we all need to feel and be safe," she said. "Putting gun safety measures in place that keep guns out of the hands of citizens who are not law-abiding, not in good mental health, is the right and responsible thing to do."

Black Mountain resident Lewis Galloway, of Swannanoa Neighbors for Gun Safety, told the board his group supports Second Amendment rights, but that those rights shouldn’t infringe on right to life, liberty and happiness of others.

He called on officials to ban private ownership of assault weapons and high capacity magazines, do away with loopholes in background checks, institute red flag laws and create a national buyback plan.

Amy Benedict, a local leader for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, says the group advocates for stronger solutions to gun safety, but is not anti-gun. She said the proposed resolution is symbolic, but that it undermines efforts to stop gun violence and creates a dangerous implication that it is OK to disobey the law.

"Seek information," she said. "See what these gun safety laws really are about.”

Mackenzie Wicker covers Buncombe County for the Asheville Citizen Times. You can reach her at mwicker@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter @MackWick.

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