Repeal gun law

In the aftermath of the massacre in Connecticut it is time to take a hard look at our gun control laws in North Carolina. New gun regulations should be considered by both the state legislature and local governments.

But a few years ago, at the urging of the NRA and gun lobby, the state legislature passed a law making it impossible for local governments to adopt their own gun regulations (N.C. Gen. Stat. 14-409.40).

If we want to take meaningful steps to prevent a tragedy similar to that in Newtown, a good starting point would be to repeal this law. Local communities, and the people who live in them, often have better ideas than state lawmakers of what can be done to reduce gun violence.

Our communities should not be chained to the NRA-backed preemption of local gun control efforts.

When it convenes next month the legislature will have a clear choice. Either follow the lead of the NRA and do nothing or reverse direction and consider measures that make North Carolina a safer place for its children and citizens. It seems like an easy choice but in the gun control debate nothing is easy.

Greg Malhoit

Raleigh