x-sender: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com x-receiver: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com Received: from mail pickup service by IQ12 with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Tue, 31 Mar 2015 21:12:15 -0400 thread-index: AdBsGOOvG+7dzj1mR6GjcRGN4V/sKQ== Thread-Topic: Constitutional Carry From: To: Subject: Constitutional Carry Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2015 21:12:14 -0400 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 01 Apr 2015 01:12:15.0073 (UTC) FILETIME=[E3CEA510:01D06C18] CUSTOM Mr. Timothy David Rhymer Proud South Carolina Resident and Native 5681 North Highway 14 Landrum SC 293356 davidrhymer@gmail.com 864-510-1029 GUNS Constitutional Carry Governor Haley, With all respect to the office you hold, I compose this message to bring senate bill 105 and house bill 3716 to your attention. These bills have provisions that would protect rights of present and future South Carolina residents. These bills if passed would protect and preserve the second amendment rights of every South Carolina resident. These bills introduce a concept known as "constitutional carry". Passage of such a bill would align South Carolina with other states that already trust their citizens to responsibly practice their second amendment rights. States such as Vermont, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, and Wyoming already allow their residents to "bear arms" without special state permission. Additional states including Texas, Maine, West Virginia, Utah, Kansas, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, New Hampshire, and South Dakota all have bills during their current sessions that if passed would allow constitutional carry by their state residents. As a proud South Carolina native, I find it hard to believe that residents of the aforementioned states are more capable to responsibly practice their second amendment rights than the residents of South Carolina. Some have taken the position that constitutional carry is based on the perception that the second amendment can be exercised as an "unlimited" right. However, this bill maintains current limitations and restrictions on where firearms can be legally carried. Under this bill "No Guns Allowed" signs maintain the force of law, meaning it would be unlawful to carry a firearm to a place where such signage has been posted. This bill would also provide for strict punishment for carrying a firearm with the intent to commit a crime. Others have argued that constitutional carry and open carry are not guaranteed by the second amendment on the basis that South Carolina law has been long standing against such carry methods. The fact that South Carolina has outlawed constitutional and open carry for 140 years does not change the original intent and interpretation of the second amendment, "the right of the people to keep and BEAR Arms, shall not be infringed." Slavery was allowed by law for nearly 89 years. Thankfully our forefathers were not so narrow minded to accept the law without questioning its validity, instead they stood for principle and slavery was abolished. We in South Carolina should follow the example of our forefathers and abandon law that suppresses our resident's ability to exercise rights endowed by our creator. Still, others take the position that allowing constitutional carry would lead to mayhem and anarchy in the streets of South Carolina. This is simply erroneous speculation. Vermont, one of the aforementioned constitutional carry states, has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the United States. During the entire year of 2011 Vermont saw only 4 firearm related murders. With this example in mind it is clear the presence of permit less carry does not lead to excessive violence. In February 2014 you expressed your support for constitutional carry saying, "Criminals are dangerous, and I think that every resident should be allowed to protect themselves from criminals." Surely you would not accept legislation that would lead to anarchy within the state you were appointed to Govern. I agree with you, every citizen should feel free to protect themselves without being "pre-approved" or receiving a permit to do so by the state. I earnestly urge you, Governor Haley, to make constitutional carry a priority during this session. I have eagerly contacted the representative and senator for my district but have had little success in having my voice heard on this matter. I feel this is of utmost importance and as a constituent and proud supporter of you and your policies I sincerely request that you work with the members of the South Carolina House and Senate to pass these bills into law. It is the God given right of every South Carolina resident to be able to bear arms. How much longer will the state of South Carolina limit the rights of its residents by requiring intrusive background checks, laborious training programs, and excessive fees to exercise an already guaranteed right by our U.S. constitution? I have a dream that the state of South Carolina will soon come to respect the rights of its citizens. Please do your part to ensure my dream comes to pass. Thank you for your time, David Rhymer Landrum, SC