Scott County supervisors back gun ownership resolution

by KEVIN CASTLE

GATE CITY: The Scott County Board of Supervisors is supporting a resolution originated in Buchanan County concerning gun ownership.

The supervisors voted unanimously last week to support the locally originated legislation, which states the county "supports the constitutional right of all law-abiding citizens in the United States of America to keep and bear firearms." "It seems like there is something coming out every day that tries to take things away from us as citizens or take away our rights. We have never gone along with anything like that, so we will support this resolution," said Supervisor Chairman Kenneth Hensley.

Ray Buchanan, chairman of the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors, said the origin of the resolution of support came from a local gun/hunting club in that county asking the board for its support of the country's Second Amendment right. "I am for the protection of our right to bear arms 100 percent. I think a lot of the concern being shown toward this issue is due to the current presidential race," Buchanan said.

Some think that if Vice President Gore gets into office he will be anti-gun, so some of these organizations are trying to get as much support as they can get to send the message. "Our county attorney wrote up the support resolution and we, as a board, support the language in that statement."

The resolution says that proposed federal legislation regarding the ownership and registration of guns will "infringe" on a gun owners constitutional rights.

The resolution also states further that the board supports the ownership of firearms for "legitimate purposes," adding, "with the understanding that this board also vigorously supports the prevention and prosecution of gun violence and further supports a zero tolerance for guns being carried onto school property except by law enforcement personnel."

Supervisor for Scott County's Fourth District Riley Boy, who is also a rifle sportsman in his spare time, agrees with the resolution and its ties to gun owner protection. "We hope this will prevent any encroachment on our rights as citizens. Personally, myself being a sportsman and a person who has been brought up to respect the right to hunt and own a gun, we have to keep this issue in perspective," Boy said. "We live in the rural areas where there is still respect for a gun and for it to be used in a proper manner, not just for personal protection, but as a privilege we have had since our nation was founded. I think this resolution is a reinforcement of that."

Published July 8, 2000 Kingsport Times-News




 



donate