May 28, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
DeKalb County is officially on record in support of the second amendment of the United States Constitution which protects the rights of individuals to keep and bear arms.
A symbolic resolution was adopted by the county commission during its regular monthly meeting Monday night. The vote was 12-2. Only Commissioners Dennis Slager and Bobby Johnson voted against it. The others were in favor, Julie Young, Sabrina Farler, Myron Rhody, Jenny Trapp, Janice Fish Stewart, Dr. Scott Little, Anita Puckett, Jerry Adcock, Jeff Barnes, Matt Adcock, Beth Pafford, and Bruce Malone.
Sixth district commissioner Matt Adcock asked that the resolution be approved and local resident James Bond also backed the move.
Changes were made to the resolution to make it more acceptable to some commissioners who had concerns.
The resolution was adopted as follows:
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United State of America is the supreme law of our
nation, and
WHEREAS, the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution adopted in 1791
as part of the Bill of Rights states, “a well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a
free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed…”, and
WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court has affirmed in District of Columbia v.
Heller, 554 U.S.570 (2008) an individual’s right to possess firearms, unconnected with service in
a militia, for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home, and
WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court in McDonald v. Chicago 561 U.S.742
(2010) has affirmed that the right of an individual to “keep and bear arms” as protected under the Second Amendment, is incorporated by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment against the states, and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the DeKalb County Commission to declare its support of
the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and to protect the inalienable and
individual right to keep and bear arms; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Dekalb County Commission to publicly declare to
State and Federal elected officials the support of the Second Amendment.
NOW THEREFORE, it is resolved that DeKalb County publicly declares our support for the second amendment is also qualified by our support for background checks to prevent firearm purchase and use by declared criminals, the mentally ill, and terrorists who are threats to public safety and general welfare of citizens of the county, state, and nation.
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this Resolution be forwarded to
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander; U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn; U.S. Representative John Rose;
Governor Bill Lee; State Senator Mark Pody; State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver; State Representative Clark Boyd.