16 Jan 2020
By: Robert Moore – Harrodsburg Herald
On Tuesday, the Mercer County Fiscal Court unanimously approved a nonbinding resolution declaring the county’s support for the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
In the document, the court declared their intent “to oppose any infringement on the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.” Similar resolutions were passed Monday night by the Harrodsburg City Commission and on Tuesday night by the Burgin City Council.
The resolution was sponsored by Mercer United, a group that, according to its Facebook page, has over 590 members. The group is for “Mercer County Kentucky residents who wish to defend our constitutional rights and better the community.”
Courtney Griffieth of Mercer United called the nonbinding resolution a “symbolic statement.”
Griffieth, a 22-year-old student at Eastern Kentucky University, said the group is concerned about several bills filed with the state legislature. At a meeting at Mercer County Public Library held last week, Griffieth said the laws have little chance of passing through Kentucky’s Republican-controlled state legislature. But she said it was necessary to send Frankfort and Washington D.C. a message.
“We don’t want any unconstitutional gun laws,” Griffieth said.
In 2006, the state legislature, which was Democratically controlled, passed a law that upholds the constitutional right to bear arms. However, Griffieth and other members of Mercer United argue that laws can be changed by passing another law.
“The motion passes unanimously,” said Judge-Executive Milward Dedman after the magistrates voted unanimously to approve the resolution. “Congratulations.”
Dedman also thanked Griffieth for her efforts in getting the resolution passed.
“You’ve been very professional about this,” he said. “I want to congratulate you on that.”
