Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness: Article I of the North Carolina constitution enshrines these rights as fundamental for the governance of the state’s citizens. The constitution also proclaims the sovereignty of the people — including their power to amend their founding document.
In November, North Carolina voters will choose whether to exercise that power to add the right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife among the “great, general, and essential principles” of their constitution. If the amendment passes, the state will join 21 others, including all of the South save Florida, Maryland and West Virginia, in explicitly affirming this right. What changes should area sportspeople expect upon gaining this new constitutional protection?
“Nothing,” says Rep. Chuck McGrady, R-Henderson.
“I don’t think hunting and fishing is under attack, and therefore I don’t think the amendment is necessary,” McGrady continues. “It’s not harmful; I do think it probably reflects our values, and if it’s that important, putting it in the constitution is OK. It’s just not something that’s being put in, to my knowledge, to try to deal with some problem.”
Despite this blunt assessment, McGrady voted yes for Senate Bill 677, which added a referendum on the amendment to November’s ballot. He was joined by the majority of the legislative delegation representing Buncombe County residents, including Democratic Reps. John Ager and Brian Turner and Republican Sen. Chuck Edwards.[1]
But two of his Democratic colleagues in the General Assembly from Western North Carolina — Rep. Susan Fisher and Sen. Terry Van Duyn — voted no on the bill out of skepticism regarding its true motives. “All we know is that this is a ballot initiative meant to
