“The governor may have to nationalize the National Guard to enforce the law.”
These sanctuaries are a response to the recent gun confiscation push by Democrats who recently won control of Virginia’s government in the last election . Only a few days after gaining control of Virginia’s government, many of these Democrats declared their intentions to introduce extensive new gun laws and other unconstitutional limitations on Virginian citizen’s rights. This includes the much lauded red flag laws, which are designed to circumvent probable cause and due process by allowing citizens to anonymously report anyone as a risk and have their Second Amendment rights suspended, and their firearms confiscated.
As we saw in Maryland earlier this year, anyone who refuses to turn in their firearms despite committing no crimes, can be killed by police with no repercussions. When faced with the mere prospect of similar tyranny, the good citizens of Virginia did not simply capitulate. Instead, dozens of counties declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries.
81 counties passed resolutions declaring themselves Second Amendment Sanctuaries, with 47 additional municipalities either hearing or voting on resolutions soon. This being the case, it seems Virginians strongly oppose the proposed laws, yet Democrat politicians seem hellbent on enforcing them against the will of the people.
Governor Northam even threatened economic and legal consequences for sanctuary counties and their officers if they don’t abide by or enforce the new proposed laws. Which is very hypocritical of Northam, who only a few years prior vetoed a bill that banned Sanctuary Cities back when the term only applied to illegal immigration.
What is truly amazing about these 2A sanctuaries is the amount of citizens that show up for the hearings. ABC affiliate WHSV 3 News reported nearly 2,000 Virginians showed up for the Augusta County hearing alone. A similar story unfolded in Chesapeake City according to CBS affiliate News 3 TV , where 1,200 supporters showed up at a local city council meeting. But not everything is proceeding so well. Chesterfield County reported nearly 1,000 attendees in support of declaring themselves a Second Amendment Sanctuary, but the board refused to hold a vote on the referendum on December 11th.
While it is very easy to be pessimistic about the state of gun rights in Virginia, it is encouraging to see Virginia's begin to embrace their state motto, “Sic Semper Tyrannis ”. Though the real question is how these events will fit into the history of our great nation and the Second Amendment. Will this be the Cuban Missile Crisis of gun rights where both sides stand on the brink before backing down? Or will this be the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” of the Second Amendment, and the Union as a whole, and pushing things past the point of no return?
Only time will tell.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to assist Virginia with their historical fight against unconstitutional guns laws, please join the Virginia Citizens Defense League www.vcdl.org , or make a donation.
