In the span of just a few months in late 2019 and early 2020, more than 100 counties, cities, and towns across the state of Virginia passed Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions or ordinances in opposition to the planned assault on the right to keep and bear arms by Democrats who took complete control of state government in the November elections. Those notes of defiance didn’t stop anti-gun lawmakers from approving a half-dozen gun control bills in the regular session, and expectations are high that a special session scheduled for August 18th will see Democrats once again try to impose a sweeping gun and magazine ban on gun owners.

Now, some of those same Second Amendment sanctuaries are taking another stand and vowing not to impose any local gun control laws on residents, given that one of those new gun control laws empowers cities to ban firearms from government buildings, parks, and festivals. While cities like Alexandria and Richmond have already approved local restrictions, supervisors in Appomattox County this week unanimously approved a resolution that declares the county will not exercise that newfound power to restrict the rights of residents. From the News & Advance:

Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, is disseminating the resolutions to localities and said he expects a surge similar to the initial “Second Amendment Sanctuary” resolution — with shows of support rippling across the state.

“What other of our civil rights do we have that localities can carve up?” Van Cleave said. “We don’t let these localities take our basic civil rights and do with them what they please. It’s only the second amendment. When it comes to guns, that’s when the rules go out the window … we’re not going to let them get away with it.”

Falling River District Supervisor John Hinkle requested the resolution be discussed by the Appomattox board and said it was crucial to let the community know the county will not “put any additional burdens” on residents.

“It’s a second wave,” Hinkle said of the resolution. “It’s at the heart of all of central Virginia and rural Virginia, and what the cities want to apply to them, restricts us.”

The sheriff last year called gun ownership “a God-given right” and said if the state legislature restricts certain weapons and ammunition he would “swear in thousands of auxiliary deputies in Culpeper.”