On today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co. it’s another all-email show where you, the viewer and listener, are the Company. The number one topic in the emails I received this week was Virginia’s Second Amendment Sanctuary movement, and frankly, it wasn’t even close.
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So, on today’s show you’ll get my take on the potential for Governor Ralph Northam to call out the National Guard to enforce his impending gun control laws, whether or not Virginia is likely to be the spark of another revolution, and the counties that are adopting resolutions that don’t go so far as to declare a Second Amendment Sanctuary within their borders.
Several of the folks who wrote in have been to their own local board of supervisors meetings where Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions were discussed and approved, and it’s great to have the first-hand reports from places like Prince William County, where one viewer waited for seven hours before the board approved a slightly watered-down version of a Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution.
I heard from one individual shortly after I uploaded the program that I want to share with you as well. I’m keeping his name and county anonymous, but I’ve heard similar opinions expressed by several gun owners I’ve spoken with here in Virginia.
It was SO disappointing to be faced with the indifference that we were met with by our Board. Especially, the chairman, who happens to be my Supervisor.
I actually agreed with his opinion on the BS resolution put forth by another supervisor that they would resolve to support the Constitutions of the USA and Virginia.
There is no way that I will surrender ANY of my firearms that I may or may not have, (yet).
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To be honest, I think many supervisors are either indifferent or even reluctant to support these resolutions for one of two reasons: cowardice or concern over possible retribution by state lawmakers. I had a conversation with an employee of one county that adopted a Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution, and he flat out told me he worries that lawmakers are going to “bully” (his word, not mine) localities and counties that push back against the gun control laws coming by withholding or cutting grants that many of these places depend on.
While I see the concern, and don’t find it unreasonable, the fact is that if you have to worry about government retribution for exercising your First Amendment rights, we’ve got even bigger problems than the gun control laws we’re facing. Bad things happen when good people don’t speak up, and now is the time for officials who support the right to keep and bear arms to speak up and take a stand, even if it makes them uncomfortable.
My own county supervisor voted in support of our Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution, but he did so only after telling the hundreds of residents who had gathered for the meeting that the measure was mostly symbolic, and said nothing about taking on any of these new gun laws in court.
That’s going to be a crucial step going forward once these bad proposals become bad laws. Yes, the enforcement of these laws will be up to county sheriffs and commonwealth’s attorneys, not county boards of supervisors, but we’re going to need good cases to challenge these laws in court, and counties in some cases may be able to bring a case, or file friend of the court briefs in support of the challenges going forward.
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In other words, even if your county has passed a resolution, there are plenty of reasons to continue to hold your supervisor’s feet to the fire and press them to meaningfully support your Second Amendment rights in their official capacity. We may even need to replace some of these supervisors with women and men who have stronger spines and a clear understanding that they aren’t just there to sign off on planning commission recommendations and VDOT studies, but to defend the rights of the residents in their district against unconstitutional encroachment by the State.
Be sure to check out the entire show above, and if you want to be a part of next Friday’s show, send your questions or comments to [email protected]. Thanks as always for watching, listening, and spreading the word!
Cam Edwards has covered the 2nd Amendment for 20 years as a broadcast and online journalist, as well as serving on the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He lives outside of Farmville, Virginia with his family, three dogs, two barn cats, a flock of chickens, and an undisclosed number of firearms for their protection.
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