Arizona Town Dubs Itself 'America's Second Amendment City'

Last week, Mayor Dusty Escapule of Tombstone, Arizona, signed a proclamation naming the town “America’s Second Amendment City.” You may be familiar with Tombstone, because it is the site of the 1881 O.K. Corral shootout that was later portrayed in several Hollywood western movies.

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The town is an Old West tourist attraction, and holds on tight to its past. Town officials have even gone above and beyond to maintain its historical appearance, ensuring the power lines are all underground (as reported by the Washington Post):

Local groups stage gun skits and reenactments, with actors shooting blank rounds, Escapule said. About 500,000 tourists come to the town every year to check out the shows and the sites.

One such reenactment is that of the shootout at the O.K. Corral on Oct. 26, 1881. Wyatt Earp, a deputy U.S. marshal, along with his brothers Morgan and Virgil and their friend Doc Holliday, faced off against a group of outlaws in a deadly fight for control of Tombstone. While the others were either killed or injured, Earp emerged from the 30-second gun battle unscathed.

Every October, the town celebrates the Tombstone Helldorado Days, a three-day event packed with street gunfight skits, shows and parades.

With a population of about 1,380 people, this Second Amendment City is “in no way, shape or form” going to change, Escapule said.

“It’s always going to be the town that’s too tough to die,” he said.

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Not only does the proclamation pay homage to the city’s rich firearms history, but it captures the essence of what its citizens believe is necessary about right to bear arms.

“This particular area is known for a lot of drug trafficking and illegal aliens,” Escapule told the Washington Post. “If we have no way of protecting ourselves, the citizens of this part of the country would actually be under attack.”

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