AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

When you’re talking about sanctuary status, it’s a tough thing for a county. After all, while there have been no real repercussions for cities opting to ignore federal immigration law, anti-gunners are a more vindictive bunch. They’re likely to lash out like one lawmaker is doing in Illinois.

But still, some elected officials have agreed to do just that, thus making a brave stand for the Second Amendment.

Unfortunately, not all who consider it will follow through.

Thurston County Board of Commissioners declined to put a vote earlier this month on an ordinance that would make Thurston County a “Second Amendment Preservation County.”

The ordinance, put forth by a group of local gun advocates, was shelved by the board, which heard public comment by those opponents of Initiative-1639, a measure that makes changes to gun ownership and purchase requirements which was passed during the last midterm election.

Joseph Brumbles, one of the half-dozen or so citizens that provided public comment, said the piece of legislation infringes the people’s second amendment rights.

“We don’t want our rights to be taken away. If we don’t have a second amendment, we don’t have any rights,” Brumbles said.

The Second Amendment Preservation Ordinance, which Brumbles, a Roy resident and former candidate for U.S. House Washington District 10, introduced to the Board of Commissioners, would forbid any “Extraterritorial Acts,” such as taxes, levies, firearms registries and background checks within Thurston County.

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Thurston County Commissioner Gary Edwards said the commission has not yet and doesn’t plan on meeting to discuss the subject in the near future. He said the commission isn’t able to make a decision on the initiative at this time.

“It’s not our bailiwick,” Edwards said. “I commend them for getting involved in the public process.”

In other words, they won’t hold a vote. If they did, they’d be answerable to their constituents, many of whom oppose I-1639. As it stands, they can blame it on other commissioners in private, thus allowing them to skirt the blame.

However, by refusing to discuss this, they’re making a stand of a different kind. They’ve come out and rolled over for the overreach known as I-1639.

Maybe they’re hoping the courts will regain some sense of sanity and overturn the law. Maybe they’re hoping the state legislature will step in. Maybe they agree with it. Who knows?

What I do know is that this is a bad law and those locales that have already decided the law won’t be enforced within their borders are the ones making the brave stand. They’re facing a larger entity down simply because they know it’s the right thing to do. The Second Amendment still exists and still needs to be defended. It’s thrilling to watch those in Washington state willing to make that stand for what is right.

It’s only a shame that places like Thurston County aren’t willing to make that stand, aren’t willing to defend what is good and right. If they did, maybe the gun grabbers would get the hint.