by Dr. Eowyn
Virginia was a “swing” state in presidential elections.
On Tuesday, November 6, 2019, however, the state became a solid “blue”. With Democrats already holding the state’s three highest offices (governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general), after two years of Republican control of the state House and Senate by single-seat majorities, the voters of Virginia saw fit to give Democrats full control of the state government for the first time since 1994 by giving Democrats majority control of the state legislature as well.
Gun control was the Democrats’ major theme in the November 6th elections. They received $2.5 million in funding from 2020 Democrat presidential candidate (((Michael Bloomberg)))’s Everytown for Gun Safety. The four Virginia prosecutors who won on Nov. 6 were also funded by another billionaire leftist, George Soros.
Virginia’s pro-abort Gov. Ralph Northam (D), 60, wasted no time in pushing his gun control agenda. The morning after the election, Northam told CNN he would reintroduce a package of gun control laws in January, including universal background checks, “red flag” laws, and bans on bump stocks and high volume magazines. Northam said: “I’m convinced, with the majority now in the House and the Senate, they’ll become law.” See “Elections have consequences: ‘Blue’ Virginia goes whole hog for gun control”.
Democrats in the Virginia State Senate also hit the ground running:
- 12 days after the election, on November 18, 2019, 79-year-old pro-abort state senator Dick Saslaw (D) introduced a bill, SB 16, effectively to confiscate “assault firearms” and “certain firearm magazine” by outlawing their possession. See “‘Blue’ Virginia State Senate bill to confiscate ‘assault firearms’”.
- Three days later, on November 21, 2019,state senator Louise Lucas (D)introduced a bill, SB 64, that violates the U.S. Constitution’s First and Second Amendments by criminalizing instruction and training in using firearms and in self-defense, “assembling” with others to target shoot, as well as march or parade while carrying a firearm. See “‘Blue’ Virginia senate bill to ban firearm and martial arts instruction”.
In response, Virginians who jealously guard their liberty, especially our Constitutional right to “bear arms,” are fighting back by forming Second Amendment sanctuaries and militias.
(1) SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARIES
To begin, more than 80 counties in Virginia have adopted Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions declaring that county police will not enforce state-level gun laws that violate Second Amendment rights.
As examples, Halifax county overwhelmingly passed a resolution opposing any new gun control legislation that might be passed in the coming state assembly. In southwestern Buchanan County, residents signed a statement demanding the resignation of Gov. Northam.
Sanctuary resolutions, however, have failed to gain support in the urban and densely-populated counties of Virginia, such as Roanoke, Richmond, Arlington, Loudon and Henrico. In Roanoke, as an example, a resolution was defeated at a meeting of the all-Democrat Roanoke City Council where more than 50 gun rights supporters had voiced concerns before Mayor Sherman Lea.
Virginia is not the first state where counties have passed Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions. Similar measures have found success in Illinois, Alaska, Wyoming, and Oregon over the past decade.
In response to the populist movement of Second Amendment sanctuaries, Virginia’s Democratic officials are resorting to threats and intimidation (Washington Examiner):
- Democratic Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly threatens to prosecute county police who refuse to enforce future gun control measures, saying: “I would hope they either resign in good conscience, because they cannot uphold the law which they are sworn to uphold, or they’re prosecuted for failure to fulfill their oath. The law is the law. If that becomes the law, you don’t have a choice, not if you’re a sworn officer of the law.”
- Democratic Virginia Rep. Donald McEachin suggests cutting off state funds to counties that do not comply with any gun control measures that pass in Richmond: “If the sheriff’s department is not going to enforce the law, they’re going to lose money. The counties’ attorneys offices are not going to have the money to prosecute.” McEachin also said that Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam could call the National Guard, if necessary: “And ultimately…the governor may have to nationalize the National Guard to enforce the law.”
The threat to sic the National Guard on sanctuary counties led to this defiant statement from a member of the Virginia National Guard. He told Law Enforcement Today, referring to Rep. McEachin:
If you and your fellow Constitution-hating hacks continue to push an agenda of gun banning, forfeiture and confiscation, I can almost assure you that you might meet more than one requirement for enacting martial law.
If you force local law enforcement to start violating peoples 2nd Amendment rights by taking their guns, you will wind up with temporary emergency due to an occupied territory.
There are people who will dig in. They will fortify their habitations. They will stand firm in their resolution to exercise their un-infringed right. And it will get ugly….
And oh, by the way, plan on seeing the vast majority of the Virginia National Guard become Conscientious Objectors. It will be really hard for them to arrest cops and confiscate guns when none of them will carry the necessary arms to enforce said arrests and confiscations.
How do I know this? I am one of them and will be one of the first to lay down my gun and walk away.
I will not be a pawn in a tyrannical game of human chess. Neither will most of the men and women I serve with.
(2) MILITIA
On December 20, 2019, Law Enforcement Today (LET) reports that a “growing number of people” have told LET they’re joining the militia. Significantly, these “growing number of people” aren’t just the traditional “three percenters,” but are “a melting pot of people who have had enough” — cops (both active and retired), military veterans, moms, blacks, whites, straight and gay.
For reporting on the “growing number” of Virginians who say they’re joining militias, LET received an anonymous threat from someone who claims to be a member of Congress. The note says:
“Your reporting about the growing numbers in the militia create a clear and present threat to America. As part of Congress, I’m giving you fair warning that this is the equivalent of shouting ‘fire’ in a movie theater. If your reporting incites violence, or can even be tied to it, we will make sure to charge your editors with felonies.”
One of the militias being formed is in Tazewell County.
Law Enforcement Today (LET) reports that on December 10, 2019, by unanimous votes of its board of supervisors and to the cheer of more than 200 citizens, Tazewell County passed two resolutions. The first declared the county to be a Second Amendment sanctuary; the second resolution officially formed a citizens’ militia to defend the Constitution.
The resolutions also:
- Remove funding for any law enforcement department that infringe residents’ right to keep and bear arms.
- Call for concealed weapons training for any resident of the county who can lawfully own a gun.
- Call for schools to adopt firearms safety training programs.
“Within hours” of reporting that Tazewell County’s formation of a militia, LETwas “flooded” with thousands of emails from people across the state – police officers, veterans, and patriotic Americans – who said they are joining. “And it’s a movement that’s gaining traction across the state.”
Virginia is shaping up to be the place where the battle for our Constitutional rights will begin. Molon Labe!
H/t CSM, Anon and John Molloy
~Eowyn