Category Archives: Second Amendment

Sen. Bernie Sanders had an opportunity to bridge the gap between the Democratic Party and Americans who lawfully own firearms. He made a miscalculation.

Bernie Sanders has represented the state of Vermont in both chambers of our Congress. Vermont has some of the most liberal gun laws of all of the states in our union. The gun laws in Vermont are so liberal, they could be called "conservative."

For years, Sanders was a casual supporter of the civil rights of Americans to own firearms. His record of supporting the rights of Americans as protected by the Second Amendment to our Constitution stretches across his years as a member of Congress.

"Vermont law allows any person age 16 or older to possess a handgun without the consent of a parent or guardian. There is no minimum age to possess a rifle or shotgun in Vermont," according to the liberal Giffords Law Center.

After decades of supporting the civil rights of Americans to own firearms, Sanders has switched his position in an effort to become president. His political calculation to abandon this long-held principle on civil rights is bad politics. It should also be a matter of serious concern to his grassroots supporters.

Bernie is a leader and his supporters appreciate his opinion on matters of policy. He could have explained his position on the Second Amendment to his supporters and most would have gone along with him because they believe in him.

By defending his long-held position on gun ownership, Bernie could have cut into the GOP base and become a fusion candidate in an evolving world of political allegiances. He could have been a leader on this issue.

Instead, Bernie has flip-flopped on this civil right a right so obviously important to a free Republic that it was spelled out as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Bernie's cynical political calculation on civil rights has done nothing but hurt him.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

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Bernie Missed His Opportunity on the Second Amendment [OPINION] - wbsm.com

ST. PAUL, Minn. The New House Republican Caucus on Wednesday responded to the universal gun registration bill and the red flag bill that are scheduled to be heard on the House Floor Thursday. These bills take guns away from law-abiding citizens and attack individual rights and personal freedoms.

I want to be absolutely clear, I will not support any bill that diminishes our rights to bear arms under the Second Amendment, said Rep. Tim Miller (R- Prinsburg). These bills do nothing to protect people. They simply take away your rights.

These bills both represent clear and deliberate violations of the United States Constitution. It is irresponsible for a state legislature to pass laws that violate the Constitution and also place the citizenry and law enforcement in harms way, said Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R- Mazeppa).

Just no. There is absolutely no way to fix these bills, said Rep. Cal Bahr (R- East Bethel). These bills steal liberty, freedom, and the ability for any law abiding citizen in the state to defend themselves.

In response to the proposed red flag bill, five counties have already passed resolutions stating they will not enforce this unconstitutional law, and more than a half dozen other counties are taking this up, said Rep. Jeremy Munson (R- Lake Crystal). We shouldnt be putting our officers in extreme danger, taking guns from people who have not committed a crime. We live in a country where youre innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around.

The universal gun registration bill requires the state to conduct background checks for private firearm transfers and also raises the age to receive a firearm in a private transfer from 18 to 21. The red flag bill allows for firearms to be taken away from people who are said to be at-risk without usually required due process and potentially put people, including law enforcement, in harms way.

The NHRC is sending a letter to each of Minnesotas counties encouraging them to adopt Second Amendment sanctuary county resolutions. These counties are sending a strong message to St. Paul about their disagreement with the unconstitutional gun confiscation bills in our state.

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Conservative caucus: Gun registration bill threatens 2nd Amendment - Southernminn.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Several Tennessee counties, and now even the state, are pushing to become so-called "gun sanctuaries" defending the second amendment. While the state lawmaker sponsoring this measure says it would better protect the rights of Tennessee gun owners, some legal experts argue that the second amendment isnt an unlimited right and states cant trump federal law.

The right to bear arms has been a fixture of the United States Constitution for hundreds of years. But some, like Republican Tennessee Representative James Micah Van Huss, feel like the second amendment is under attack.

"Other states around the country are violating their constituents constitutional rights, Van Huss said.

Thats why hes sponsoring a measure that would make Tennessee a so-called sanctuary for the right to bear arms. House Joint Resolution 748 was discussed last week before being passed to the full Judiciary Committee, where it will be discussed on Wednesday.

What is the legislative need or purpose that were taking up time in our general assembly for this? Democratic State Representative Bo Mitchell asked Van Huss.

I think its very important that at least on behalf of my constituents, and on the behalf of Tennesseans, that we stand up and reaffirm that the second amendment does in fact make all states a sanctuary from government intervention, Van Huss said.

Van Huss says this law vows that Tennessee wont comply with extra constitutional actions from any government or body that infringes on citizens rights to keep and bear arms. He goes on to say citizens must be able to own guns like semi-automatic AR-15s, AK-47s and other similar guns.

FOX 17 News spoke with Nashville Defense Attorney Sunny Eaton about these types of resolutions.

Reporter: Are they actually going to hold any weight if they pass?

Eaton: So I think that what is the most important thing is for the public to understand that these types of resolutions are largely political, theyre symbolic. They have to be.

Thats because Eaton says federal law will always trump state law.

"The second amendment is not an unlimited right, its simply not, Eaton said.

She says its okay to pass these resolutions, but the issue is when the public doesnt understand that these resolutions are symbolic or political.

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Lawmaker files resolution that would make TN a 2nd amendment 'sanctuary' - WBIR.com

Disappointment was in the air Tuesday following the public portion of theOtter Tail County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The majority of 50-odd people who packed the board room had hopes of establishing a dialogue with the board on the issue of making Otter Tail County a Second Amendment sanctuary.

A Second Amendment sanctuary is a term adopted by some states, counties or localities that have adopted resolutions to prohibit the enforcement of gun control measures such as universal gun background checks, high-capacity magazinebans, assault weapon bans and red flag laws.

A county press release issued last Thursday made it clear that Tuesdays meeting of the board would not include a Second Amendment sanctuary discussion and would not accept public comment - despite social media posts suggesting otherwise.

According to county public information officer, Shannon Terry the only commitment to a discussion being added to the Feb. 25 agenda was a verbal one. It was not published and was quickly rescinded when it was discovered the issue was still before a subcommittee.

A county constituent requested at the Jan. 7 board meeting that the commissioners consider a resolution declaring Otter Tail County a Second Amendment sanctuary.

According to a county news release, the board gave strong support to the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution at that meeting and referred the request to staff for further research.

At the boards Jan. 28 meeting outgoing county administrator, John Dinsmore turned over an updated request to the boards internal services committee.

Guided by Otter Tail County Attorney Michelle Eldien and Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons, Dinsmore recommended the board delay immediate action. The recommendation was based on four points - one pertaining to the legality of such a resolution and another to actions which the state of Minnesota and other local units of state government are considering. The recommendation was accepted by the committee.

At Tuesdays meeting county administrator, Nicole Hansen brought up the idea of holding an open forum before board meetings.

In addressing the board Hansen referred to Minnesotas Open Meeting Law which in general establishes the publics right to attend meetings but does not guarantee it a right to speak.

An open forum is a dedicated time for the public to address the board regarding county business.

Hansen outlined the role of the county board under state statute along with its obligations.

As part of that we talked about ,should we be adding an open forum discussion to our regular agenda so any citizen can ask to submit a request to come in and be given however many minutes the board wants to designate to talk about whatever issue that might be talked about? Something they want the board to hear about.

Hansen suggested a possible course of action for open forum comments - that requests for open forum time be made by noon on the Monday before a board meeting along with the name of the person making the request and topic. They would also have to adhere to the amount of time they were given to speak.

Commissioners Wayne Johnson, Betty Murphy and Lee Rogness had questions for Hansen that pertained to the open forum issue.

Johnson asked Hansen if staff could have a proposed style for an open forum resolution ready for discussion and a vote ready by March 3.

I would suggest that we have already done a lot of work on this and by March 10 we might be able to have the information online, Hansen said.

Rogness asked for a consensus from the board to which Johnson replied: I move that staff establish and implement a dedicated time for the public to address the board regarding county business as recommended by MCIT (Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust).

The motion was seconded by Commissioner John Lindquist and the proposal was approved unanimously by the board.

John Rehborg was one constituent that was definitely not pleased with the proceedings Tuesday morning.

They (expletive) us all, he said. Right along with when they did their refugee vote which nobody cared about and I think every one of them should be voted out of office.

A short time later Rehborg ran into an old classmate who shared some of his feelings.

I would like them to make some type of resolution, said Steve Huddleston, who also looked for some action on the Second Amendment sanctuary question. I think Otter Tail County needs to stand up and say Hey red flag laws and total background checks ...what that means is that if John and I are out deer hunting I cant even legally hand him my rifle while I gut out a deer without an FFL (Federal Firearms License) because wed both become felons.

The Minnesota Constitution does not contain a provision regarding a right to bear arms and the state Supreme Court has ruled that even if such a right existed it would not be absolute.

The Minnesota State is going against the Constitution, Rehborg said.

The Minnesota Legislature has also not voted on a red flag law which authorize courts to issue a special type of protection order, allowing the police to temporarily confiscate firearms from people who are deemed by a judge to be a danger to themselves or to others.

Following the meeting one onlooker pointed out his belief that 80% of the people in attendance were there because of the Second Amendment sanctuary proposal and expressed regret that the board allowed no one to address it, even during a short period of general discussion.

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OTC board talks open forum, 2nd Amendment sanctuary not discussed - Southernminn.com

OpinionNy Safe: The Hydra Beast with Several Heads, Part One

New York -(AmmoLand.com)- Andrew Cuomo, the rabid anti-Constitutionalist Governor of New York, currently serving his third term in office, signed the New York Safe Act for more than seven years ago.

Coming on the heels of the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting incident, occurring in Newtown, Connecticut in December 2012and ostensibly because of itCuomo demonstrated to New Yorks residents that he would be the first Governor out of the gate to dramatically increase his States already highly restrictive gun laws, and it became so.

On his website, Cuomo describes the Hydra monster he unleashed on New York, thus:

The SAFE Act stops criminals and the dangerously mentally ill from buying a gun . . . and imposes the toughest assault weapons ban in the country. . . [but that] For hunters, sportsman, and law-abiding gun owners, this new law preserves and protects your right to buy, sell, keep or use your guns. This is pure claptrap.

The Arbalest Quarrel exposed the truth about Cuomos Safe Act and wrote extensively about it when first enacted and signed into law. We pointed out that Cuomos ambitions for disarming the public extend well beyond the confines of New York. He intends to make the Safe Act the model for restrictive gun laws throughout the Nation.

We also pointed out that Cuomo has always intended for the Safe Act to be construed as a work in progress, not an end in itself. We concluded that, as with all anti-Second Amendment rights zealots, Cuomo would not rest until the Nations armed citizenry ceases to exist. The true scope of the anti-Second Amendment zealots agenda, as directed against the very idea of a citizen army, isnt mere hyperbole. It is fact, and it is a critical step in the Collectivists goal to destroy the fabric of a free Constitutional Republic, along with the sacred, fundamental, immutable, inalienable rights and liberties of the American people that come with it.

The sheer tenacity of Collectivists efforts to eliminate the exercise of the Second Amendment, and the feral ferocity they have unleashed in our Nation, has been on public display for at least the last three decades and continues. A constant reminder that Anti-Second Amendment Collectivist fanatics, such as Andrew Cuomo, thoroughly detest the Second Amendment. And will machinate and orchestrate behind the scenes, fanatically, frantically, tirelessly with like-kindin the mainstream Press and in social media, in academia and in the technology, business, and financial sectors, in State Legislatures and in Congress, and in various Grassroots anti-Second Amendment groups and in segments of the medical communityto destroy it.

Consider the glee with which The New York Times reportedon January 29, 2019, scarcely two months after Cuomos election to a third term as New Yorks Governor, in an article titled New York Passes First Major Gun Control Bills Since Sandy Hookthe Governors extraordinarily wide-ranging assault against the Second Amendment:

New York lawmakers on Tuesday approved the most comprehensive set of gun bills in the state in six years, including measures that would ban bump stocks, prohibit teachers from carrying guns in schools and extend the waiting period for gun buyers who do not pass an instant background check.

In total, six gun bills passed easily through the State Senate and Assembly, a remarkable sight in a Capitol that for years had resisted almost all new legislation on the subject.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, last ushered a major gun safety package into law in 2013, after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The governor successfully corralled recalcitrant Senate Republicans into supporting the so-called Safe Act that expanded the states ban on assault weapons, tightened certification requirements, increased criminal penalties for illegal guns and closed private sale loopholes.

Mr. Cuomo has described the Safe Act as one of his signature achievements.

Sometimes history irrefutably bears out your actions, the governor said on Tuesday, at a news conference lined with gun safety advocates. Today is the next evolution in this ongoing crusade.

The relative ease of the laws passage highlighted, for the second time in just two days, the upheaval that Novembers election brought to Albany. Democrats captured the Senate for the first time in a decade, delivering one-party control of state government. Since the legislative session began this month, both chambers have sent long-stymied bills in rapid-fire procession to the governors desk.

The notion that a body of rights exists, independent of and beyond the governments lawful power and authority to modify, ignore, or abrogate, is anathema to the Collectivists ideology. Collectivists do not accept and, in fact, find, abhorrent the notion of and reality of natural law that falls beyond the power of government to lawfully regulate and manipulate.

Proponents of Collectivism take as axiomatic that all law is a creation of man and therefore is subject to amendment or repeal by man, as time, circumstance, and even whim, dictates. The import and impact of the Collectivist ideology are evident in the Collectivists' constant, belligerent, bellicose attacks on the Nations fundamental, immutable, unalienable, primordial, and absolute rights and liberties. No clearer illustration is there than in their disregard and contempt for the elemental right codified in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The very existence of an armed citizenry is, on a physical level, a bane to a governments power over the citizenry. But, on a philosophical plane, the notion of an armed citizenry, one absolutely necessary to the security of a free stategrounded on the Divine right of a people to own and possess firearms, predicated on Divine law, independent of artificial social and political constructs designed by man, and arising from a teleological, God-based ethical and moral systemis a notion logically incompatible with the tenets of the Collectivist ideology and repugnant to those who adhere to those tenets.

Specious rationales for enacting more draconian firearms laws are, then, unsurprisingly, no longer deemed necessary, thanks to well-funded, sophisticated media propaganda that has been successful in deluding many citizens; convincing the citizenry they no longer need their Second Amendment; that Government will surely provide for them and will assuredly secure their physical safety and well-being.

Its the imposition of Government tyrannyclothed in innocuous terminology, suggestive of the Nanny Statethat the Anti-Constitutionalist forces want. Yet, it was specifically tyranny against which the founders of our Nation revolted; it was tyranny the framers of our Constitution loathed and sought ever to prevent in the Constitutional Republic they created. But it is tyranny the American citizenry of the present day will certainly get if the CollectivistsAnti-Constitutionalist Democratsdo gain complete control over the reins of Government. If that should occur, the new wave Progressive and Radical Left Democrats will then have the necessary power to impose their will on the American public and do with the citizenry whatever the hell they want.

We see this playing out in recent days in several States: a dangerous precursor to what Americans may expect to see played out on the National stage if either the New wave Progressive and Radical Leftists that the seditious mainstream media refers to, euphemistically and erroneously, as liberal Democrats, or if the establishment, statist Democrats, that the seditious mainstream media likens to political moderates, gain control of the Executive and Legislative Branches of Government and, inevitably, the Judicial Branch of the Federal Government, as well. Both factions of the Democrat Party adhere to the philosophical tenets of Collectivism. But, the philosophy of Collectivism is anathema to adherents of the philosophical tenets of Individualism, upon which our Nation was founded, the blueprint of which is manifest in the Constitution. The proof of the Collectivists goal to undercut the fabric of our free Constitutional Republicpredicated on the tenets of Individualismis demonstrable and undeniable. See the Arbalest Quarrel article, titled, The Modern Civil War: A Clash of Ideologies.

The transnational world order that Collectivists envision and wish to implement is inconsistent with the very notion of a free Constitutional Republic, the blueprint of which exists in the Nation's Constitution.

But, to destroy a free Constitutional Republic, it is essential for the Collectivists to first destroy the one impenetrable barrier to the realization of their vision of a transnational political, social, economic, and cultural system of governance that transcends all nation-states. Collectivists must destroy the one guarantor of our free Constitutional Republic.

About The Arbalest Quarrel:

Arbalest Group created `The Arbalest Quarrel' website for a special purpose. That purpose is to educate the American public about recent Federal and State firearms control legislation. No other website, to our knowledge, provides as deep an analysis or as thorough an analysis. Arbalest Group offers this information free.

For more information, visit: http://www.arbalestquarrel.com.

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Governor Andrew Cuomo's Safe Act: A Work In Progress To Destroy The Second Amendment - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

Opinion: David Reece, CEO of AR500 Armor, makes his case for more tools of liberty in the hands of free American patriots.

USA -(AmmoLand.com)- Hey, guys, David Reese here with a AR500 armor #ad. We are free craftsman. We create tools of liberty. Body armor is a tool of liberty.

There are three common categories of threats to your rights. The Second Amendment is designed to protect us from all three. People often talk about common criminals and then foreign invasion. Although people mock that, the reality is that an armed populace is a part of what deters foreign invasion and actually allows for lower defense spending. So if you're a fan of smaller government then an armed populace helps to make it so that our nation is more secure without having to have a continuous bill for it. But the third thing is domestic tyranny. Domestic tyranny is not a threat to be laughed at. If you're at all familiar with modern history or the history of the entire human race before that, you're aware that governments tend to oppress their own people.

Tyrant wannabes and mob rule demagogues use criminals as an excuse to reduce the arms possessed by citizens gradually through bad legislation and steps towards disarmament. Being armed with the tools of liberty requires more than just owning firearms. In our time a good rifle is the primary tool of liberty required to resist tyranny. The second tool of liberty is armor. If you have to use your rifle, then you'll need armor too. The Second Amendment is about more than the right to own guns. It's about the responsibility to protect your rights.

The Second Amendment says you have the right to keep and bear arms, but unless you own arms and armor, you do not have the ability to use them when you need them. You need to get them so that you have them. Now you need to get them ahead of time because otherwise, you will not be able to train. And training is necessary to use them effectively. So you to get the tools of liberty you need to train. You need to learn about how and when to use them. If you do not exercise this right, you will not have the ability to resist common criminals, foreign invasion or domestic tyranny when you need to.

The rights expressed in the Second Amendment by themselves deter and to some degree preserve our liberties. But the exercise of the right is a deterrent that helps you to be bolder in defending your rights in the public sphere. Owning both tools of liberty, body armor, and a good firearm provides you with the peace of mind to carry on with the rest of life knowing that you have the tools you need to defend your God-given rights and to pass those rights along to the next generation. Nobody in a gunfight ever wished they had less protection. Trust in God and keep your powder dry. Arms and armor. The two A's of the Second Amendment.

Again, I'm David Reese with a AR500 armor. We are free craftsmen. We create tools of liberty. And body armor is a tool of liberty.

ABOUT AR500 ARMOR

AR500 Armor launched its own line of ballistic armor and body armor solutions in 2012. We entered the industry with the mindset of manufacturing top quality, reliable products that offered our customers high-value solutions. Our products are intended for responsible law-abiding American citizens, our law-enforcement personnel, and our military personnel; we currently sell to legal residents of the United States.

With our unique in-house manufacturing processes and ability to acquire material made to our specifications, weve set the standard for ballistic steel core body armor. Utilizing industry-leading spall and fragmentation mitigation coatings we've further increased what's possible with ballistic steel. Our products are available through our website and authorized dealers throughout the United States. AR500 Armor is a privately held business; Our Headquarters, team members, and manufacturing facility are located in Phoenix, Arizona.

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2As of the Second Amendment, Comments by David Reece, CEO AR500 Armor ~ VIDEO - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

TRAVERSE CITY The resolution supporting the Second Amendment making its way to county decision-makers across the state has landed on the Grand Traverse County boards agenda.

County Board Chair Rob Hentschel on Friday requested county staff put the resolution on the boards March 4 meeting agenda.

The resolution is similar to one passed unanimously by Kalkaska County and discussed but not passed in Antrim County.

On Tuesday, officials in Monroe County, southeast of Ann Arbor, also passed what has been called a Second Amendment Sanctuary County resolution and Hentschel said the verbiage is nearly identical to what is being proposed for Grand Traverse.

The word sanctuary has been removed from the title of the resolution set to be discussed in Grand Traverse County because of a concern about confusion over Sanctuary Cities as an immigration rights term, Hentschel said.

For me personally its a no-brainer, and the resolution in Monroe got support from three Democrats so if anything can get the full support here, this one can, he said in a phone interview Friday.

Unlike the resolution passed in Kalkaska, the resolution under consideration in Grand Traverse contains the following paragraphs:

IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners, hereby, declares its intent that public funds of the county not be used directly or indirectly, to restrict the Second Amendment rights of the citizens of Grand Traverse County to keep and bear arms; nor shall this Board appropriate any funds to aid in the unnecessary and unconstitutional restriction of rights under the Second Amendment; nor shall this Board appropriate any funds for enforcement of unconstitutional laws against the people of Grand Traverse County; and

IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners, hereby, declares its intent to oppose unconstitutional restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms through such lawful means as may be expedient;

The board has previously been criticized by meeting attendees and some of its own members for taking positions on state and national issues such as adding a citizenship question to the U.S. Census and supporting an Enbridge tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac.

But Hentschel said in this instance, it is proper to do so.

Were so far removed from state and national government, he said. I believe its appropriate to take a stand at the county level.

The Commission meets Wednesday March 4, beginning at 8 a.m., on the second floor of the Governmental Center, 400 Boardman Ave.

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2nd Amendment resolution on GT board agenda | Local News - Traverse City Record Eagle

The Oconee County Gun Coalition is making plans to ask the Oconee County Board of Commissioners to pass a resolution declaring the county a Second Amendment Sanctuary County.

If the Board of Commissioners were to approve the resolution, the county would join at least 21 other counties in the state in supporting decisions by the Sheriff "to not enforce any unconstitutional firearm restrictions."

The resolution also calls on the commissioners to agree not to use government funds or resources to enforce any law "that unconstitutionally infringes on the right of the people to keep and bear arms."

Ryan Anglin, representing the Oconee County Gun Coalition, announced his plans as a featured speaker at the Oconee County Republic Party meeting Monday night.

Anglin did not have a time line for when he planned to introduce his resolution to the Board of Commissioners, three of whom were in the standing-room only crowd at the Oconee County Chamber Of Commerce auditorium in Watkinsville.

Oconee County Republicans also heard Carolyn Fisher, first vice president of the state Republican Party, call for party civility, referencing the contest between incumbent U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler and challenger Doug Collins in the special election scheduled for November.

Candidates James Hale and Jimmy Williamson, both seeking to replace retiring Sheriff Scott Berry, also made pitches for support in the May 19 Republican Party Primary.

Michael Ranson was not at the meeting, but he issued a news release Monday announcing that he plans to seek the Republican Party nomination to replace retiring Board of Education Member Wayne Bagley. Ranson is a member of the county's Farmland Preservation Committee.

For more on the story, with a video of the Republican Party meeting, please go to Oconee County Observations.

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Gun Coalition Wants Oconee County To Be 2nd Amendment Sanctuary - Patch.com

"The Legislature had the strength to pass this measure because we all recognize: Enough is enough," Lujan Grisham said in a statement. "This law is sensible and balanced. It is a good public safety measure. If it saves even one life, and it will, we will have done good work here."

Dubbed the Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order Act, the law adds New Mexico to a list of 17 other states that have passed similar "red flag" laws, allowing law enforcement to take away weapons from at-risk individuals.

The laws have faced heavy backlash -- from both gun rights activists and law enforcement officials who say the measures violate residents' Second Amendment rights and don't follow due process.

In a public letter over the weekend, the head of the New Mexico Sheriffs' Association, Tony Mace, wrote that red flag laws don't allow gun owners to defend themselves against an initial confiscation order.

"Citizens have a right to bear arms and we cannot circumvent that right when they have not even committed a crime or even been accused of committing one," he wrote. "'Shall not be infringed' is a very clear and concise component of an Amendment that our forefathers felt was important enough to be recognized immediately following freedom of speech and religion."

Speaking to reporters during the signing, the governor said law enforcement leaders had no choice but to enforce the law.

"They cannot not enforce," she said. "And if they really intend to do that, they should resign as a law enforcement officer and leader in that community."

Striking a balance

Under the new law, the petition should be accompanied by information that would allow the court to determine whether a gun owner "poses a significant danger of causing imminent personal injury to self or others."

If that's the case and guns are taken away, a hearing held within 10 days would help determine whether the confiscation should last a year.

The law, supporters say, strikes the perfect balance between gun rights and safety.

But even with the changes, law enforcement leaders said it imposed on rights granted by the Constitution.

In response to red flag laws, gun sanctuaries

President Donald Trump backed red flag laws after a spurt of shootings over the summer -- including in El Paso, Texas; Dayton, Ohio; and Gilroy, California.

But as states began passing their own versions of red flag laws, municipalities across the country responded by proclaiming themselves Second Amendment "sanctuaries," saying they wouldn't enforce laws that infringe on their rights.

In Colorado -- where family, household members and law enforcement can petition a court for a protective order -- sheriffs said last year they'd rather go to jail than enforce the law.

"My biggest fear for the law is violating someone's constitutional rights and the potential for placing my deputies in a situation for an encounter with an armed individual," Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams told CNN in 2019.

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New Mexico's governor signed a red flag gun measure into law and urged sheriffs to enforce it or resign - CNN

LUMBERTON Two state lawmakers want to see Robeson and Columbus join the growing ranks of North Carolina counties that have approved Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions.

State Sen. Danny Britt Jr., a Republican from Lumberton, plans bring up the issue of a Robeson County resolution that protects the right to keep and bear arms during the Feb. 3 or Feb. 17 meeting of the Robeson County Board of Commissioners.

Britt also said Wednesday that he supports state Rep. Brenden Jones effort to get a similar resolution approved in Columbus County.

I spoke with Sen. Britt this morning and he asked it he could be on the agenda at the next meeting, said Lance Herndon, chairman of the Board of Commissioners.

Britt told him he wants to speak about issues from around the country regarding the Second Amendment, Herndon said. He appeared receptive.

I dont think it would be a negative, Herndon said. The Second Amendment is part of the U.S. Constitution and we are sworn to uphold it.

Jones, a Republican who represents Columbus and Robeson counties, asked the Columbus County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday to designate Columbus County a Second Amendment Sanctuary.

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article 1, Section 30 of the North Carolina Constitution expressly protect the peoples right to keep and bear arms, Jones said. Recent gun control efforts by those around the country, however, have led various counties and towns to take a proactive stance to ensure there is no infringement upon this constitutional right. As a result, passing or enacting a resolution of this kind would work to oppose restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms.

The resolution Jones proposed would state that no county resources, or that of any Columbus County municipality, are to be used in the disarmament of any county resident.

Furthermore, if such sanctuary measures were passed or enacted, the Columbus County Board of Commissioners would be expressing their deepest commitment in protecting the constitutional right of all citizens in Columbus County to keep and bear arms, Jones said.

Jones proposed resolution commits the county government to protect the rights of Columbus County residents rights to bear arms.

P. Edwin Russ, Columbus County Board of Commissioners chairman, said Wednesday that Jones was heard by the board members and his proposal was discussed.

We had one commissioner ask a lot of questions, Russ said.

The discussion was for information purposes only and no action on the proposal was taken by the board, he said. However, County Attorney Amanda Prince is studying the issue with the goal of drawing up a Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution for the commissioners to consider.

I feel sure it will pass at our next meeting, which is Feb. 3, Russ said.

There is no guarantee that the amendment question will be on the Feb. 3 agenda, said Clerk to the Board June Hall. A pre-agenda meeting is held a week before each board meeting, and items sometimes are taken off the agenda.

If approved, Columbus County would be the ninth North Carolina county to adopt a Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution. According to Jones and news reports, Alexander, Cabarrus, Cherokee, Cleveland, Catawba, Lincoln, Rutherford and Union counties already have approved similar resolutions.

Gun-right advocates across the country have been mobilizing to protect what they say is a consitutional right. On Virginia, 22,000 people marched on the Capitol in Virginia to express concerns about proposed legislation that they say would cut back on some of their gun-ownership rights. Despite widespread worry that it would become violent, it remained peaceful, with just two people arrested on minor charges.

Reach T.C. Hunter via email at [emailprotected] or by calling 910-816-1974.

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Britt wants Robeson as Second Amendment Sanctuary - The Robesonian