Month: January 2020

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2nd Amendment Sanctuary Movement Sweeps State, Galvanizes Local Citizens

Lisa Martin:

“…Following Governor Ralph Northam’s 2019 promise to advance gun control laws in Virginia, newly elected state representatives have introduced a slew of bills aimed at restricting gun sales and ownership, including one in particular that has ignited a firestorm of opposition from citizens across the state. SB 16, introduced by Senator Richard Saslaw in November, would ban the purchase, sale, or possession of commonly owned semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns, under penalty of a Class 6 felony conviction punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment.

Governor Northam said that gun safety bills will “save lives and improve public safety in our communities,” speaking at a Cabinet meeting after Democrats gained a majority in both the Senate and House of Delegates in the November elections. “It’s going to be a new day,” he said. Other proposed legislation includes expanded background checks on firearms sales, restrictions on handgun purchases within a 30-day period, and “red flag” laws allowing police and the courts to temporarily disarm a person exhibiting dangerous behavior…

…Senator Saslaw’s filing touched off a vehement reaction from gun rights advocates, who believe the proposed restrictions to be unconstitutional at both the state and federal levels. The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), a non-profit group that advocates for pro-gun legislation at the state level, immediately organized a process for individual counties, towns, and cities to assert “Second Amendment sanctuary” status by asking their local councils or boards to pass a resolution. 

The resolution’s language expresses “opposition to any law that would unconstitutionally restrict the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms,” thus providing figurative “sanctuary” from the new law’s enforcement. It is a statement of opposition—a symbolic message of disapproval and resistance from local elected bodies—but does not carry legal authority. 

Nonetheless, over the last two months Virginia’s “2A sanctuary” movement has exploded. Citizens have bombarded their local city and county board meetings with calls for officials to adopt the resolution language, filling venues to overflow and speaking passionately about gun ownership. Louisa County’s December meeting attracted 600 people, 1,500 attended in Virginia Beach, and Rockingham County saw more than 2,000 citizens fill a high school gym to bursting…”

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A Second Amendment sanctuary movement is sweeping through Kentucky. Here’s why

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On Iran

Victor Davis Hanson:

“…Iran deeply erred in thinking that Trump’s restraint was permanent, that his impeachment meant he had lost political viability, that he would go dormant in an election year, that the stature of his left-wing opponents would surge in such tensions, and that his base would abandon him if he dared to use military force…”

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On the killing of Iranian General Soleimani

Rich Lowry:

“…This is an incredibly bold move that shows that Trump’s red line against harming Americans was very real. The conventional wisdom that Trump is just a Twitter tiger, which was driving news and analysis as of a couple of hours ago, is now emphatically OTBE. Soleimani is commonly called a terrorist, obviously true enough, but not only that — he was a major figure in the Iranian regime, a key strategist with unique skills who led the Iranian imperial project in the Middle East. He was also a cold-blooded killer of Americans who deserved to die. His assassination has to be a staggering blow to the regime, which will feel compelled to respond. Trump now may well face the first true foreign-policy crisis of his presidency, although we can, assuming the will, hit the Iranians back harder whatever their next move is (challenging us more forthrightly in Iraq would seem an obvious possibility). Let’s hope we are prepared for whatever comes next, and congratulate all involved in this successful operation to rid the world of a cunning and ruthless killer…”

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Doug Santo