• Growing numbers of local politicians, lawmen vow to resist any federal gun ban/confiscation schemes
By Pat Shannan
The nation is up in arms. Following the announcement by Kentucky Sheriff Denny Peyman that no federal gun-grabbing statutes would be recognized and enforced in his county, a number of sheriffs and local politicians around the country have come forward to show their support for the Second Amendment.
Oregon Sheriff Tim Mueller went public with a letter he had written to Vice President Joe Biden that went even further.
Some of the text stated: “We must not allow, nor shall we tolerate, the action of criminals, no matter how heinous the crimes, to prompt politicians to enact laws that will infringe upon the liberties of the responsible citizens who have broken no laws.”
Mueller went on to respectfully inform Biden that no such federal regulations would be honored in Linn County, Oregon.
The Mueller letter motivated Cherokee County, Georgia Sheriff Roger Garrison to publish a long letter of Second Amendment support in his local paper wherein he quoted and reiterated the Oregon sheriff’s sentiments.
Texas went further. Republican state Representative Steve Toth filed in the Texas state legislature his newly drafted “Firearms Protection Act,” which would make illegal any federal laws imposed by presidential order or passed by Congress restricting any type of gun ownership. His bill calls for the arrest and jailing of any federal official attempting to enforce these types of statutes in Texas. Oklahoma legislators followed suit, though they call for politicians to face five years for gutting the Second Amendment.
Thirty out of the 33 sheriffs in New Mexico appeared at Santa Fe’s Capitol offices on January 17 to remind the governor and others that he and they had sworn an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, which included the people’s right to bear arms.
In Burlington, Vermont, outraged citizens packed city hall to contest the proposed change to the city charter, which would ban semi-automatic weapons.
The Utah Sheriffs Association has written an open letter to President Barack Obama, outlining its opposition to any executive orders altering gun laws. “As professional peace officers, we understand this: Lawful violence must sometimes be employed to deter and stop criminal violence,” they wrote.
The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association has announced the increased support of nearly 100 sheriffs and is publishing a form letter for anyone to use to query the local sheriff on whether he intends to join this movement and if not, then why he does not.
Pat Shannan is an AFP contributing editor and the author of several best-selling videos and books.
