As the government has continually attempted to curtail the rights of US citizens, some brave states, counties, and even cities have taken a stand.
Second Amendment (2A) sanctuaries are regions where the unconstitutional efforts of the federal government to infringe on our gun rights are being fought through direct local governmental disobedience. Over the years, state & federal gun control laws have become progressively more and more rigid and restrictive. For instance, 2018 saw Illinois lawmakers attempt to enforce a handful of new gun control bands, including bands on bump stocks, assault weapons, and high-capacity magazines.
But it didn’t take long for some citizens to say, “No more”. Within weeks, several rural Illinois counties, with the support of local sheriff’s offices, issued statements explaining that they had no intention of following the bans, should they come to pass.
While the first official act of resistance is thought to have occurred in Maryland, it was the above Illinois example that popularized the term sanctuary – deliberately taken from so-called “sanctuary states” for illegal immigrants.
Alone, Second Amendment sanctuaries don’t have much power when it comes to resisting the unconstitutional weapons bans currently being enforced and levied by the federal government. However, the Second Amendment sanctuary movement has grown over time and become more popular, especially in states with more reasoned citizens.
As more and more local communities stand up and join the struggle, sweeping change may yet turn the tide of the national debate on the right to bear arms.
Why Are Second Amendment Sanctuaries Needed?
There are plenty of Americans who don’t believe that the federal government has any right to be handing out gun-control laws, which ought to be a state-level matter. However, this hasn’t stopped the federal government from kowtowing to the whims of illogical masses. Over time, more and more progressive gun legislation has been passed at the federal, if not the state, level.
Interestingly, the roots of the Second Amendment sanctuary movement began even before 2018. Several states, like Alaska, had already implemented various gun laws resisting federal restrictions in order to retain freedoms for their citizens. These Second Amendment protections represent the true grit and power of American citizens.
What States Have Second Amendment Sanctuaries?
At this time, 2A sanctuaries may be individual state counties all the way up to full states; there are also some sanctuary cities.
Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, and Wyoming are the four states that have signed full legislation protecting the right to bear arms, declaring that certain previously banned firearms and/or accessories are exempt from federal regulation.
But you can find 2A sanctuary counties in states like Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, and more. Many of the states have so many sanctuary counties that they’re essentially Second Amendment sanctuary states already!
Ultimately, Second Amendment sanctuaries fulfill a vital role in the fight to retain firearm freedoms. They're continuing to spread and will only become more common if the federal government doesn't learn to respect the constitutional rights of the states.
Thank you for reading, defend your liberties.
Justin
Author
