Democratic governors of states with significant non-leftist populations tend to lean centrist. In part, it’s because they know they need the consent and at least some of the support of their state’s conservatives in order to win office and govern effectively. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, however, isn’t a centrist, but rather a radical left-winger made more radical – if that were even possible – by his constant need to grovel before the social justice wing of his party to “atone” for his blackface or KKK-robe-wearing medical school yearbook picture past.
It’s a problem for freedom-loving Virginians that only intensified when Democrats managed to narrowly take over both statehouses and chose to interpret their victory as a mandate to pass a radical leftist agenda that would make the likes of California, New York, and Oregon proud. In the most newsworthy of the various ways they intend to destroy the once-great state, Virginia Democratic lawmakers plan to pass a whole lot of unneeded gun control legislation in 2020, legislation that will make the lives of all its citizens significantly worse.
The scariest, so far, of all the proposals put forth by Governor Coonman and crew is a ban on commonly used semi-automatic firearms currently owned legally by thousands of thus-far law-abiding gun owners. In a gesture of purported acquiescence to the state’s significant non-leftist population, current gun owners will apparently be “grandfathered” in, but only on the condition that they register their firearms. How many who choose to comply with an action that everyone knows good and well would eventually lead to some sort of confiscation will determine how many formerly law-abiding Virginians will then be outside the law, in effect ‘outlaws’ simply waiting to be caught.
These draconian gun control proposals have led to a rise in, thus far, peaceful resistance, with thousands of concerned citizens showing up at meetings all across the state to express their disapproval. County seats by the dozen have passed and are passing so-called “gun sanctuary” legislation which would conceivably prevent local law enforcement from enforcing state gun laws, although the state’s blackface-wearing Democratic attorney general has opined that such measures “have no force of law.”
The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), a statewide pro-Second Amendment lobbying group is mobilizing thousands for a lobby day in Richmond on January 20. The hope is that the more moderate of the Democratic lawmakers (if there is such an animal), will think twice about some of the more draconian proposals and pull their party back from the brink. If not, things get a lot murkier, fast.
Among the more outspoken county officials is Page County Sheriff Chad Cubbage, who before expressing his hope that lawmakers “are listening in Richmond” and “will not go through with these bills,” told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson in no uncertain terms that, if they do, he and his staff “stand ready to protect the citizens of Page County from their rights being infringed upon.”
“It is not law enforcement’s place to infringe upon the rights of law-abiding citizens,” Cubbage continued. “It is our obligation to protect them." Many other sheriffs are of the same mind, including Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, who promised to deputize thousands if so-called “red flag” legislation is passed.
For their part, Democrats aren’t taking the backlash lying down. Instead, they are doubling down, though ironically they would doubtlessly support the “sanctuary” concept when it comes to enforcing federal immigration law. Manassas Delegate Lee Carter proposed a bill that would terminate any law enforcement official who “willfully refuses to perform the duties of his employment.” Northam himself bared his fangs, threatening to summon the Virginia National Guard if needed, and declaring: “If we have constitutional laws on the books and law enforcement officers are not enforcing those laws on the books, then there are going to be consequences, but I’ll cross that bridge if and when we get to it.”
Further, budget bill HB20 includes $250,000 to fund the estimated “increase in the operating cost of adult correctional facilities resulting from the enactment” of new gun control legislation. Because when you criminalize things that weren’t criminal before, you inevitably create a whole new crop of “criminals.”
In other words, they aren’t just coming for your guns, dear Virginia gun owner. They’re coming for you.
Which brings up the murky part, because if the history of such laws in Connecticut, New Zealand and elsewhere are any indication, the likelihood of a majority of Virginia gun owners complying with these new laws is next to nil. So, when the peasants inevitably refuse to prostrate themselves before their new masters, will the state government push some kind of confrontation with local authorities who refuse to help? Will they ask the Trump administration for assistance? Or will they simply ride things out, using state agents to prosecute cases as they arise, knowing full well there are thousands of “outlaws” out there just waiting to be caught.
I suspect, for all their bluster, Democrats will settle for the long game. Get the laws on the books. Get people used to them. Then, pick off the dissenters one by one. It’s the path of least resistance, and having the laws on the books is half the battle for these jackals. After all, selective “justice” has always been part of the Bolshevik playbook.
In response, Second Amendment proponents in Virginia should play the long game too. They may not be able to stop the laws from getting on the books, but they should most certainly challenge each new law as unconstitutional by any state or federal constitutional measure. They should also use this issue as a springboard to continue to organize and defeat leftists in every remotely swing district. And yes, local authorities should absolutely refuse to help them enforce their ridiculous laws.
Finally, I won’t render my opinion here on whether Virginians should obey new gun laws, but I will note that, historically, laws being ignored en masse is a key first step towards eventually getting them repealed.