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NEWAYGO, Mich. Some citizens in Newaygo County are pushing to become a sanctuary county when it comes to the second amendment. Its similar to a resolution being considered in Ionia County.

Ionia County tabled their discussion on their resolution to give the prosecutor and sheriff more time to look it over. Citizens in Newaygo County are hoping for a similar plan meant to protect peoples right to bear arms.

To me, it seems like our 2nd amendment rights are being infringed upon by other groups wanting to take our rights away," Mike Hikade said.

Thats why Hikade volunteered to lead the group in Newaygo County interested in making it a sanctuary county for the 2nd amendment.

It just seems that because of unfortunate incidences that have happened that all of a sudden the thing they want to do is take guns away from people," he said.

Hikade says his efforts started with a Change.org petition to gauge interest in the idea. Now he says he turned in a petition to the county board with more than 500 signatures in support.

He says the goal is to ensure the second amendment is upheld in Newaygo County should any gun control legislation be passed at the state or federal level.

"To me, this just reinforces that right, Hikade said.

Wednesday morning, county commissioners listened to a member of the second amendment groups presentation.

Newaygo County commissioner and board chairman Bryan Kolk told FOX 17, I think what theyre asking us to do is to follow the constitution in how those laws are enforced should there be something that would be considered a non-constitutional law passed."

He added, "Now, the board of commissioners... it does not tell the sheriff or the prosecutors office how they run their office. So we cant dictate to them how they would enforce this.

Kolk says all the commissioners have already taken an oath to uphold the constitution.

At this point, well take a look at what he presented to us and if we decide we like what we see and if weve given this the right time then well probably bring this forward," he said.

Hikade said, The way I look at this too, to me I want to consider part of this piece to be education about why firearms are needed or why its necessary to do this.

The board chairman says the next step is for a board member to take up the resolution to consider it for a adoption if a commissioner chooses to do so.

Read the original post:
Newaygo County citizens petition board to become '2nd amendment sanctuary county' - Fox17

Dear Editor:

Why did our Founders add the right to bear arms to our Bill of Rights? It was because some felt that without this guarantee, the federal government would disarm the people in order to disable the citizens militia, enabling a politicized standing army or a select militia to rule.

So New York state, under the leadership of liberal elected officials, has shackled its citizens with gun-control legislation. What is the reason? is New York state leading the way for state control of constitutional rights? Given the control of the state by Democratic, liberal elected and appointed officials and the new changes in our judicial bail system, one can only wonder: Are we heading toward a state government that will try to eliminate our freedom?

The U.S Supreme Court, in its 2008 ruling inDistrict of Columbia v. Heller, held that the Second Amendment protects an individuals right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that weapon for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense, within the home. Moreover, this right applies not just to the nation, but to states and municipalities.

The court reasoned that this right is fundamental to the nations scheme of ordered liberty, given that self-defense was a basic right recognized by many legal systems from ancient times to the present, and the court, in the Heller ruling, held that individual self-defense was the central component of the Second Amendment right.

Protect your rights.

Joseph Izzo

Catskill, N.Y.

Read more here:
LETTER: NY state law defies Second Amendment and right to bear arms - The Daily Freeman

January 23, 2020

LUMBERTON There was a standing-room-only crowd Thursday evening in the A.D. Lewis Auditorium at Robeson Community College during a forum on preventing and stopping an active shooter situation in churches.

The forum was in response to a recent shooting at a church in Texas during which a person who was armed killed the assailant, but not before two people had died and others were injured.

The auditorium accommodates about 800 people.

To be honest, we were only expecting 200 people, Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said.

More than 100 people were turned away because of fire codes related to crowd size, the sheriff said. But, because of the large turnout at the event that began at 6 p.m. and public interest generated by the event, he is considering holding more forums in the future.

The days and times we are living in, we need to protect people at all times, said Sheila Beck, a member of Ten Mile Center Baptist Church in Saddletree.

Beck said the forum gave her very educational life-saving information to help her church form a plan in case of an active shooter situation.

Others echoed her concern.

I hope to protect our church, said Danny Smith, who attends Island Grove Baptist Church in Prospect.

Michael Bowen, pastor of East Lumberton Baptist Church, said the church has a security team and he came hoping to develop a plan of action.

Its a good idea. We need this, Bowen said. All churches need this.

Members of Faith Assembly Church of God, on Evans Street in St. Pauls, also were present.

We came out to hear about how we can prevent some of the tragedies we are hearing about in the media, Christopher Clark said.

The event hit home for members of Westside Baptist Church in Red Springs.

The churchs pastor was beat up during a robbery that occurred at a choir practice in March 1996, said Kevin Mauldin, a member of the church. After the incident, the church formed a security team to protect those in attendance, Mauldin said.

Im a firm believer its my responsibility to take care of me, he said. You have a right to take care of yourself.

Sheriff Wilkins agrees.

We cannot allow you to remain in church as a sitting duck and just sit there, Wilkins said.

Lt. Lewis Woodard, Robeson County Sheriffs Offices training coordinator, showed a video of the Dec. 29 church shooting at West Freeway Church of Christ in Texas that left two people dead. Woodard then used images showing the behaviors of the people present during the shooting to demonstrate what should be done.

Churchgoers should be aware of their surroundings at all times, Woodard said.

In the event of gunfire, they should get down, move away from the shooter and follow directions of the security team, he said. He encouraged using anything available, such as fire extinguishers or books, to try to stop shooter.

If you got 100 people in your church, hit him with 100 hymn books, he said. Hit him with 100 Bibles, its OK, I promise you.

Security teams should consist of more than one person, with a weekly rotation, the lieutenant said.

You need to have a plan, Woodard said. If you dont have a plan, you got nothing.

People with concealed carry permits should practice regularly to maintain accuracy, he said.

Sen. Danny Britt Jr. used the forum to speak about about Senate Bill 90, also called the Protect Religious Meeting Places bill.

The bill was filed Feb. 19, 2019, and if it becomes law it would allow people with concealed carry permits to carry handguns into churches that also operate as schools. Britt mentioned Antioch Baptist Church, located at 5089 Old Whiteville Road, which also houses Antioch Christian Academy.

Under current North Carolina law, they cannot have individuals in that church Sunday even when school is not going on with a firearm, Britt said.

He said SB 90 will allow handguns on the property outside of the schools regular hours of operation.

That is something that is very important to churches like Antioch Baptist and other churches like that across the state, Britt said.

As of June 11, 2019, the bill was in the Senate Judiciary Committee. No action has been taken on SB 90 since it entered the committee.

People can carry weapons into churches that dont double as schools.

Sheriff Wilkins reminded forum attendees that Robeson Community College offers the concealed weapon course once a month.

Shauna Hammonds, a civilian employee with the Robeson County Sheriffs Office, hands out on Thursday programs to guests at the Prevention and Response to the Active Shooter in Houses of Worship Robeson County Forum at Robeson Community College. The event was in response to a shooting last month at a Texas church that left two people dead.

Sheriff Burnis Wilkins speaks Thursday to a large crowd at the A.D. Lewis Auditorium on the campus of Robeson Community College during the Prevention and Response to the Active Shooter in Houses of Worship Robeson County Forum. About 800 people attended, with some having to be turned away.

Read more from the original source:
Britt wants Robeson as Second Amendment Sanctuary - The Robesonian

DESOTO COUNTY, Miss. (localmemphis.com) People are fired up about a weapons policy at the Landers Center. Currently, the venue says anyone not working security at a sporting game needs an empty holster.

However, an elected official is among those who disagree when that person is an off-duty officer.

The Landers Center was very clear on its firearms policy during Memphis Hustle games, like the one Wednesday when an officer attempted to enter with his weapon.

He was told he either had to hand over his weapon, which no police officer is going to do, or he had to leave the event, said Mississippi State Rep. Dana Criswell, who represents District 6.

He did leave the Memphis Hustle game, and the Landers Center says the officer worked at Northwest Community College.

Hes trained to use a weapon. Thats part of his job, said a father, who took his kids to Fridays Hustle game. So, hes going to keep someone like me safe.

State Rep. Criswell shared a post online, captioned no police allowed with and x across the Landers Center building grabbing peoples attention.

The venues executive director tells me they are contractually bound to restrict weapons.

We have a private entity, the Memphis Hustle the Memphis Grizzlies, the NBA, that has a LLC agreement with us and they state in there no firearms, explained Landers Center Exec. Director Todd Mastry.

Criswell says its a step too far when that applies to an officer and violates federal law.

When it extends so far as to a police officer in uniform, whosoever policy it is whether its Landers whether who theyre renting it to, I believe the people of DeSoto County have just said thats enough, Criswell said.

DeSoto County became the first in Mississippi Tuesday to become a second amendment safe haven after a vote Tuesday. Its essentially the same as sanctuaries sweeping other counties in the United States.

It says county funds wont be used to restrict the constitutional right to bear arms and will oppose any state and federal restrictions.

Dont be fooled that this is what its about, Mastry said.

He stressed if you come to public county events, like graduations, weapons are allowed inside.

See the article here:
DeSoto County becomes first in Mississippi to be a second amendment safe haven - WATN - Local 24

Gaston County could soon be added to a growing list of local governments vowing to oppose gun control efforts they view as unconstitutional.

Tracy Philbeck, chairman of the Gaston County Board of Commissioners, said he's sponsoring a resolution with Commissioners Chad Brown and Allen Fraley to designate Gaston County a "Second Amendment sanctuary."

It's a move to publicly protect a county residents right to keep and bear arms, supporters say. Commissioners will vote Jan. 28.

"As of right now you can say it's largely symbolic," Philbeck said. "Don't underestimate, though, if we have to we will act. As long as I'm chairman of the commission I will not support any law or ordinance that goes against the constitutional right of folks to bear arms."

The resolution states support for the Second Amendment and, "to oppose, within the limits of the Constitutions of the United States and the State of North Carolina, any efforts to unconstitutionally restrict such rights..."

Resolutions have been approved by counties across the country, including most recently in Lincoln County.

Philbeck and Chad Brown called the move a precautionary measure made necessary by the passage of new gun measures in states like Virginia and Colorado.

"I'm proud to be a sponsor on this," Chad Brown said. "Our constitution has been chipped away at by the liberal left and this is simply us saying we don't want anymore slices taken from the constitution."

Point of view matters

Duke University Law Professor Darrell Miller writes and teaches in the area of civil right and constitutional law, with emphasis on the Second and Thirteenth Amendments.

He's also written extensively about District of Columbia V. Heller, a landmark Supreme Court decision in 2008 that views the Second Amendment as protecting an individuals right to own firearms for lawful purposes like self-defense within the home.

He wrote last summer that Second Amendment sanctuary efforts in Colorado - that largely opposed so-called "red flag" laws that could allow law enforcement or families to petition courts to remove firearms from those who could be a danger to themselves or others - could be regarded as efforts to "mobilize citizens in an act of constitution-making outside of the courts," particularly in cases where courts have yet to rule on the laws in question.

In response to questions last week, Miller said the Second Amendment sanctuary movement, at its core, is an effort by local governments to use constitutional framing of their enactments to affect policy and law.

"Given there's no gun violence prevention proposals with any realistic chance of making it through the current General Assembly in N.C., it seems the immediate effect of this effort in N.C. would be to show solidarity with gun-rights activists in Virginia and elsewhere, and to act as an announcement of non-compliance if there's a change of control in Raleigh," Miller wrote.

Greg Wallace, a professor of law at Campbell University School of Law, said the Second Amendment sanctuary movement could be indicative of conflict between state and federal obligations.

"I think firearms owners see very extreme measures being proposed by gun control proponents that really aren't aimed at just the criminal misuse of guns but aimed much more broadly," Wallace said.

He said state and county officials must uphold state law, duties that could clash with constitutional obligations.

"There has been a long history of government officials, particularly in the executive branch, saying 'OK if the state legislature has passed a law that we believe in good faith is unconstitutional, we don't have an obligation to enforce it," Wallace said. "That comes in part from the oaths these officers take to support the constitution first. There's a long tradition of civil resistance."

Wallace said such efforts could leave officials open to legal action, including lawsuits and potential removal from office.

"There is a risk in it for them," Wallace said. "But the flip side, if so many communities sign on to this what's the enforcement mechanism the state is going to use? That's an open question."

Commissioners, including Bob Hovis, Tom Keigher, Jack Brown and Ronnie Worley voiced support for the Second Amendment sanctuary measure.

Gaston County Democratic Party Chairman Daniel Caudill and Democratic Party county commission candidate Ray Raynor, view the measure as unnecessary.

"I see the symbolism they're going for," according to Caudill, a U.S. Army veteran and gun owner. "We're scratching our heads knowing that sanctuary ordinances don't supersede state or federal law. I think there's more effective things they could be working on for the county."

Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell said he would neither support nor oppose the resolution, citing the constitution as protection enough.

"I'm a firm believer in the Second Amendment and I own numerous firearms," Bell said. "I'm not sure this movement by the commissioners is needed. We already have the Second Amendment protecting us here in Gaston County and I think that is sufficient."

Reach Adam Orr at 704-869-1828 or aorr@gastongazette.com

Link:
Gaston Commissioners to vote on Second Amendment sanctuary proposal - Gaston Gazette