Opinion
Richmond, VA –-(Ammoland.com)- Newly elected lawmakers in the Commonwealth of Virginia voted to ban firearms carried by the public in the state Capitol buildings on Friday, but not for their armed bodyguards.
This move comes ahead in what will be a hard-fought battle between pro-gun and anti-gun politicians and citizens. On Monday, January 20th, 2020, the Virginia Citizens Defense League will be holding its annual Lobby Day. This action by the Democrats in the legislature seems to be a preemptive move in response to the gun rights rally.
Virginia is at the forefront of the national gun-rights battle. In the last election cycle, Bloomberg backed groups dumped millions into supporting anti-gun candidates. With control of all both chambers of the legislature and the Governorship, Democrats have introduced extreme gun control measures such as an “assault firearms” ban, banning of non-government owned indoor ranges, universal background checks, and red flag laws.
Gun owners have turned out in droves to local city and county council meetings to demand that they declare themselves Second Amendment Sanctuaries.
Hearings have gone on for six to eight hours and late into the night. At this point, over 120+ jurisdictions have passed resolutions stating that they will not enforce the Unconstitutional gun laws. That equals roughly 96% of the state.
VCDL estimates 120,000 gun owners are coming to Richmond for lobby day. Full buses are coming from all over the state and as far away as Connecticut.
“Our focus here is to keep everybody safe,” [read: especially us] said House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn. “These are policies and rules that should have passed a long, long time ago.”
A hot mic caught Filler-Corn and Dave Marsden discussing gun owners. The pair decided not to respond to any of the gun owners at a meeting in Fairfax County. Marsden went as far as calling gun owners “little kids” and, in a follow-up email, said that gun owners are mentally deranged.
House Majority Leader Charniele Herring claimed that Capitol Police suggested the new rule.
“I just have to say that this is something that’s been recommended by our Capitol Police. And I think there are times when we sort of have to trust what our law enforcement officers are telling us,” Herring said.
The Capitol Police denies that it made the recommendation.
Capitol Police Col. Anthony Pike went on record stating that the department never suggested that gun owners should disarm to enter the building. Herring refused to address the contradicting statements.
Republican members took issues with the new rules. Del. Kirk Cox was outspoken about the change to the rules.
“That was a deliberate misrepresentation,” said Cox. “There’s just no way around that.”
These rules are not laws. Police will deny entry to the Capitol buildings but will not arrest the gun owners. Previously anyone with a concealed handgun permit was allowed to carry inside the Capitol buildings. Some gun-rights activists suspect the rule is to cut down on gun owners visiting the Democrats in office. They hope that it encourages more people to show up and speak with the Democrats about what they feel is violations of their rights.
While the new rules ban guns from inside the building, they do not apply to the surrounding areas. The Governor is the one official that can issue a ban on firearms on Capitol property. So far, the Governor has been reluctant to ban guns on Capitol property. Gun activist has already been working out how to store guns with other gun owners and enter the Capitol.
Lobby Day will take place on January 20th. Speakers will include Phillip Van Cleave, Erich Pratt, Antonia Okafor, Stephen Willeford, Dick Heller, Cam Edwards, Delegate Nick Freitas, and many others.
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on leftist deplatforming methods and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, on Facebook at realjohncrump, or at www.crumpy.com.
This will go hard against the tyrants, since this ban also targets active LEOs such as Sheriffs & deputies. Obviously they are trying to punish everyone who is not a part of their Praetorian Guard, for daring to signal that they would not enforce unconstitutional non-laws.
John is spot on when he says Virginia is at the forefront of national gun rights. If everyone does not help Virginia fight this, Bloomberg and Democrats will continue this attack on civil rights one state at a time.
I live in SC, but have joined VCDL and donated to support them. I hope that all who can afford any amount will do the same. VCDL is fighting hard and working their tails off. Please help them by joining in what is everyone’s fight.
Join:
https://vcdl.org/join-VCDL
Donate:
https://vcdl.org/Donate
We have never been under fire like this! The 1980’s was when Florida passed the first “post civil war” concealed handgun permit law. At that time, no southern state I am aware of allowed the carrying of a concealed handgun. Texas had strict laws on the carrying of handguns. To and from the range or hunting, traveling across 2 or more counties was only a “defense from prosecution”. Long guns could be carried nearly everywhere. The 1980’s Florida law had the news networks promising mayhem in the streets. I admit that I wondered what was going to happen. The 1980’s… Read more »
I submit that the term “little children” may more appropriately be applied to the person(s) calling gun rights activists and owners that. Typical liberal tactic to resort to name calling when there is no logic to use, or when there is insufficient knowledge to speak intelligently on a subject. To wit, a little child.
Ever notice how the left uses name calling, censorship, and demonization in place of facts and logic?
Wasn’t the SS formed to be Hitlers personal body guards ?
Aren’t Northams personal bodyguards the State Police?
Aren’t all other law enforcement denied carry in the Capital buildings?
Who is “Coon man “ afraid of ?
“Marsden went as far as calling gun owners “little kids” and, in a follow-up email, said that gun owners are mentally deranged.” The typical mentality of psychopathic control freaks. He thinks he is “better” then the ordinary person because he is one of the 1%. However, in my mind, BEING a psychopathic control freak shows quite the opposite. The only REASON these slime balls haven’t been taken out is because normal people typically believe in self DEFENSE and not aggression. And it is obvious to any thinking sentient being that the derangement statement especially applies to him.
What a FARCE these DemoNAZIS are. I support the People of Virginia who ARE the GOVERNMENT. These “elected” NAZIS by FRAUDULENT means and EXTERNAL FUNDING by other NAZIS from other states need to be REMOVED!!!!
More gun owners need to get out and vote. Liberalism is a disease that is spreading fast and we need to let this governor know we won’t stand for his confiscation plans but we also need to execute a pre-emptive strike by not even allowing him to into the government to make laws that compromise the 2nd Amendment. .
Governments have NO power to possess firearms. It is NOT in the Constitution. (there is always some douche that will say “what about the Army”? Talking about governments as a whole and their agency parts). Why do the uneducated always think they are clever? The Constitution treats average Americans and government officials/employees very different. The Founding Fathers KNEW all governments, over time, would garner and amass power unto themselves. They knew governments would oppress and murder the People. As they said “Government is a useful servant, but a fearful master”. ALL governments in the United States, city, state & federal,… Read more »