Local municipalities across America are increasingly declaring themselves as ‘constitutional sanctuaries,’ standing firm against perceived encroachments on the Second Amendment.
At a Glance
- Approximately 70% of U.S. counties have adopted Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions.
- Indian River County, Florida, among others, has declared itself a constitutional sanctuary.
- Counties aim to protect constitutional rights from state and federal overreach.
- Local lawmakers and sheriffs pledge to uphold the Constitution against perceived infringements.
Counties Declare ‘Constitutional Sanctuaries’
Amidst ongoing debates over gun control, several counties have joined the trend of declaring themselves ‘constitutional sanctuaries.’ Indian River County, Florida, recently took this step with unanimous support from local lawmakers. These counties are responding to what they perceive as federal and state efforts to undermine the Second Amendment. “We Stand by the Constitution. We Stand By The Guiding principles of our forefathers,” stated Sheriff Eric Flowers of Indian River County, supporting these local declarations.
The trend is not isolated to Florida; similar actions have been taken in Michigan’s Ottawa County and New York’s Cattaraugus County. These local governments have passed resolutions to ensure no public resources are used to infringe upon the constitutional rights of their citizens. “If the state or federal government continues to overstep their bounds and intrude into the lives of our citizens with unconstitutional mandates, our legislature will step up and challenge that,” asserted New York lawmaker Ginger Schroeder.
Nationwide Support for Second Amendment Sanctuaries
A broader movement is evident with about 70% of U.S. counties adopting Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions. This means a significant portion of the nation has laws to protect gun rights against governmental encroachments. These resolutions affirm the counties’ commitment to uphold and protect constitutional rights and, in many instances, vow not to enforce laws that violate them. The sentiment resonates with the collective statement by Utah’s sheriffs: “As your elected sheriffs, we individually and collectively pledge to do everything within our power to steadfastly protect the Second Amendment and all other individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution.”
Local Governance and Constitutional Carry Laws
This movement spans across states like Texas, Ohio, and Louisiana, who have enacted constitutional carry laws allowing citizens to carry handguns without a license. This legislative shift is seen as a significant victory for Second Amendment advocates who believe the right to bear arms is a fundamental freedom. By bolstering local governance with these proclamations, many counties assert their independence against a tide of centralized control.
Furthermore, counties like Elko and Lander in Nevada emphasize that “The people of these United States are and have a right to be free and independent and these rights are derived from the law of Nature and Nature’s God.” This reflects a deep-seated belief in the natural rights philosophy undergirding the founders’ vision for a free society.
As the movement grows, Americans continue to witness the friction between local governance and federal mandates, fundamentally shaping the national discourse on Second Amendment rights.
