Virginia Governor and Michael Jackson aficionado Ralph Northam has made his state ground zero for the gun control debate, and it’s already blowing up in his face.
He and his fellow Democrats came out guns blazing (pun intended), calling for not only a ban on so-called “assault weapons,” but confiscation of everyone who currently possesses one. Not coincidentally, Northam also wants to greatly expand the definition of an assault weapons so that pistols and shotguns are also banned in addition to weapons. Even during the Clinton-era “assault weapons ban,” current owners had their firearms grandfathered in. It was only new purchases prohibited.
It comes as a reminder that so-called “common sense” gun control will always be more restrictive than people are comfortable with – and that these kind of gun control policies are even harder to enforce than liberals anticipated.
Liberals tried to skirt immigration laws through the creation of “sanctuary cities,” and conservatives in Virginia are ripping a page out of that playbook and shoving it in their face. According to the Washington Examiner’s Paul Bedard:
Stirred awake by Democratic proposals to take, register, and possibly seize their legally obtained weapons, Virginia gun owners in just 43 days have pushed 90% of the state’s counties [containing 40% of the population] to become gun “sanctuaries,” the latest three on Monday night.
Since the Nov. 5 election that gave Democrats control of Richmond, an “organic,” pro-gun movement has prompted the governments of 86 of Virginia’s 95 counties, as well as 15 towns and cities, to adopt some type of sanctuary language, putting Gov. Ralph Northam and other liberals on notice that their gun control plans aren’t welcome.
So strong is the opposition to gun control that one Sheriff promised to deputize his entire town if gun control laws were enacted, which would exempt his citizens from them.
In the face of resistance Northam backed down on his gun confiscation proposal in name only – and instead revised his plan to “only” require current “assault weapon” owners to register their firearms, and then ban all future purchases. What purpose would there be to register firearms if Northam doesn’t want confiscation down the line?
Virginia lawmakers are now almost entirely out of options to enforce any forthcoming gun control laws. So desperate are they that they’ve actually floated publicly the possibility of getting the National Guard involved. In a statement the VA National Guard said they would “not speculate” about their use in the future, and encouraged people to be patient. They also clarified that Virginia’s governor had not reached out to them about enforcing any gun control measures in the future (yet).
We understand and respect the passion people feel for the U.S. Constitution and 2nd Amendment rights. We will not speculate about the possible use of the Virginia National Guard.
— Va. National Guard (@VaNationalGuard) December 13, 2019
We will provide regular updates when appropriate during the General Assembly session. Please utilize your chain of command to direct any questions or concerns to my office, and we will do our best to address them." – Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of VA
— Va. National Guard (@VaNationalGuard) December 13, 2019
Does anyone actually expect the National Guard to go door to door to confiscate tens of thousands of assault weapons individually? Never mind the fact that’s currently impossible without a registry first (which too will likely face widespread noncompliance), the optics of that would further repel the public against the kind of gun control these advocates want.
Bear in mind, all of this is before Virginia has even passed any of the gun control laws they’re contemplating. Just imagine the resistance after they’re passed.
