Free Republic

A new line of attack on Virginia’s fast-growing gun sanctuary movement, which is propelling similar pro-gun efforts in other states, compares it to slavery, drawing criticism from movement leaders who have won support in 91% of the state’s counties. In the latest Washington Post slam on the movement, dubbed “vigilantism” in a recent editorial, the paper gave space Sunday to a critic who said the “thinking” behind the organic movement is what propelled slavery and opposed the civil rights movement. Peter Galuszka called the movement “disturbing,” “reactionary,” “hysteria,” “ugly,” and “dangerous.” In linking it to slavery, he wrote, “A sad...

1. ACTION ITEM: Prince William County trying to pull a fast one on a sanctuary repeal vote on Tuesday, January 7 2. ACTION ITEM: Highland County to vote on sanctuary resolution on Wednesday, January 8! 3. Reminder: Virginia Beach to vote on sanctuary resolution on Monday, January 6! 4. ACTION ITEM: Clarke County to vote on sanctuary resolution on Monday, January 6! 5. RSVP for Pre-Lobby Day Dinner on Sunday, January 19 1. ACTION ITEM: Prince William County trying to pull a fast one on a sanctuary repeal vote on Tuesday, January 7 In order to sneak by a vote...

The start of a new decade is propelling Virginia into a new era of political control, a reality that will be on full display Wednesday when lawmakers return to Richmond for the start of a 60-day General Assembly session. Democrats who will take over the House and Senate are eager to move ahead on their agenda, as Republicans work to push back while exploring how they might chart a return to power. It will be the most racially and ethnically diverse legislature in Virginia’s history, and for the first time, a woman will be at the helm of its...

The top of the photo shows three commonly owned AR-15 rifles (displayed at Albemarle County Firearms) which would be banned under proposed Virginia laws for having features such as a pistol grip, folding stock, and flash suppressor. If those features were removed, the weapon would be legal. By contrast, the gun at the bottom is a hunting rifle, which can deal two or three times the damage of the weapons above, but would not be banned under the proposed legislation because it is a bolt-action weapon instead of a semi-automatic. Photo: Lisa Martin. Following Governor Ralph Northam’s 2019 promise...

The Virginia governor’s new budget reveals funding for a new team of anti-gun cops. Like the 2011 Virginia earthquake, gun control proposals rumble through the Commonwealth once again. The latest is Governor Ralph Northam’s (D) budget proposal, which includes – among other things – what sure seems to be funding for a gun confiscation squad. Democrats showed their intent to turn Virginia from a state that broadly respects the rights of its residents to bear arms to one that seizes and destroys those guns right after the November elections. Over 100 cities and counties have declared “sanctuary” pledges to uphold...

I just did a search on the "Virginia's Legislative Information System," website and listed under the Bill Subject Index, these are the "Weapons" related active Bills for 2020 (so far): 2020 SESSIONWeapons HB 72 Children; allowing access to firearms by children. recklessly leaving loaded, unsecured firearm. HB 78 Firearms; purchase, possession, and transporting following certain convictions. HB 161 Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. HB 162 Firearm-free zones designated by the Commonwealth or a locality; waiver of sovereign immunity. HB 224 Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. SB 13 Capitol Square; possessing or transporting a weapon within Square,...

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam speaks to gun control activists at a rally by Moms Demand Action and other family members of shooting victims outside of the Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond, Va., July 9, 2019. (Michael A. McCoy/Reuters) His attempt to enforce unpopular and unconstitutional gun-control laws is doomed to failure.Ralph Northam is about to make the biggest tactical mistake in Virginia since Cornwallis decided to park his army at Yorktown. With his attempt to force local commonwealth’s attorneys and sheriffs in Second Amendment sanctuaries to enforce his unconstitutional gun laws, Governor Northam is setting himself up for...

When Democrats won control of both houses of the Virginia Legislature November 5, 2019, Virginia gun-owners got a rude wake-up call. Now that wake-up call is spreading to gun-owners throughout the rest of the 49 states. In July 2019, Gov. Ralph Northam proposed a package of eight proposals that would tighten Virginia's gun laws, known as some of the least restrictive in the country. Currently, Virginia's gun control measures of merit ban the sale of firearms only to high-risk individuals and those convicted of domestic violence. However, the proposals would turn the least restrictive into what some would call dangerously...

(Courtesy Jeff Hulbert) Virginia gun owners—incensed by harsh new gun control measures being floated at the statehouse—have harshly rebuked state lawmakers in a daylong face-off that marks the first skirmish of 2020 between citizens and politicians over gun rights. It took place in Northern Virginia, at a budgetary “public comment” event —one of four taking place across the Old Dominion that were focused on upcoming funding issues. Tempers flared between citizens and the legislators to the extent that one of the seven Virginia lawmakers on the panel hearing testimony threatened to shut down the gathering. The tense, and at many...

Large turnout needed! The Fairfax County General Assembly Delegation is taking public input on the 2020 General Assembly session that is about to start! This is another important opportunity to show the General Assembly how massive the resistance is to any more gun control! Let's flood that hearing with Guns Save Lives stickers. During the comment period politely, but firmly, state your full opposition to any more gun control that affects law-abiding gun owners. NO MORE! LEAVE VIRGINIA'S GUN OWNERS ALONE! Instead, tell the delegation to put their time and the People's money into providing better services for those with...

********** BIG TURNOUT NEEDED! ********* City of Virginia Beach to vote on Sanctuary/Constitutional Resolution on Monday, January 6! BEING VIRGINIA'S LARGEST CITY, THIS IS A BIG DEAL! Virginia Beach's Mayor has called a special session on January 6th at 6pm with one item on the agenda: a Second Amendment Constitutional Resolution (verbiage below). Time: January 6th - Meeting starts at 6pm, but the room will fill much earlier, so get there as soon as you can to get a seat. Location: Virginia Beach City Hall, the same location as the Dec 3rd meeting. 2401 Courthouse Dr. Virginia Beach, VA 23456...

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ7) A hearing on the governor's budget proposal might have seemed like a surprising venue for Virginians concerned about gun control legislation. WDBJ7 Photo But they turned out in force as members of the General Assembly money committees listened to more than 60 speakers. "I think if you fund what he's trying to push, you are complicit in taking away my right to be protected," one speaker told the lawmakers. Senator Bill Carrico, along with Delegates Charles Poindexter and Nick Rush heard a variety of appeals for more funding, to benefit disabled Virginians and their caregivers, court clerks,...

With Virginia Democrats taking over all branches of state government, a firearms store owner in the state says sales of guns, magazines, and ammunition are up 200%, and more of his customers are paying in cash. “This is the largest Christmas and November, December that we've had, basically, since Trump has come on board. The only other person that was a better salesman right now is when we had President Obama,” said Jerry Rapp, owner of SpecDive Tactical, in Alexandria, comparing the administrations of President Trump and his White House predecessor, Barack Obama. “Every time [Obama] turned around he was...

Excerpt: Virginia’s pop-up gun sanctuary movement has turned its attention to fighting the governor’s call for a $4.8 million, 18-officer team to enforce his proposed “assault weapons” ban. Two key groups issued an alert this week to push gun owners to four budget hearings Thursday around the state, asking them to quiz state legislators if they will vote to ban or confiscate weapons.

Sorry for the short notice. Northam wants to allocation millions to take away our guns and we need to ask legislators face-to-face if they are going to support that budget item. There are four hearings tomorrow, January 2: NoVA, Blacksburg, Hampton Roads, and Richmond. To get this out quickly, I am using an alert that GOA put together - VCDL thanks them: Please Make Plans to Attend a Meeting and Show Your Support for 2A-Protected Rights! The state's Democratic legislature will be holding hearings on Gov. “Blackface” Northam's anti-gun budget in four locations around the state tomorrow (on Thursday). We...

How you can help with lobbying the General Assembly starting on January 8, 2020While VCDL Lobby Day is on Monday, January 20, 2020, VCDL will actually be busy lobbying the General Assembly from the first day of the session, which is January 8 this year, to the last day that any gun bills are being considered. This is what we do every year and nothing is any different this year. The third Monday in January is VCDL Lobby Day every year. That date is picked because it is a federal holiday, which allows more gun owners to be able to...

1. NEW! A bus from Southwest Virginia is now available! Also general info on buses 2. Good guy with a gun saving lives: Church killer stopped by one of several armed worshippers 3. Help needed: Hampton gun show on January 11 and 12 4. Town of Elkton was voted a sanctuary on December 16! 5. Action item: Lynchburg 2A sanctuary meeting January 14 6. Action item: Waynesboro 2A hearing on January 13 7. Action item: Clarke County to consider 2A resolution on January 6 8. Action item: Mount Jackson to have public hearing on 2A Sanctuary resolution on January 13...

Just ran across this outstanding, very professionally done video by Steve Huff, the CEO of Accuracy X, Inc. which I understand to be located in Virginia. (I had not heard of him or Accuracy X until finding the video on Youtube a little while ago.) I see it has almost 206,000 views already, so I'm shocked that no one has posted it on FR. As January, 2020 rolls around, whenever the 2nd Amendment is discussed almost all talk eventually turn to what is going on in Virginia with their planned attack on the 2nd Amendment and the right to keep...

https://gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/GOA-VCDL-Response-to-Herring-AO-December-26-2019.pdf (Sorry folks, I am unable to post the .pdf document at this time. Can someone else post it? Thanks!)

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring issued an advisory opinion stating that the resolutions that more than 100 localities across the commonwealth have passed declaring themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuaries" have "no legal effect." Herring, a Democrat, said Friday the localities and local constitutional officers “cannot nullify state laws” and must follow the gun laws passed by the General Assembly. "Neither local governments nor local constitutional officers have the authority to declare state statutes unconstitutional or decline to follow them on that basis," Herring wrote in the opinion. Spooked by Democrats taking control of the General Assembly and promising to pass gun...