Posted on 01/17/2013 6:13:44 AM PST by backwoods-engineer
ZEBULON, N.C. (WTVD) -- Hundreds of people met Wednesday evening to talk passionately about the Second Amendment and their rights to bear arms.
Three local sheriffs, including Wake County's Donnie Harrison, took part in the minutemen's discussions in Zebulon. The meeting came just hours after President Obama unveiled his gun control plans.
A boiling point in the meeting came about midway through. When dozens inside and dozens more outside of the Fargo Cattle Company Steakhouse bristled about a possibility that the federal government could violate their Second Amendment rights.
(Excerpt) Read more at abclocal.go.com ...
I came to the meeting expecting the sheriffs to say, "We won’t follow unconstitutional laws." I was disappointed. I think Sheriff Jones (Franklin) came closest to saying that. It sounded to me like Sheriff Harrison (who I think is a good man and a good sheriff) was saying, If they pass a law in Congress requiring me to confiscate guns, that is what I will do, but don’t worry, they’ll never pass a law like that. Not exactly re-assuring.
I couldn't hear the questions well, being out on the patio (there were over 100 people outside), but it sounded like one guy asked, what if confiscation was approved by the Supreme Court. That was about the time that the Sheriff’s lawyer said that SCOTUS was “the su-preme ar-biter” (actually said it that way) “of what is Constitutional, and it’s been that way since Marbury vs. Madison, you can look it up.” Well, Mr. Lawyer, most of the patriots there, I’d wager, know that case well, and SCOTUS did NOT make itself the ONLY arbiter of what is Constitutional. The "supreme arbiter" claim is arguable, and that’s the way liberals take it, but SCOTUS has no reign over fundamental rights.
I do think the Sheriffs (and other leaders at the meeting) were surprised at the enormous turnout. I think it scared them a little bit. I hope so.
Sheriff Harrison chastised us for not being involved with the state Legislature, which is probably a fair criticism for most people there. The media has gulled many Americans into thinking that the "main event" is the Federal Congress, which isn't how the Founders saw it. North Carolina has many gun laws that are undesirable for patriots, and even laws that conflict with Federal laws (e.g., machine guns are banned as ‘weapons of mass destruction’, with law enforcement arguing over exceptions because the law is vague and contradictory).
I went away feeling good about the strength of my fellow patriots’ resolve. That alone might be enough to sway the Sheriffs when the time of testing comes. But I did not come away with much, if any, confidence in the Sheriffs’ desire to disobey Federal laws to confiscate firearms.
Great on-the-ground report, BTW.
Where did you see this meeting advertised? Wish I had seen it before it took place.
“I went away feeling good about the strength of my fellow patriots’ resolve. That alone might be enough to sway the Sheriffs when the time of testing comes. But I did not come away with much, if any, confidence in the Sheriffs’ desire to disobey Federal laws to confiscate firearms.”
How unfortunate...For them...
The sheriff in our county, where we “vacation”...Will not be a problem, more important a rallying point and information source for those of us who will do what is necessary...He will not lead, but will follow all the same when and if the time comes...A good man...And his deputies are rock solid as well...
Until then, he’ll still bust our humps if we screw up in his county...hehehe
I know that Bubba and NCRenegade were there last night, although I did not get a chance to talk to them. I don't know Randy Dye personally, but I suspect he was there, too.
Thanks. That is high praise indeed, coming from one of my favorite authors and a patriot I respect.
www.OathKeepers.org
“It sounded to me like Sheriff Harrison (who I think is a good man and a good sheriff) was saying, “If they pass a law in Congress requiring me to confiscate guns, that is what I will do, but don’t worry, they’ll never pass a law like that.” Not exactly re-assuring. “
I suspect that is exactly what many Sheriffs will do.
Indeed. I am a member of OathKeepers, and respect Mr. Rhodes’ work. There were a lot of veterans there last night (a Korean vet led the opening prayer—take that, ACLU!) and they were NOT happy.
The only way around the Second Amendment is to repeal it. Any legislation LESS than a ratified Amendment cannot over-rule it.
Not Federal, not State, not County, or local ordnance.
If you commit some other crime, and as punishment from a trial... You can have your Rights restricted. That is the limit there.
Ex post facto and a priori restraint laws like these are anathema to a Free People and our Republic. They directly violate both the letter and the intent of the Founders and the logic they used to draw up our system of governance.
If Congress passes a ban/confiscation, it is up to your Sheriff to stand up and say "NO". After all, it'll be his neck on the line when him and his troops come 'round to try and carry out their illegal orders.
That's a scary take-away, right there... parentheticals or not.
Right! And the German Jews thought Hitler would never put them in death camps, also. "He would never do something like that, Germany is a civilized Nation" . This is just political thought, it will soon blow over, appeared to be the prevailing thought among the Jews at that time. Well, history shows us that they were wrong . He could. He would. He did. And another thing history affirms is that "political talk" at some point in time turns to action. As human nature goes, we are no different from any other Nation ,or people. the Good Lord gave us the ablility to defend our way of life via the Second Amendment of the Constitution. If we throw that away and trust to the belovence of the power hungry politicians for our lives, them we deserve what they do to us. I can't answer for no one but me, but my last seconds of life will be as a free man.
Don't get me wrong, I think our Sheriffs are good men who will do what is necessary when the time comes. I was just hoping they would come out with a stronger statement. I think because the media were there, the Sheriffs were afraid that the media would savage them.
Also, I neglected to mention that a Wake County deputy spoke, and he really made a stronger case than any of the Sheriffs did for the 2nd. He was the only one who said the 2nd isn't about hunting, while the Sheriffs gave their standard "my grand-daddy's squirrel-huntin' rifle" stump speeches.
Dictators often underestimate how much the people are willing to put up with.
before anyone flames me, I believe the second to be a fundamental, natural right, requiring strict scrutiny
that's why Heller was so important and some of arguments/dicta were so important
if found by SCOTUS to be a fundamental right then strict scrutiny applies...and the standard is a little different that what that attorney stated:
"narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling state interest" (strict scrutiny)
I don't believe registration of firearms or an assault weapons ban can pass that standard if SCOTUS is intellectually honest
and there's the rub...
Well, we will have civil war, then. You should have heard that place when the lawyer said that the 2nd can be infringed for a "compelling governmental purpose." The crowd sounded like an angry hornet's nest, and I think, would be a good deal more dangerous to tyrants.
“That was about the time that the Sheriff’s lawyer said that SCOTUS was “the su-preme ar-biter” (actually said it that way) “of what is Constitutional, and it’s been that way since Marbury vs. Madison, you can look it up.”
Well Mr Lawyer lied. The USSC has claimed many repugnant to liberty laws were constitutional: Dread Scott, Fugitive Slave Act, etc. But, the 6th amendment ensures the People are the final Arbitrators of whats constitutional as seen by the inability of the government and sheriffs like this Stalinist wannabe to enforce the laws the People do not find Constitutional.
These lawyers are trained to believe that government comes first and before the people. To get direct to the final point, lawyers and liberals believe if all the people must die to keep that one last person alive in government we must do so.
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