To the Editor:
I agree with the conclusions made by the author of [an article at RedState.com, headlined “Wow—Missouri County Passes an Act Empowering Sheriffs to Arrest Feds Who Try to Confiscate Guns”] and add one thought.
If the other states follow this lead, and state law enforcement and/or other state resources, like their National Guard units, have to be used at any time to stop federal agents from restricting or taking people’s “guns,” [sic] there will be a real moral dilemma for the officers in the military.
Can those protecting their right to bear arms—John Q. citizen and their state civil servants—under laws like this, really be “enemies foreign and domestic,” when the states have an obligation and right to protect that Constitutional right? The Second Amendment was written to keep all other rights in the Constitution enforceable.
Having arms—for the noncriminal citizens whose rights are inalienable—is the only way individuals can protect those rights if an oppressive entity attempts to take them. For the military passing on getting involved there is a recent precedent to say they should stay out of it:
The USSR air force would not support the Communist party leaders against Letsin [Yeltsin?] and his fight for liberty and freedoms when they were called up to do so. This ended the suppressive and dictatorial failed Marxist socialist “communist” single-party (Democrats wish) ruling central planning government that we are quickly approaching here in the good OLD USA.
Given the Democrats’ evolved position toward firearms, I’d bet we’re going to see other places following Newton’s lead.
And personally, I don’t think any of this is heartening. It indicates the level of polarization we’re likely to face in the future. Many have said two Americas are forming, and that can’t be helpful in a place called the United States.
But this is where we are, and Missouri’s on the cutting edge. Or…the trigger.
Jeff Frost
Alexandria, N.H.
Jeff:
Thanks for writing; we are grateful for your letter, which we edited a bit for clarity. We apologize for any errors; please advise if we missed the mark. The topic you raised was too intriguing to pass over.
RedState’s editorial policies are, of course, in line with current Republican orthodoxy, i.e., the Constitution consists of the Second Amendment, plus a few other items which may be optional and extraneous. Your letter was a model of clarity, compared to its article. It did link, though, to its more coherent source: Ben Shapiro’s DailyWire.com. While no less ideological than RedState, at least the DailyWire believes in grammar:
“One Missouri County, concerned that the federal government might infringe on the Second Amendment rights of its citizens, passed an ordinance this month which would invalidate any such attempt by the federal government.
“The Second Amendment Preservation Act of Newton County, Missouri, states:
“Be it enacted by the Newton County Missouri Commission as follows: All federal acts, laws, orders, rules and regulations passed by the Federal government and specifically any Presidential Administration whether past, present or future, which infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States and Article 1, Section 23 of the Missouri Constitution shall be invalid in the county, shall not be recognized by this county, and specifically rejected by this county, and shall be considered null and void and of no effect in this county.
“Such acts, laws, orders, rules and regulations include but are not limited to any tax levy, fee, or stamp imposed on firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition not common to all other goods and services … any registration or tracking of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition…any act ordering the confiscation of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition…and finally, any act, whether past, present or future passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by the Federal Government and specifically any Presidential Administration which infringes on the people’s right to keep and bear arms in Newton County, Missouri shall be considered null and void by the county and not recognized by this county.
“The law adds: ‘Any and all federal agents trying to enforce the regulations listed in Section (1) shall be subject to arrest by the Sheriff’s department.’”
Needless to say that, in a country already overrun by so-called Sovereign Citizens espousing ever more fanciful theories about the inherent powers of sheriffs, this matter will peacefully sort itself out in no time.
The Editor