Despite its long history as a bastion of freedom, Virginia is rapidly becoming one of the most anti-Second Amendment states in the nation. The state (then a colony) that literally gave birth to representative democracy in the form of the House of Burgesses in 1619 and also happens to be the birthplace of James Madison—the father of the Constitution and Bill of Rights—seems to have decided that the Second Amendment is no longer applicable within its borders.
In case you are unaware, in recent weeks, Virginia has introduced a series of bills, supported by Gov. Ralph Northam, under the guise of “gun control.”
Here are a few of the most controversial measures under consideration: A ban on “assault weapons,” silencers, and high-capacity magazines. A background check on all firearm purchases, including a mandated registration form that many opponents claim is a de-facto gun registry. A limit of one handgun purchase per month. A “red flag” law that would allow law enforcement to seize a citizen’s gun(s) “if the person exhibits dangerous behavior that presents an immediate threat to self or others.” A law that would allow local governments to issue gun “ordinances that are stricter than state law.” And a law that would ban/severely limit privately-owned indoor gun ranges.
As if these proposals are not bad enough, Northam has also declared a state of emergency shortly before the massive gun rights rally in the state’s capital that took place on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. From Friday to Tuesday, Northam’s state of emergency will be in place. To the dismay of gun owners across the state, the governor has dictatorially declared that no guns will be allowed at the gun rights rally.
Despite the fact that Virginia is an open-carry state, the governor has decided to trample on the Second Amendment, during a gun rights rally, of all things.
Northam claims to have intelligence from state agencies that all sorts of crazy gun rights advocates, including anti-government militias and white supremacist groups, have “malicious plans” to storm the rally and inflict violence. Northam also claims to have never worn blackface or a Ku Klux Klan costume, despite a picture of him in this atrocious garb in his college yearbook. In other words, I, and many Virginians, don’t trust Ralph Northam because he is a liar.
According to Northam, he is justified in temporarily banning guns during the rally, even though organizers have explicitly stated the event is nothing more than a “peaceful day to address our Legislature.”
Why? Because apparently Northam can tell the future. He knows, “They’re not coming to peacefully protest. They are coming to intimidate and cause harm.” Sorry governor, but the only one who has already caused harm is you—by tearing the Second Amendment to shreds in your state, among other things.
Unless Northam is a fortune-telling, hand-reading, oracle, it is preposterous that he would disallow guns (in an open-carry state) at a gun rally because he somehow knows that it will lead to an outbreak of violence.
In my opinion, Gov. Northam’s credibility and morality should be questioned based upon his past actions and policy prescriptions. Believe it or not, Northam has openly supported post-birth abortion. Last time I checked, post-birth abortion should be renamed under its proper designation: infanticide, i.e., murder.
When describing an abortion bill that allows for third trimester abortions, Northam declared, “If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired. And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”
According to Northam, it is perfectly fine to murder a baby born with “severe deformities” in Virginia. And this despicable statement came from a former pediatrician. Northam, who once took the Hippocratic Oath, and promised to do no harm, believes it should be within the realm of the law to murder “severely deformed” babies.
And this is why every word that comes out of Gov. Northam’s mouth should be put under a microscope. Not only does Northam want to severely curtail one’s natural, constitutional right to bear arms, he also thinks “severely deformed” babies can be slaughtered.
Hopefully, Virginians will rise up and prevent these unconstitutional acts from becoming law. Governors like Ralph Northam detest the Second Amendment because the Second Amendment is the ultimate form of self-reliance: self-protection. And in Northam’s world view, he and the state—not individual citizens—should always be in charge.
[Originally Published at RedState]
Chris Talgo is senior editor at The Heartland Institute and a research fellow for Heartland’s Socialism Research Center.
