Andrew Hardin, a local citizen, spoke in support of a Dillon County Second amendment sanctuary ordinance at the Dillon City council meeting.
In 1798, the 5th U.S. Congress passed Alien and Sedition Acts, which said:
• Unconstitutional- infringed on 1st amendment freedom of speech and freedom of the press
• Virginia and Kentucky passed nullification resolutions saying, “We will not comply”
• Thomas Jefferson wrote at the same time; “nullification is the rightful remedy whenever the government violates the constitution”.
Now, over 200 years later, our governments, at all levels, are tripping over themselves enacting unconstitutional gun-control legislation.
It is hard for me to process, because the 2nd amendment is quite simple and easy to understand: “a well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
The first sentence of the S.C. Constitution in Article 1, Section 20 reads the same.
“Shall not be infringed”…what does that mean? Well the founding father’s letters were perfectly clear on this…shall not be infringed by government!!
Since 1934 there have been 11 pieces of federal government legislation that have infringed on the 2nd amendment. They deal with the manufacture, transfer, import, trade, licensing, possession, carry, government background checks, assault weapon bans, purchase of various firearm accessories, even holding manufacturers and licensed dealers liable when crimes have been committed with their products. Now we have proposed “Red Flag” laws that not only infringe on our 2nd amendment, but also are in direct violation of our 5th amendment right to due process.
But then we live in S.C. and we are a red state so why do we need 2nd amendment sanctuary counties?
Columbia City Council and mayor recently passed gun control legislation on where you can carry a gun in the city, and also passed their version of a “Red Flag” law.
• S.C. Legislature proposed gun-control legislation: * According to the Greenville News there have been 50 pieces of gun control legislation proposed in the S.C. legislature since 2017 (luckily, none have passed).
• Currently before the legislature: * 2 “Red Flag” bills, H.3275 and H.4991 * Three bills restricting who can own a firearm: S.1039, H.3053, and H.4087. * An assault Weapons ban, H.4682
• For the past 3 years we have failed to pass constitutional carry and we are one of only 5 states that has no form of “open carry”.
So much for “shall not be infringed”, even in our beautiful Palmetto State.
The good news is that the American public is finally waking up.
Because of the gun control measures being taken by the new Governor of Virginia, 86 counties and 19 cities in that state have enacted some form of 2nd amendment sanctuary resolution. In North Carolina, eight counties have declared 2nd amendment sanctuary status. And counties in other states have quickly followed Pennsylvania, Maryland, Oregon, Washington, Kansas, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Texas just to name a few. In South Carolina we already have 4 counties that have declared themselves 2nd amendment sanctuary counties.
Americans across our great country are finally standing up and saying “enough is enough” and “we will not comply with unconstitutional gun laws”.
Councilmen, I urge you to pass this ordinance. This ordinance, at this time and place is the rightful remedy.
As a former law enforcement officer, husband, and father of 3, I know the importance of the 2nd amendment. I choose to take a stand in preserving the right that was given to us by our founding fathers. I will fight to preserve the rights of not only the good citizens of this great county, but the residents of South Carolina. I ask that you do what is right, and protect these rights. Allow our great county to become a 2nd amendment sanctuary, so that our citizens can protect themselves against the evils of this world.
Thank you for listening to me, and God Bless America.
The council briefly discussed the matter, but took no action after the presentation.
Watch the meeting on The Dillon Herald’s channel on YouTube.