Lunenburg Residents Request County be Second Amendment Sanctuary

LUNENBURG – The Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors November meeting last Thursday brought a huge crowd of local residents there to ask the Board to pass a resolution declaring Lunenburg County a “Second Amendment Sanctuary County” and request that the Board adopt a legislative agenda priority opposing any effort to infringe on Second Amendment rights.

Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions ask for state and federal government not to expend resources to enforce certain gun control measures perceived as violating the Second Amendment. 

Terry Rutledge was the main speaker in favor of this action that has taken place in other locations such as Charlotte County and Campbell County. Rutledge stated, “This is not about hunting, but protecting our rights.”

Shortly after the recent elections, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam stated that he planned to reintroduce gun control policies that had previously been blocked. Northam convened a special session of the state legislature following the mass shooting in Virginia Beach, Va., that left 13 people dead. The session was called to consider a package of bills that included expanding background checks and placing limits on devices that suppress the sounds of gunshots. Other proposals included a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, but Republican lawmakers blocked consideration of the bills.

Rutledge stated, “If these proposals kept guns out of the hands of criminals I’d be all for it.” He went on to note that the laws would affect non-criminals, but that someone that wanted to use a gun for crime, would not be deterred by the laws anyway.

The county officials all were in favor or moving forward with a resolution for Lunenburg County, but Supervisors Bob Zava and Dr. Frank Bacon wanted to allow county attorney Frank Rennie a chance to look over and draft a document that would be designed for Lunenburg.

Mr. Rennie stated, “It is incumbent to do this in an orderly and legal manner. I will look over this and be sure it is worded for Lunenburg.”

County officials are expected to have a resolution drafted and discuss it further in December, but all were on board with the idea.