Tazewell County Virginia is one of the many “Second Amendment Sanctuary” counties protesting the wave of anti-constitutional gun laws enacted by the Democrat run state. Tazewell County, However, has taken things a step further. Before a crowd that spilled over beyond the 189 seat board room at the Board of Supervisors meeting on December 10th, unanimously passed two resolutions. the Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution and a resolution promoting the order of militia within Tazewell County. Both resolutions passed to cheers from the crowd that overwhelmingly supported these resolutions.

Board Chairman Travis Hackworth stated that board members began receiving messages from state legislators following the Nov. 5 election, which saw Democrats take control of both the House of Delegates and the state Senate for the first time in 25 years. He went on to say that elected officials expressed concern that legislation might pass that would threaten the Second Amendment rights of Virginians.

The militia resolution had already unofficially passed thanks to a poll taken by the county earlier in the month. However, Hackworth said that voters kept calling for the county to declare itself a Second Amendment Sanctuary, as well. Hackworth went on to say that the Board of Supervisors has three lawyers within it’s ranks.  The three lawyers carefully examined some of the other declarations passed by other Virginia counties to make sure that theirs didn’t miss anything or water anything down.

Sheriff Brian Hieatt and newly elected Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Plaster both expressed their support for these resolutions and their belief that the Constitution of the United States supersedes state laws.

County Administrator Eric Young, one of the attorneys, along with Collins and Eric Whitesell, who helped draft the ordinances, said the resolutions allow the county to take action in the event that state or federal laws are passed violating the Second Amendment. The ‘teeth’ in these bills funnels down to two articles:  funding and prosecution.  The Tazewell County resolutions both would eliminate funding for any branch of law enforcement that would infringe on the rights of the citizens to keep and bear arms. If the state tried to turn the tables, they could deny the county funding in areas other than law enforcement or even attempt to remove the elected officials standing in their way.  Given the threats from Northam and Congressman McEachin this week, those are very legitimate fears.

This is where the militia resolution comes into play.  County Administrator Eric Young laid out their thought process: “Our position is that Article I, Section 13, of the Constitution of Virginia reserves the right to ‘order’ militia to the localities,” Young said. “Therefore, counties, not the state, determine what types of arms may be carried in their territory and by whom. So, we are ‘ordering’ the militia by making sure everyone can own a weapon.”

The militia ordinance also calls for concealed weapons training for any county resident that is eligible to own a gun.  Furthermore, it calls for the local public school to begin including firearm safety classes.

If the Governor or any other State entity tires to remove the Sheriff from office for disobeying unjust laws, they’ll face a legally assembled group of armed citizens standing against them.