By Lee Williams

All it takes is the stroke of a pen – one pen to be precise.

When Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs HB 2622 into law, which he’s expected to do any moment, more than half of the country will become a Second Amendment sanctuary.

According to Noah Davis of sanctuarycounties.com and its companion site constitutionalsanctuaries.com, when Abbott signs the bill, 1,715 of the country’s 3,144 counties – or roughly 54% – will either be self-declared Second Amendment Sanctuaries counties or located in states that that have declared themselves sanctuaries.

“And that doesn’t include all the towns and cities that have self-declared,” Davis said. “There’s been a ton of those too, but I don’t have the manpower to count all of them.”

Davis has diligently tracked the Second Amendment sanctuary movement since its inception. His maps and data offer the most precise and current information available.

Gov. Abbott, Davis and most others predict, will definitely sign the legislation. “He’s been begging the state legislature for the bill,” Davis said.

True grassroots effort

The Second Amendment sanctuary movement began in Davis’ home state of Virginia after Democrats took control of state government and began passing strong anti-rights laws. Once 95% of Virginia became Second Amendment sanctuaries, other states took notice and starting crafting their own legislation.

With no national leaders or funding, it’s a true grassroots movement, focused at the local level. More city councils and country commissions are declaring themselves sanctuaries every day.

Most Second Amendment sanctuary bills are simple. They declare that the municipal, county or state government simply won’t recognize or enforce any federal law that infringes upon the Second Amendment. Many of these laws bar local officials from participating in any federal enforcement. Some add civil and criminal penalties.

Legacy media ignores

The majority of the news stories about the Second Amendment sanctuary movement have been written by local reporters for local newspapers and TV. Most national news stories have described the movement as “symbolic” or “reactionary.”

Once a majority of the country becomes a Second Amendment sanctuary, I wonder whether these stories will change…assuming the legacy media even covers the issue.

 

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This story is part of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and is published here with their permission.

 

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60 COMMENTS

  1. It’s a fantastic response to the communists (democrat party) agenda to revoke the Bill of Rights. Whether it proves to halt it remains to be seen. I have no faith in the election system or SCOTUS.

  2. It will be interesting to see how this works in the southern border states. Such states are currently at the mercy of the federal govt. with the invasion of illegals storming the border on a daily basis. Would not surprise me if Chipman gets confirmed and he pulls another Fast & Furious operation again.

  3. Still waiting on the Texas suppressor bill, which would make any suppressors manufactured in Texas not subject to the NFA.

  4. I’m happy for Texas, but a focus on area or numbers of counties paints an overly optimistic picture.

    Just as one example, my sanctuary county is larger than some northeastern states. It also has fewer people than the NYPD.

  5. So they’ve stopped enforcing ALL gun control laws in theses “sanctuaries”? If the answer is “no” then it’s all for show and complete bullshit.

    • Not true. The unconstitutional laws didn’t happen all at once, not likely they will disappear all at once either. Learn to take a win man, even if it’s small.

    • People have been living under many gun laws for multiple generations. What they grew up or are familiar with is what they think of as normal. But they are standing up and saying “No more!” Stopping the incremental increase in gun control is a necessary step before beginning to roll back what already exists.

      • So they’ll continue to enforce existing unconstitutional laws, but not new unconstitutional laws? So nothing has changed. Sounds like political posturing to me. But hey, if you can’t trust a politician, who can you trust?

        • If you have better ideas, and you may, why don’t you quit your own “posturing”in the more friendly confines of TTAG, file nomination papers, get a campaign manager, gather signatures and run for office? US Congress/Senate, perhaps Governor or some state legislature position. Criticism with no solution is posturing at its finest.

          I’m not trying to mock your post, only to point out that the cracker barrel BS that goes on around here might make some of us feel better, or give us a “strength in numbers” mentality where it does little good, but as far as offering alternatives to the status quo it is probably less than productive.

          Abbot’s signing of this bill into law is a positive step and there’s little argument to the contrary. The bedwetting leftists are scared to death with conservatives/Constitutionalists adopting their own practices, which always border on anarchy.

          The pressing for sanctuary cities/counties/states for the present invasion of illegal aliens is contrary to federal law (as well as that of many states), yet it fuels the Left’s very core and intent for tearing down this nation. On the other hand, a state, county or city that takes a stand to back the original intent of the US Constitution, regardless of what politicians might pass without going through the process of a Constitutional amendment is a solid step in returning this country to it’s foundational roots. This is simple, why stand in the way, or criticize any movement in the original intent of our nation?

          You can do better? Run for office.

    • Purity of Essence,

      While we certainly aspire to perfect goals and a perfect world, the truth of the matter is that we most certainly do NOT live in a perfect world and NEVER WILL.

      Look at the recent momentum with states returning to Constitutional handgun concealed/open carry. By September 2021, something like 20 states in the United States will revert to Constitutional carry. (It is happening so fast that I do not know the exact number.) I don’t think we would have anywhere near that number at this time had those states rejected far-less-than-perfect shall-issue concealed carry between 10 and 30 years ago.

      We would be wise to advocate for, accept, and celebrate all movements in the right direction, no matter how small or large.

      • So you believe that people who are currently violating the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens will suddenly stand up and do the right thing in the future? Me, I look at past as prelude. Until these people actually take steps to make themselves credible, you know, like ceasing the enforcement of unconstitutional laws they are currently enforcing, there is no reason I should believe they will do differently in the future. Oh, I should believe them because they said so? They also raised their hands and swore to defend the Constitution, but they clearly lied about that. I hope I’m wrong.

        • Purity of Essence,

          “So you believe that people who are currently violating the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens will suddenly stand up and do the right thing in the future?”

          Some people will, some people will not. And in other cases, people who actually do honor the United States Constitution and their state constitutions will win enough seats in their respective governments to repeal unconstitutional laws.

  6. Sadly none of these laws meet force with force in shielding citizens, gun stores, or manufacturers from the Feds. Good first step though.

    • Yep, it’s pretty much vapor unless the state creates a rapid reaction anti-FBI & anti-ATF team.

      Call it Team-Federalist…..Team-Madisonian…..Team-America….whatever….F yeah.

  7. It’s all fun and games until the feds withhold funds for highways, education, etc.

      • This.
        The red states should be holding back oil, gas, corn, wheat, beef, etc…
        If the blues want them they can send in their army of cross dressers and diverse units of emotionally broken children with daddy issues.

        • Except that if I run a business in a red state in one of those industries, I’m paying attention to my bottom line, first and foremost (especially if 2A activism isn’t something I care much about).

          The trade embargo you’re envisioning only happens once a state – in total, not just certain activist groups within it – is effectively in a cold war with its neighbors. More and more, it seems like this is beginning to happen, but we’re not there yet and we’d be fools to think of it as a good thing.

        • “The red states should be holding back oil, gas, corn, wheat, beef, etc…”

          It might work if those “industries” weren’t on the receiving end of federal subsidies…

      • Michael…… And keep all the federal gasoline tax money and federal excise tax money.

    • Texas has some of the best roads in the country. And the only lowlifes who would think of withholding highway funds, etc. over a Constitutional Right are Jim Crown Gun Control democRats…What filth.

    • That would be great. Seriously. Texas would love that. Texas is a donor state. That means we give more to the federal government in taxes than we get back in grants and services.
      We have, many times in the past, withheld portions of those remittances to the federal government and the governor, attorney general, and legislature are always looking for ways to do it again.

      • “That would be great. Seriously. Texas would love that.”

        A good chunk of the state has its own electric grid, and it probably will be easy enough to bypass the parts of the grid that isn’t.

        Texas will have no major problems energy and infrastructure-wise with being their own customer…

  8. However this is sliced, it’s going to devolve into a shootin’ war. There’s too many rips (this and other issues) in the fabric of this country at this point to avoid it.

      • Hopefully. 2020 just proved how willing “we” are to fight. Or, how capable… There is too much trust in government and that’s where majority of gun owners sit now days… Just wait it out and hope for the best.

        • I think 2020 red pilled a lot of people. There was a lot of stuff people went with in early 2020 that they won’t again.

        • ” There is too much trust in government and that’s where majority of gun owners sit now days ”

          Not, IMHO, an accurate analysis. Trust in gubmint is at an all-time low. Even a lot of liberals don’t trust the gubmint to do the right thing… the right thing being that which advances their agenda.

          The biggest reason we don’t have a shooting war right now is that nobody in their right mind wants to see that happen.

      • “No way. It will never happen. At least not in the next few generations.”

        Unless they insist on pushing the issue. At this point, major signals are indicating that they think they’ll have no problems with rolling us.

        Then all bets are off, and I hope to relocate before that mess starts…

      • I think it’s more likely to be a kind of cultural, legal, and philosophical split into two semi-separate countries that pay mere lip service to a relatively ignored federal government. No one has the stomach for an actual shooting war. It’s easier for states to simply ignore federal laws they don’t want to enforce (or only enforce them selectively) and for individuals to move to the states they prefer (which is happening). Will we get to the point that we have our own western and eastern empire, each with its own federal apparatus, a la Rome? I wonder sometimes.

        The tragedy is that the wider world, our enemies especially, will rightly understand this as an opportunity to do what they want around the globe without interference from the Disunited States, and I doubt our allies in Europe and elsewhere will have the will or the might to stand in our place.

    • I agree, but I don’t relish it though. It will be vicious and miserable for everyone.

      Still, I don’t see an alternative. There is no way to compromise without some common ground. Besides the historical fact that communists are fundamentally evil and will not honor any agreement anyway. I am MUCH more concerned about the democratic party than China, Russia, No Korea or the Islamists put together. Democrats (although in league with the foreign enemies) are THE threat to my way of life. Democrats are the greatest enemies of Liberty, Justice and decency in the world.

      • There’s no common ground anymore. At all. A Venn diagram of political demographics would be -at the least – two distinct circles with absolutely no overlap. Americans used to be able to comfortably ignore politics and voting altogether because the Constitution constrained anyone from making drastic changes to day-to-day life. That’s over now.
        The left has already gone hog-fucking-wild and seems more than determined to bring a mountain of shit avalanching down on all our heads. With most republican politicians awaiting the inheritance of the meek, real pushback against the federals is unlikely to happen in time to achieve anything at all. It’s just too late. This country WILL Balkanize, one government simply cannot serve two such distinct idealogies that can’t even agree on what defines reality, with the left completely denying the existence of objective truth. We can separate from them or we can shoot them. What we cannot do is live with them, because they will not live with us.

    • “However this is sliced, it’s going to devolve into a shootin’ war.”

      If this is what you want, why don’t you just grab your old Moisin or SKS and lead the charge… Fire that next shot that might be heard ’round the block”…

      Thank God our founders had BOTH the balls AND the brains. Might do well for many of us to do more research on them and the real tyranny that led to the American Revolution.

  9. This is a great start. The real Patriots among us have started standing against the Communists in DC.
    Sic semper evello mortem tyrannis.

  10. Meh. The states don’t generally enforce federal law anyway, and the feds don’t enforce state law. So all that these laws come down to is a declaration that state police agencies will not cooperate with the feds when the feds need extra manpower to enforce federal gun laws.

  11. I believe it to be incorrect that the 2A sanctuary movement began in Virginia. There were counties in Ill-annoy doing it long before Virginia.

    • Many counties in NY also declared years ago that they wouldn’t enforce the state SAFE act, but didn’t formalize themselves as “sanctuaries” per se. In NY, it’s state laws we are most fearful of, not federal, and ignoring them is a lot harder to do.

  12. When the US Military becomes a political force, it becomes the enemy. A well armed, well trained, citizen’s guerilla force is the only defense. The military “leadership” is ready and willing to obey orders from this current admin. Constitution be damned. Hopefully there will be mutiny among the troops and line officers, and rebellion against the pentagon on behalf the citizens and The Constitution. This is not speculation of science fiction or horror, this is very real. A bunch of bone heads storming The Capitol handed the country to The Socialist/Marxist/Political Front for Organized Crime. This could very well be the first US version of government that has to be overthrown by force rather than votes. It will not be pretty.

    • Right wing nuts are just as bad as Left wing nuts. You lead by values and ideas. Not bayonets. Calling for Coups is wrong. And like it or not, the Citizens have many views. You can not force them.

  13. I know this article is wrong by saying “The Second Amendment sanctuary movement began in Davis’ home state of Virginia after Democrats took control of state government and began passing strong anti-rights laws.” It actually began with the Board of Commissioners in Carroll County, Maryland in 2013, and then board members of Effingham County, Illinois in 2018 that made the term Second Amendment Sanctuary County mainstream. Just get the facts correct for when you write articles for TTAG that is all we want.

  14. This is BS. Most people don’t live in these counties. I notice no mention of what percentage of Americans live in these. There’s a reason for that.

    • The reason is that these declarations are made at the county level, without regard to county population. Many (not all) 2A sanctuary counties are rural, lower population counties, that’s true, but why do you think it’s “BS” that these counties want to protect the rights of their citizens? Are you arguing that citizens of lower population counties don’t deserve to have their rights protected? Or are you arguing that the 2A sanctuary movement isn’t worth doing unless every single county in the United States signs on at once? (If that were the case, we wouldn’t really need a 2A sanctuary movement, now would we?)

      • It is a chicken or egg of priorities. People care about what they are used for more than talking about rights. So nice for the gun crowd. Rest of the universe? Nothing burger….

      • Napresto,
        I don’t want to speak for Red, but I don’t think he’s arguing that the policies are BS.

        He’s pointing out (as I did above) that characterizing the sparse rural half of the counties as “half the country” is kind of BS, and the inference that it constitutes some sort of tipping point that will lead to a nationwide landslide is absolute BS.

        My rural sanctuary county is great, and it’s bigger than the neighboring urban county. It also has 2% of its population, and zero chance of tipping any scales.

        Statewide declarations sound great at first – Texas is certainly no empty desert – but they’re a lot more symbolic. Do you really think the Rangers are coming if (when) Austin or San Antonio bust you?

        • Fair points, and I get where you’re coming from. I’d argue, in this case, that PR matters: you can’t drum up new support by second guessing, hedging, or downplaying the support you DO have. If anything, it’s worth talking that support up. And, to be strictly accurate about it, half the counties ARE half the country, as measured by both geography (probably not very important) and by count of 2A supporting elected governments (very important, regardless of population.

        • You make good points yourself! I agree we need to take all the (good) PR we can get. Thank you for your thoughtful and well-stated response.

  15. Hopefully WITH this in place we can ban those that disagree from entering the communities that have it in place, let’s keep our rights to FREEDOM our 2nd Amendment.

  16. Does little to aid the major issue people care about; Missuse of guns. Yapping about gun rights is nice here in the echo chamber. Does not sway the public much.

  17. That will never happen because those that pull the strings by using multinational corporations have control of both of the major parties in this country, and I daresay they have some control of the other parties(how else could some of the Libertarian candidates have turned their backs on the 2nd?).

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