Table of Contents
*2020 Presidential and Congressional Elections
*GDC Mourns Co-chair William E. Quarles, Jr
* Contacting Your State Legislator
* Engaging in Better Political Conversations
* Get Rid of Gerrymandering; Other Action Items to Work On
* Guide to New Democratic House
* Objective Information about Candidates, Elected Officials
* Profiles and Happenings
* Puneet Hans' book "Journey of a Soul's Evolution"
* Second Amendment Sanctuary Cities Statement, AG Mark Herrings
* Twitter How-To
* 2019 State, County Candidates
* 2019 Sheriff's Forum
* 2017 JJ Dinner Photos
* 2017 Meet the Candidates Breakfast Photos
* 2016 Breakfast Fundraiser for Eileen Bedell
* 2016 Ice Cream Social
2020 Elections: Message from our Chairperson Tina: "We Did It!"
Pat yourselves on the back for all you did to make sure we sent Abigail back to Congress and Mark Warner back to the Senate, and to ensure that 45 is a one-term president.
The GDC sent out over 1900 postcards, in addition to all the other volunteering GDC members did -- whether it was phone banking and texting, delivering or putting up signs, donating to campaigns and virtual events. We have moved from a 70/30 county to a 60/40 county in a few short years, and the thanks goes to all of you! Even in a pandemic, we showed that we could still motivate voters to come out and vote.
The GDC sent out over 1900 postcards, in addition to all the other volunteering GDC members did -- whether it was phone banking and texting, delivering or putting up signs, donating to campaigns and virtual events. We have moved from a 70/30 county to a 60/40 county in a few short years, and the thanks goes to all of you! Even in a pandemic, we showed that we could still motivate voters to come out and vote.
Joseph R. (Joe) Biden (D), long-time U.S. senator from Delaware and vice-president in the Obama Administration, is now president of the United States. On Jan. 20, he was sworn in as our 46th President. His running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) is now vice-president and, on Jan. 20, became the first woman and person-of-color to hold that office. Biden-Harris carried Virginia.
GCD Mourns Co-Chair William E. Quarles, Jr
The Goochland Democratic Committee, along with many organizations in Goochland County, is honoring the memory and service of William E. Quarles, Jr., who passed away on February 3rd, 2021.
Mr. Quarles was an active leader and former Co-Chair of GDC. Mr. Quarles held many leadership roles and inspired many, many people. This year was the start of Mr. Quarles’ second year of service on the Goochland School Board, being elected Vice-Chair. He previously served eight years on the Goochland County Board of Supervisors representing District 2 and prior to that six years on the Goochland County Planning Commission.
In recognition and appreciation for Mr. Quarles’s service, County Administrator Kenneth A. Young, ordered the Goochland flag to remain at half-staff in his honor at all county facilities through sunset on Friday, February 12, 2021.
Mr. Quarles grew up in Louisa and Goochland counties, graduated from Goochland High School in 1970 and from Virginia Union University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and biology. He previously taught school in Louisa and Richmond before going to work at Dominion Power. He worked for 30 years at Dominion Power’s (Dominion Energy) North Anna Nuclear Power Station as a member of the chemistry and management team.
Mr. Quarles had a passion for education, history, and Goochland County. He was a co-founder and previously served as President and Vice President of the Goochland Education Foundation, in addition he was an Ex-Officio Board Member of Goochland Pet Lovers. During his time as supervisor, he prepared an explanation of the heraldry in the Gooch crest that appears in the Goochland County seal.
He joined the Board of Supervisors in January 2004 and was reelected to a second term in 2007. Mr. Quarles served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors three times in 2008, 2010, and 2011 and Vice-Chairman in 2007. Prior to serving on the Board of Supervisors, Mr. Quarles served on the Planning Commission from 1998 to 2003 including two times as Chairman. He was instrumental in the county compensating citizens for serving on boards and commissions to increase citizen participation in their community. Mr. Quarles was a champion for public safety, serving on the Board when the county transitioned from a volunteer fire rescue department to a combination career and volunteer department. In addition, Mr. Quarles served on the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board as a representative for the Virginia Association of Counties.
He will forever be remembered for his relentless passion, service, and dedication to Goochland County. He is survived by his wife, Ruth; sons William and Christopher; and many grandchildren. William loved everyone, and his greatest desire would be that people would follow the golden rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In William's memory, we ask you to be kind to one another and smile.
CONTACTING YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS
Did you know there's an app for that?
Verizon has developed a directory of all Virginia government office-holders and their contact information! It can be downloaded for Android, iPhone, and even for the Web and can be used regardless of who your cellphone or internet provider might be! Here's a link. Check it out! (MD, DC, and DE are also available.) http://www.verizononthego.com/#navDL
Did you know there's an app for that?
Verizon has developed a directory of all Virginia government office-holders and their contact information! It can be downloaded for Android, iPhone, and even for the Web and can be used regardless of who your cellphone or internet provider might be! Here's a link. Check it out! (MD, DC, and DE are also available.) http://www.verizononthego.com/#navDL
HOW TO ENGAGE IN BETTER POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS
To recap key points from video at upper right:
To recap key points from video at upper right:
- Polarization is getting worse in our country, that the divide between the left and the right is as bad as it's been in really any of our lifetimes
- Most alarming of all of it is seeing this rising animosity on both sides. Liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, more and more they just don't like one another. You see it in many different ways. They don't want to befriend one another. They don't want to date one another. If they do, if they find out, they find each other less attractive, and they more and more don't want their children to marry someone who supports the other party, a particularly shocking statistic.
- Empathy and respect. If you think about it, it's the very least that we owe our fellow citizens.
- Liberals tend to endorse values like equality and fairness and care and protection from harm more than conservatives do.
- And conservatives tend to endorse values like loyalty, patriotism, respect for authority and moral purity more than liberals do.
- Maybe this moral divide might be helpful for understanding how it is that liberals and conservatives talk to one another and why they so often seem to talk past one another when they do.
- So what would work better? Well, we believe it's a technique that we call moral reframing, and we've studied it in a series of experiments.
- Liberals are on board for environmental protection. Conservatives, however, were significantly more supportive of progressive environmental policies and environmental protection if they had read the moral purity essay than if they read one of the other two essays. We even found that conservatives who read the moral purity essay were significantly more likely to say that they believed in global warming and were concerned about global warming, even though this essay didn't even mention global warming. That's just a related environmental issue. But that's how robust this moral reframing effect was.
- If you want to move liberals to the right on conservative policy issues like military spending and making English the official language of the US, you're going to be more persuasive if you tie those conservative policy issues to liberal moral values like equality and fairness.
- All these studies have the same clear message: if you want to persuade someone on some policy, it's helpful to connect that policy to their underlying moral values.
- Empathy and respect. If you think about it, it's the very least that we owe our fellow citizens.
ACTION ITEM #2: CALL YOUR DELEGATE TO GET RID OF GERRYMANDERING
ACTION ITEMS TO WORK ON
In case anyone is getting too sidetracked by the Russian spy drama, the following bills have been introduced:
1. HR 861 Terminate the Environmental Protection Agency
2. HR 610 Vouchers for Public Education
3. HR 899 Terminate the Department of Education
4. HJR 69 Repeal Rule Protecting Wildlife
5. HR 370 Repeal Affordable Care Act
6. HR 354 Defund Planned Parenthood
7. HR 785 National Right to Work (this one ends unions)
8. HR 83 Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Bill
9. HR 147 Criminalizing Abortion (“Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act”)
10. HR 808 Sanctions against Iran
Please copy/paste and share widely. Call your House Representative and ask them to not only vote "NO"...but to speak up for our rights, health & safety, and our beautiful country.
If your senators and reps aren't saved in your phone yet, text your zip code to 520-200-2223. You'll get a text back with everyone's contact info. It gives you Federal and State. PASS IT ON!! This is participatory democracy at work.
1. HR 861 Terminate the Environmental Protection Agency
2. HR 610 Vouchers for Public Education
3. HR 899 Terminate the Department of Education
4. HJR 69 Repeal Rule Protecting Wildlife
5. HR 370 Repeal Affordable Care Act
6. HR 354 Defund Planned Parenthood
7. HR 785 National Right to Work (this one ends unions)
8. HR 83 Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Bill
9. HR 147 Criminalizing Abortion (“Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act”)
10. HR 808 Sanctions against Iran
Please copy/paste and share widely. Call your House Representative and ask them to not only vote "NO"...but to speak up for our rights, health & safety, and our beautiful country.
If your senators and reps aren't saved in your phone yet, text your zip code to 520-200-2223. You'll get a text back with everyone's contact info. It gives you Federal and State. PASS IT ON!! This is participatory democracy at work.
INDIVISIBLE 2.0: Indivisible on Offense: A Practical Guide to the New, Democratic House
| indivisible-on-offense_-a-practical-guide-to-the-new-democratic-house.pdf |
OBJECTIVE INFORMATION ABOUT CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS
The following link is for a nonprofit, non-partisan website that provides detailed information about candidates and elected officials. It gives voting records and their stands on various issues. For great information from a non-biased source, this is a great place to try.
http://votesmart.org
http://votesmart.org
Profiles and Happenings: Click the link in the navigation menu at the top of the screen for "Candidates" to learn more about our Goochland residents running for County and State offices
Wendy Hobbs is a trailblazer and a proven public servant. She moved to Goochland to work for the Virginia Correctional Center for Women in 1989. She served for 35 years in the Virginia Department of Corrections, holding executive positions as Superintendent, Warden, and Regional Administrator of Prisons.
In these administrative roles, Wendy developed and responsibly managed over $200 million in fiscal budgets. Wendy has additional executive experience in capital improvement planning, strategic planning, human resource management, and physical plant management. She has extensive expertise in conducting financial, operational, and security audits, which brings a perspective of accountability and transparency that she regards as being fundamentally essential to the citizens of Goochland County. She continuously works with our local, state, and federal governments to make positive changes for the community, knowing firsthand what it means to be on-call 24 hours a day for the citizens of Goochland.
In these administrative roles, Wendy developed and responsibly managed over $200 million in fiscal budgets. Wendy has additional executive experience in capital improvement planning, strategic planning, human resource management, and physical plant management. She has extensive expertise in conducting financial, operational, and security audits, which brings a perspective of accountability and transparency that she regards as being fundamentally essential to the citizens of Goochland County. She continuously works with our local, state, and federal governments to make positive changes for the community, knowing firsthand what it means to be on-call 24 hours a day for the citizens of Goochland.
Puneet Hans' book, "Journey of a Soul's Evolution"GDC member Puneet Hans is graciously giving $2.50 from every sale of his book to our Committee! Please support Puneet and the GDC by going to: http://tinyurl.com/hcnt7zt
| 2nd_amendment.pdf |
2nd Amendment Sanctuary Cities
VA ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK HERRINGS STATEMENT
These resolutions appear to be nothing more than symbolic since no new gun laws have passed or even been considered yet. It’s not clear what a second amendment sanctuary is, what its proponents are hoping to accomplish, or what authority they think they have to preemptively opt-out of gun safety laws, but if the Virginia Citizens Defense League is circulating it you can bet it’s a bad idea. If the General Assembly passes new gun safety laws, as Virginia voters demanded just two weeks ago, we expect that everyone will follow the law and keep their citizens safe."
Please share Non Partisan information with your city & county elected officials
Coalition To Stop Gun Violence Senior Advocacy Director Lori Haas sent info below.
General Talking Points on the “Second Amendment Sanctuary" Movement
· The so-called “Second Amendment Sanctuary Movement” is no surprise. The gun lobby extremists have tried it in other states to no avail. It is an act of desperation by those fearful of change.
· Resolutions passed by County Boards carry no weight in state law and were passed only to send a message to their voters - the Board's support of the 2nd Amendment. These resolutions in no way direct any defiance of law.
· Given the results of the November 5th elections where GVP was the #1 issue in Virginia, the General Assembly has a mandate from the voters to take action on gun violence prevention.
· Given the artificial majority caused by gerrymandered districts that Republicans have enjoyed for far too long, the gun lobby and it's supporters have incorrectly asserted that GVP bills were killed in committee due to lack of support. The gun lobby is wrong - every poll in Virginia shows widespread support for GVP laws and now that we have a GVP majority in the General Assembly, the will of the people of the Commonwealth will actually happen.
· The counties that have passed these resolutions are sparsely populated and do not represent the majority of Virginians.
These So-Called “Second Amendment Sanctuary Counties” (SASCs)
Hold No Authority
· Under our Constitution, the legislative branch passes laws, and the executive branch upholds and enforces these laws unless and until the judicial branch declares such laws unconstitutional, or they are repealed by the legislature or by ballot initiative. County supervisors are not in a position to pick and choose which state laws to support. It is up to the courts to decide whether or not laws infringe upon the Second Amendment.
· The majority of Americans, and Virginians, support common-sense gun safety laws. That support cuts across party lines. Not only would passing an SASC Resolution be defying Virginia’s separation of powers, but it would also be going against the people’s will in the state. Gun policy was the top issue for Virginia voters in the 2019 elections. [1]
o 88% of Virginia adults support universal background checks (81% of Republican Virginians)
o 82% of Virginians support allowing police to remove guns from people a judge finds dangerous (75% of Republican Virginians)
o 58% of Virginians support a state limit of one handgun per month [2]
· Comparing sanctuary counties for immigrants to so-called SASCs is a false equivalency. Immigration laws are federal laws. Under our Constitution’s principles of federalism, local governments are not obligated to enforce federal policies. This is not the case for so-called SASCs because our county supervisors are trying to undermine state -- not federal -- laws, and our county is a creation of our state.
· Because of this, if counties decline to enforce gun violence prevention laws, it could be opening their jurisdictions up to costly civil lawsuits -- for which Virginians, as taxpayers, would foot the bill.
“Sanctuary” Resolutions and Public Safety
· In 2017, 345 Virginians died by firearm homicide; Virginia’s firearm homicide rate increased 45% between 2013 and 2017.[3] Commonsense gun laws can save countless Virginia lives. The Virginia Beach shooter took twelve lives using extended magazines, giving victims less of a chance to escape and allowing the killer more shots until he was stopped. If Virginia passes a limit on magazine size but these so-called SASCs allow our sheriffs to be able to decline to enforce this law, they will be allowing more people to fall victim to gun violence in Virginia.
· Supporting the right to keep and bear arms does not have to come at the expense of public safety. The Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller recognized that the right to bear arms does not extend to those who pose a threat to the safety of themselves or others. Passing a resolution opposing any common sense gun laws is an ill-conceived, and empty, attempt to protect access to guns for dangerous people while making our constituents less safe. We deserve commissioners and sheriffs who care more about the safety of our community than about dangerous individuals’ access.
“Sanctuary” Resolutions and Virginia’s Economy
· Cities that pass the “Sanctuary” resolution may find it difficult attracting new business to the area and may in fact, drive existing businesses away.
· Corporations may decide to avoid locating businesses in any county that passes a resolution rather than running the risk of being associated with the gun lobby's radical and dangerous "any gun, anywhere, by anybody" mantra.
· Nationwide, we have seen a growing trend in corporations adopting new restrictions on firearms sales in the absence of action by Congress and the White House.[4] These corporations will certainly not want to be associated with “2A Sanctuary Cities.”
[1] Doug Schoen, Virginia Elections Prove Gun Safety is the Winning Issue for 2020, FORBES, Nov. 23, 2019, available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/dougschoen/2019/11/23/virginia-elections-prove-gun-safety-is-the-winning-issue-for-2020/#4c5506a01c5b.
[2] Washington Post-Schar School Virginia Poll, Sep. 25-30, 2019, available at https://games-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/default/documents/322256e2-ddff-41e8-b813-6f96a351e381/note/6b8171ba-41d2-4e75-b1e1-018a9a6ba0c0.pdf#page=1.
[3] CTR. DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION, NAT’L CTR. H. STATS., Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2017, CDC WONDER (2017), accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.
[4] Scott Wong & Mike Lillis, Corporations step into gun control void, The Hill, September 5, 2019, available at https://thehill.com/homenews/house/459989-corporations-step-into-gun-control-void.
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The DPVA Press Director Sent the Background info below- The Democratic Message
Memo: Second Amendment Sanctuaries
Background
“Second Amendment sanctuary” resolutions refer to laws, ordinances, and resolutions passed by city, state, and local governments that express a sentiment of opposition to any legislation that infringes on the rights of gun owners. The text of the resolutions are often brief, and they have few legal ramifications. Most experts agree the resolutions are purely symbolic. A number of counties in Washington, Oregon, New Mexico and Illinois passed “Second Amendment Sanctuary” resolutions following Democratic wins in 2018, and a similar pattern is emerging in Virginia.
Primarily being pushed by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (for a backgrounder on its leader Philip Van Cleave, see this release put out by the DPVA), over 40 (primarily rural) counties in Virginia have passed Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions. However, sheriffs and law enforcement officials in these counties have made clear that they intend to follow the law and enforce what the legislature passes.
Polling from throughout the year in Virginia shows that residents overwhelmingly support common sense gun reforms that Democrats ran and won on in 2019. A recent poll from Roanoke College shows 84% of respondents support universal background checks, 76% support a red flag law, and 57% support an assault weapons ban. Opponents of gun safety legislation therefore represent a severe minority of Virginians.
Talking Points
● Remember, the Republicans in the General Assembly cut short the special session on gun violence after just 90 minutes without passing a single bill. Virginians put Democrats in power so that we could put a stop to their cowardice and actually do something about gun violence in our Commonwealth.
● So-called “Second Amendment Sanctuaries” are purely symbolic. We expect all law enforcement officials to do their duty and uphold the laws that the General Assembly passes.
● Senator Kaine put it best when he said our entire nation is a Second Amendment Sanctuary because we already have the protection of the Second Amendment. Democrats support the Constitution and the measures we’re proposing have passed constitutional muster in other states before.
● Attorney General Mark Warner confirmed that these "Second Amendment Sanctuaries" have no legal effect and said he expects all law enforcement officials to follow the law.
● Democrats across the Commonwealth campaigned and won on a platform of finally passing common sense gun safety measures. Come January, we're going to deliver on what we promised. It’s what the people of Virginia demand we do.
● The gun safety measures Democrats support are popular with both Democrats and Republicans
○ 88% of Virginians support universal background checks, including 81% of Republicans
○ 82% of Virginians support a red flag law, including 72% of Republicans
○ A majority of Virginians also support limiting handgun purchases to one a month, a ban on assault weapons, and a ban on high capacity ammunition clips
● The vast majority of people in Virginia want us to do something about gun violence, and extremists like Philip Van Cleave aren't going to change that.
Significant News Clips
WTVR: Attorney General’s response to 2nd Amendment sanctuary resolutions: ‘Gun safety laws will be followed’
December 6, 2019
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring has responded to the trend of Virginia counties passing Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions ahead of next year’s General Assembly, saying they are being "ginned up by the gun lobby" and that any new gun laws passed will be enforced.
Following the November's election, which saw Democrats take control of both the state House and Senate, the expectation is lawmakers will pass a number of gun control measures in 2020 for Democratic Governor Ralph Northam to sign.
Northam has said that Democrats would start with the legislation he introduced for a special session on gun control this past summer. Republicans, who held the majority at the time, ended the session after 90 minutes.
In response to this expectation, Republican-leaning counties around Virginia have passed resolutions declaring themselves to be Second Amendment sanctuaries and voiced opposition to any future laws that may infringe upon Second Amendment rights.
Last week, Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun rights group, told CBS 6 in a statement that the "flood of Second Amendment sanctuary localities across the state, and the massive crowds at those government meetings, is sending a message to the General Assembly that Virginia does not need any more unconstitutional gun control."
Speaking to CBS 6 on Wednesday, Herring said when the General Assembly passes gun control legislation those laws will be enforced.
"The resolutions that are being passed are being ginned up by the gun lobby to try to scare people. What we’re talking about here are laws that will make our communities and our streets safer. We’re talking about universal background checks, finally, maybe, Virginia will pass universal background checks to make sure that people who are dangerous, who are criminals and who aren’t permitted to buy guns, won’t be able to buy guns," said Herring. "So, when Virginia passes these gun safety laws that they will be followed, they will be enforced."
At least one Democratic lawmaker, Del. Jay Jones (D - 89th) has said he wanted a formal opinion from Herring on the issue of Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions. In a tweet, Jones posted a letter addressed to Herring calling the issue a "flashpoint across our state".
On Wednesday, when he spoke to CBS 6, Herring said his office had not officially received Del. Jones' request, but would respond when they do.
"We'll get it when it comes in. We'll take a look at it and we'll make an appropriate response," added Herring.
CBS: Sabato: Second Amendment sanctuary resolution "means nothing"
December 4, 2019
Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia Center for Politics said the rash of Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions being passed by Virginia counties will be meaningless if they are in conflict with state law.
Sabato said counties are trying to send a message to the General Assembly and Governor Ralph Northam.
Democrats took control of the House of Delegates during the 2019 election and they now have the majority in the General Assembly.
Sabato believes Republicans in rural areas are fearful that Democrats could pass gun control measures that would limit their ability to own guns.
Sabato said this reminds him of what happened in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected president and many Republican areas passed resolutions that would prevent gun confiscation.
He believes the Second Amendment resolutions are an over-reaction because he does not believe Democrats can pass any type of legislation that would take guns away from people who legally own them.
"I think strengthening background checks is the most likely piece of legislation to pass the General Assembly," Sabato said. "And it does not violate the Second Amendment, at least as it has been proposed."
He also said local ordinances don't have much impact because state law over-rules local law.
"Passing a local ordinance means nothing," Sabato said. "It means absolutely nothing if the state law overrides it. If they think the Second Amendment overrides the state law, take it to court, take the state to court."
He said cities that are more liberal will likely not make any type of statement regarding Second Amendment sanctuaries before the General Assembly session begins.
Virginian Pilot: Virginia gun rights groups are pushing “Second Amendment sanctuaries.” But what does that mean?
December 5, 2019
So your city or county has passed a resolution declaring it’s a “Second Amendment sanctuary.”
Now what?
The question is emerging across the commonwealth as gun rights groups successfully lobby localities large and small to vote on such resolutions declaring that officials there will not use public funds to in any way restrict rights granted by the Second Amendment.
It’s intended as a warning to the newly elected Democratic majority as they enter the General Assembly session: We don’t want stricter gun laws, and we dare you to pass them.
As the movement swept into Hampton Roads, Gloucester County’s Board of Supervisors passed such a resolution Tuesday — the same night hundreds of gun rights supporters crowded Virginia Beach City Hall to push for one. On Wednesday night more than 600 supporters flooded a Suffolk City Council meeting; a petition on the issue had more than 1,200 signatures, one speaker said. A vote is set later this month in York County, and Virginia Beach will likely take it up in January.
But do these resolutions have any teeth?
The short answer is: Not really. If local officials refuse to enforce the new state laws, they themselves would be breaking the law. Since most wouldn’t do that, the measure is really just symbolic.
Take Virginia Beach Sheriff Ken Stolle. He said he personally doesn’t believe the proposed gun control laws will work and wants Second Amendment rights to be protected. In fact, he was glad to have a gun on him in mid-November when he had to detain a burglar who attempted to break into his Great Neck home. The burglar was not armed and Stolle did not draw his weapon, an office spokeswoman said.
But it’s not up to him, Stolle said. He’ll follow whatever the law says, regardless of any resolution passed by the city.
“It’s a political effort more than anything else,” Stolle said. “Every sheriff should enforce the Constitution, but there’s a process for (determining what’s constitutional), and it’s not individual sheriffs. ... There’s a process for taking these things to appeal through a court.”
___
Democrats promised sweeping gun control legislation when they take power in January, and Gov. Ralph Northam has proposed several bills that were previously defeated by a GOP-led legislature.
They include requiring background checks on all gun transactions, limiting handgun sales to one a month, a “red flag” law — allowing courts to temporarily take away someone’s firearms if they’re deemed a threat to themselves or others — letting localities regulate whether guns are allowed in government buildings, and more.
Senate Bill 16, which would prohibit the sale — and possession — of what lawmakers call “assault firearms” and magazines, has drawn particular ire among gun advocates who don’t want the government taking their guns.
Phillip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, which has been leading the statewide push, put it this way: Previous legislative attempts at putting restrictions on guns “were cherry bombs.”
"This is a nuclear bomb.”
The term “sanctuary cities” might remind some of similar efforts taken on the issue of immigration enforcement — cities that said they would not do the government’s bidding when it came to pursuing undocumented immigrants.
But there are key differences between those and the current situation, said Richard Schragger, a law professor at the University of Virginia. States and localities have the option to cooperate with federal immigration laws because the Constitution limits the ways the feds can force locals to enforce federal law.
But if a local official refuses to follow state law, that becomes more of a problem, he said.
Police officers do have discretion when it comes to certain laws. Little could be done legally, for example, in a situation where a cop pulls someone over and finds they have a gun they’re not allowed to have and decides not to do anything about it.
But local officials then open themselves up to contempt charges and police officers to individual liability, Schragger said. Say the officer doesn’t confiscate a gun that’s supposed to be under a new law, and then someone gets killed with the same weapon. The officer could become liable.
Dana Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, said the association’s been fielding calls from police chiefs across the state, and she’s been advising them to inform citizens of the limitations of such resolutions.
“We need to respect that that is the separation of powers, the balance of powers,” she said. It’s up to the courts to decide what can pass constitutional muster.
“Our chief concern is citizens might think the passage of (a resolution) means the locality has enacted an authority to thwart a state law that someone thinks is unconstitutional," she said. “These are statements of preference being made by localities.”
___
York-Poquoson Sheriff J.D. “Danny” Diggs compared the resolutions to municipalities’ annual legislative package that they send to the state, making clear what their priorities are. He’s in a group of sheriffs planning to release their own “declaration” of sorts, in support of the Second Amendment, which he believes would be infringed upon by some of the proposed bills.
He added that it would be “very difficult to enforce” new laws as they are currently proposed because he expects some would be unconstitutional and immediately challenged in the courts. When a noise ordinance in Virginia Beach was appealed in court, for example, he didn’t enforce a similar one on the books in York.
Nancy Guy, the Democratic delegate-elect in Virginia Beach’s 83rd House District, questioned the precedent these “sanctuary cities” would set.
“We would have chaos,” said Guy, who supports gun control measures put forth by her party.
She said the proposals are commonsense and not aimed at taking away people’s Second Amendment rights. She argues many have been passed in other states and helped reduce gun violence.
A spokeswoman for Attorney General Mark Herring called the resolutions symbolic.
“It’s not clear what a second amendment sanctuary is, what its proponents are hoping to accomplish, or what authority they think they have to preemptively opt-out of gun safety laws, but if the Virginia Citizens Defense League is circulating it you can bet it’s a bad idea,” Charlotte Gomer said in an email. “If the General Assembly passes new gun safety laws, as Virginia voters demanded just a few weeks ago, we expect that everyone will follow the law and keep their citizens safe.”
Still, Van Cleave with the league said he’s hearing that many counties won’t enforce the new gun laws. He declined to name them. One sheriff, in Amelia County, told the Washington Post he wouldn’t seize guns under a law he views as unconstitutional, even on a judge’s orders.
Bill DeSteph, a Republican state senator representing Virginia Beach, said the proposed gun control laws are unconstitutional and he’s circulating a petition to protect Second Amendment rights against a “radical, liberal-controlled General Assembly.”
He also said the gun control bills proposed by Democrats have scared and upset gun owners.
Brooke Corson went with her husband and their two sons to the Suffolk council meeting Wednesday. A former Army drill sergeant, Corson said her family hunts and teaches their boys how to use guns safely.
“If we don’t stand up and defend our rights, then they’re going to disappear quickly," she said.
Her 11-year-old son, Wyatt, agreed.
“If the second amendment falls, everything else does too,” he said. “Once you get the weapons of defense gone, everything else goes. History points that out.”
Washington Post: Editorial: Mischief-makers with an agenda promote ‘gun sanctuaries’ in Virginia
November 29, 2019
Vigilantism, with its alluring tingle of defiance and frontier justice, conjures a cinematic idea of American individualism. A similar impulse is at work among advocates of the so-called Second Amendment sanctuary movement, a trend in mainly rural counties declaring they will refuse to enforce restrictive state gun laws. Both are examples of individuals who, lacking legal authority, put themselves above the law, thereby promoting chaos.
In Virginia, the movement has lately become a fad, spurred by legislative election results that will, starting in January, hand pro-gun control Democrats control of both houses of the General Assembly for the first time in a generation. With a Democrat also in the governor’s mansion, some rural Republicans are raising the specter of mass gun confiscations — and pronouncing themselves Second Amendment Sanctuaries.
The idea — and the term itself — has gained traction in Western states and elsewhere, inspired by “sanctuary cities” that have adopted policies barring cooperation with federal immigration officials to deport unauthorized migrants.
The distinction between the two sanctuaries is basic. Localities that have passed resolutions declaring themselves Second Amendment sanctuary jurisdictions are threatening to ignore laws enacted by duly elected state legislatures and signed by governors. Immigration-focused sanctuary localities are breaking no law; rather, they are refusing purely voluntary cooperation in service to federal law enforcement. And, in practice, sanctuary cities often do — and should — fully coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in cases involving violent felons such as murderers and rapists.
In Virginia, local governing bodies in a few dozen Appalachian southwest and central Piedmont counties have passed or are considering resolutions declaring themselves gun sanctuaries. In many, longtime gun owners are hunters who say their way of life is threatened by liberal lawmakers in Richmond.
This is nonsense fanned by mischief-makers with an agenda. In fact, the gun legislation with the best chance of passage would promote public safety by requiring universal background checks — a measure with overwhelming bipartisan support among Virginians in public opinion surveys. Other bills with broad support would limit the number and types of weapons that can be sold. For instance, by restricting handgun purchases by individuals to one per month — an anti-trafficker measure that was the law in Virginia for 20 years before it was repealed in 2012.
The only cases in which gun confiscation could take place would be if the legislature enacts a “red flag” bill, which would allow law enforcement authorities to take away firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others. Such laws, which have received bipartisan support in many states, generally depend on an order from a judge who would consider evidence presented in court.
Local authorities who refuse such orders would be thumbing their noses not just at state law but also at judicial orders — and they should be removed from office and prosecuted. Short of that, however, the gun sanctuary movement seems mainly symbolic, another manifestation of growing division in an increasingly tribal nation.
VA ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK HERRINGS STATEMENT
These resolutions appear to be nothing more than symbolic since no new gun laws have passed or even been considered yet. It’s not clear what a second amendment sanctuary is, what its proponents are hoping to accomplish, or what authority they think they have to preemptively opt-out of gun safety laws, but if the Virginia Citizens Defense League is circulating it you can bet it’s a bad idea. If the General Assembly passes new gun safety laws, as Virginia voters demanded just two weeks ago, we expect that everyone will follow the law and keep their citizens safe."
Please share Non Partisan information with your city & county elected officials
Coalition To Stop Gun Violence Senior Advocacy Director Lori Haas sent info below.
General Talking Points on the “Second Amendment Sanctuary" Movement
· The so-called “Second Amendment Sanctuary Movement” is no surprise. The gun lobby extremists have tried it in other states to no avail. It is an act of desperation by those fearful of change.
· Resolutions passed by County Boards carry no weight in state law and were passed only to send a message to their voters - the Board's support of the 2nd Amendment. These resolutions in no way direct any defiance of law.
· Given the results of the November 5th elections where GVP was the #1 issue in Virginia, the General Assembly has a mandate from the voters to take action on gun violence prevention.
· Given the artificial majority caused by gerrymandered districts that Republicans have enjoyed for far too long, the gun lobby and it's supporters have incorrectly asserted that GVP bills were killed in committee due to lack of support. The gun lobby is wrong - every poll in Virginia shows widespread support for GVP laws and now that we have a GVP majority in the General Assembly, the will of the people of the Commonwealth will actually happen.
· The counties that have passed these resolutions are sparsely populated and do not represent the majority of Virginians.
These So-Called “Second Amendment Sanctuary Counties” (SASCs)
Hold No Authority
· Under our Constitution, the legislative branch passes laws, and the executive branch upholds and enforces these laws unless and until the judicial branch declares such laws unconstitutional, or they are repealed by the legislature or by ballot initiative. County supervisors are not in a position to pick and choose which state laws to support. It is up to the courts to decide whether or not laws infringe upon the Second Amendment.
· The majority of Americans, and Virginians, support common-sense gun safety laws. That support cuts across party lines. Not only would passing an SASC Resolution be defying Virginia’s separation of powers, but it would also be going against the people’s will in the state. Gun policy was the top issue for Virginia voters in the 2019 elections. [1]
o 88% of Virginia adults support universal background checks (81% of Republican Virginians)
o 82% of Virginians support allowing police to remove guns from people a judge finds dangerous (75% of Republican Virginians)
o 58% of Virginians support a state limit of one handgun per month [2]
· Comparing sanctuary counties for immigrants to so-called SASCs is a false equivalency. Immigration laws are federal laws. Under our Constitution’s principles of federalism, local governments are not obligated to enforce federal policies. This is not the case for so-called SASCs because our county supervisors are trying to undermine state -- not federal -- laws, and our county is a creation of our state.
· Because of this, if counties decline to enforce gun violence prevention laws, it could be opening their jurisdictions up to costly civil lawsuits -- for which Virginians, as taxpayers, would foot the bill.
“Sanctuary” Resolutions and Public Safety
· In 2017, 345 Virginians died by firearm homicide; Virginia’s firearm homicide rate increased 45% between 2013 and 2017.[3] Commonsense gun laws can save countless Virginia lives. The Virginia Beach shooter took twelve lives using extended magazines, giving victims less of a chance to escape and allowing the killer more shots until he was stopped. If Virginia passes a limit on magazine size but these so-called SASCs allow our sheriffs to be able to decline to enforce this law, they will be allowing more people to fall victim to gun violence in Virginia.
· Supporting the right to keep and bear arms does not have to come at the expense of public safety. The Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller recognized that the right to bear arms does not extend to those who pose a threat to the safety of themselves or others. Passing a resolution opposing any common sense gun laws is an ill-conceived, and empty, attempt to protect access to guns for dangerous people while making our constituents less safe. We deserve commissioners and sheriffs who care more about the safety of our community than about dangerous individuals’ access.
“Sanctuary” Resolutions and Virginia’s Economy
· Cities that pass the “Sanctuary” resolution may find it difficult attracting new business to the area and may in fact, drive existing businesses away.
· Corporations may decide to avoid locating businesses in any county that passes a resolution rather than running the risk of being associated with the gun lobby's radical and dangerous "any gun, anywhere, by anybody" mantra.
· Nationwide, we have seen a growing trend in corporations adopting new restrictions on firearms sales in the absence of action by Congress and the White House.[4] These corporations will certainly not want to be associated with “2A Sanctuary Cities.”
[1] Doug Schoen, Virginia Elections Prove Gun Safety is the Winning Issue for 2020, FORBES, Nov. 23, 2019, available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/dougschoen/2019/11/23/virginia-elections-prove-gun-safety-is-the-winning-issue-for-2020/#4c5506a01c5b.
[2] Washington Post-Schar School Virginia Poll, Sep. 25-30, 2019, available at https://games-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/default/documents/322256e2-ddff-41e8-b813-6f96a351e381/note/6b8171ba-41d2-4e75-b1e1-018a9a6ba0c0.pdf#page=1.
[3] CTR. DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION, NAT’L CTR. H. STATS., Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2017, CDC WONDER (2017), accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.
[4] Scott Wong & Mike Lillis, Corporations step into gun control void, The Hill, September 5, 2019, available at https://thehill.com/homenews/house/459989-corporations-step-into-gun-control-void.
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The DPVA Press Director Sent the Background info below- The Democratic Message
Memo: Second Amendment Sanctuaries
Background
“Second Amendment sanctuary” resolutions refer to laws, ordinances, and resolutions passed by city, state, and local governments that express a sentiment of opposition to any legislation that infringes on the rights of gun owners. The text of the resolutions are often brief, and they have few legal ramifications. Most experts agree the resolutions are purely symbolic. A number of counties in Washington, Oregon, New Mexico and Illinois passed “Second Amendment Sanctuary” resolutions following Democratic wins in 2018, and a similar pattern is emerging in Virginia.
Primarily being pushed by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (for a backgrounder on its leader Philip Van Cleave, see this release put out by the DPVA), over 40 (primarily rural) counties in Virginia have passed Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions. However, sheriffs and law enforcement officials in these counties have made clear that they intend to follow the law and enforce what the legislature passes.
Polling from throughout the year in Virginia shows that residents overwhelmingly support common sense gun reforms that Democrats ran and won on in 2019. A recent poll from Roanoke College shows 84% of respondents support universal background checks, 76% support a red flag law, and 57% support an assault weapons ban. Opponents of gun safety legislation therefore represent a severe minority of Virginians.
Talking Points
● Remember, the Republicans in the General Assembly cut short the special session on gun violence after just 90 minutes without passing a single bill. Virginians put Democrats in power so that we could put a stop to their cowardice and actually do something about gun violence in our Commonwealth.
● So-called “Second Amendment Sanctuaries” are purely symbolic. We expect all law enforcement officials to do their duty and uphold the laws that the General Assembly passes.
● Senator Kaine put it best when he said our entire nation is a Second Amendment Sanctuary because we already have the protection of the Second Amendment. Democrats support the Constitution and the measures we’re proposing have passed constitutional muster in other states before.
● Attorney General Mark Warner confirmed that these "Second Amendment Sanctuaries" have no legal effect and said he expects all law enforcement officials to follow the law.
● Democrats across the Commonwealth campaigned and won on a platform of finally passing common sense gun safety measures. Come January, we're going to deliver on what we promised. It’s what the people of Virginia demand we do.
● The gun safety measures Democrats support are popular with both Democrats and Republicans
○ 88% of Virginians support universal background checks, including 81% of Republicans
○ 82% of Virginians support a red flag law, including 72% of Republicans
○ A majority of Virginians also support limiting handgun purchases to one a month, a ban on assault weapons, and a ban on high capacity ammunition clips
● The vast majority of people in Virginia want us to do something about gun violence, and extremists like Philip Van Cleave aren't going to change that.
Significant News Clips
WTVR: Attorney General’s response to 2nd Amendment sanctuary resolutions: ‘Gun safety laws will be followed’
December 6, 2019
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring has responded to the trend of Virginia counties passing Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions ahead of next year’s General Assembly, saying they are being "ginned up by the gun lobby" and that any new gun laws passed will be enforced.
Following the November's election, which saw Democrats take control of both the state House and Senate, the expectation is lawmakers will pass a number of gun control measures in 2020 for Democratic Governor Ralph Northam to sign.
Northam has said that Democrats would start with the legislation he introduced for a special session on gun control this past summer. Republicans, who held the majority at the time, ended the session after 90 minutes.
In response to this expectation, Republican-leaning counties around Virginia have passed resolutions declaring themselves to be Second Amendment sanctuaries and voiced opposition to any future laws that may infringe upon Second Amendment rights.
Last week, Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun rights group, told CBS 6 in a statement that the "flood of Second Amendment sanctuary localities across the state, and the massive crowds at those government meetings, is sending a message to the General Assembly that Virginia does not need any more unconstitutional gun control."
Speaking to CBS 6 on Wednesday, Herring said when the General Assembly passes gun control legislation those laws will be enforced.
"The resolutions that are being passed are being ginned up by the gun lobby to try to scare people. What we’re talking about here are laws that will make our communities and our streets safer. We’re talking about universal background checks, finally, maybe, Virginia will pass universal background checks to make sure that people who are dangerous, who are criminals and who aren’t permitted to buy guns, won’t be able to buy guns," said Herring. "So, when Virginia passes these gun safety laws that they will be followed, they will be enforced."
At least one Democratic lawmaker, Del. Jay Jones (D - 89th) has said he wanted a formal opinion from Herring on the issue of Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions. In a tweet, Jones posted a letter addressed to Herring calling the issue a "flashpoint across our state".
On Wednesday, when he spoke to CBS 6, Herring said his office had not officially received Del. Jones' request, but would respond when they do.
"We'll get it when it comes in. We'll take a look at it and we'll make an appropriate response," added Herring.
CBS: Sabato: Second Amendment sanctuary resolution "means nothing"
December 4, 2019
Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia Center for Politics said the rash of Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions being passed by Virginia counties will be meaningless if they are in conflict with state law.
Sabato said counties are trying to send a message to the General Assembly and Governor Ralph Northam.
Democrats took control of the House of Delegates during the 2019 election and they now have the majority in the General Assembly.
Sabato believes Republicans in rural areas are fearful that Democrats could pass gun control measures that would limit their ability to own guns.
Sabato said this reminds him of what happened in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected president and many Republican areas passed resolutions that would prevent gun confiscation.
He believes the Second Amendment resolutions are an over-reaction because he does not believe Democrats can pass any type of legislation that would take guns away from people who legally own them.
"I think strengthening background checks is the most likely piece of legislation to pass the General Assembly," Sabato said. "And it does not violate the Second Amendment, at least as it has been proposed."
He also said local ordinances don't have much impact because state law over-rules local law.
"Passing a local ordinance means nothing," Sabato said. "It means absolutely nothing if the state law overrides it. If they think the Second Amendment overrides the state law, take it to court, take the state to court."
He said cities that are more liberal will likely not make any type of statement regarding Second Amendment sanctuaries before the General Assembly session begins.
Virginian Pilot: Virginia gun rights groups are pushing “Second Amendment sanctuaries.” But what does that mean?
December 5, 2019
So your city or county has passed a resolution declaring it’s a “Second Amendment sanctuary.”
Now what?
The question is emerging across the commonwealth as gun rights groups successfully lobby localities large and small to vote on such resolutions declaring that officials there will not use public funds to in any way restrict rights granted by the Second Amendment.
It’s intended as a warning to the newly elected Democratic majority as they enter the General Assembly session: We don’t want stricter gun laws, and we dare you to pass them.
As the movement swept into Hampton Roads, Gloucester County’s Board of Supervisors passed such a resolution Tuesday — the same night hundreds of gun rights supporters crowded Virginia Beach City Hall to push for one. On Wednesday night more than 600 supporters flooded a Suffolk City Council meeting; a petition on the issue had more than 1,200 signatures, one speaker said. A vote is set later this month in York County, and Virginia Beach will likely take it up in January.
But do these resolutions have any teeth?
The short answer is: Not really. If local officials refuse to enforce the new state laws, they themselves would be breaking the law. Since most wouldn’t do that, the measure is really just symbolic.
Take Virginia Beach Sheriff Ken Stolle. He said he personally doesn’t believe the proposed gun control laws will work and wants Second Amendment rights to be protected. In fact, he was glad to have a gun on him in mid-November when he had to detain a burglar who attempted to break into his Great Neck home. The burglar was not armed and Stolle did not draw his weapon, an office spokeswoman said.
But it’s not up to him, Stolle said. He’ll follow whatever the law says, regardless of any resolution passed by the city.
“It’s a political effort more than anything else,” Stolle said. “Every sheriff should enforce the Constitution, but there’s a process for (determining what’s constitutional), and it’s not individual sheriffs. ... There’s a process for taking these things to appeal through a court.”
___
Democrats promised sweeping gun control legislation when they take power in January, and Gov. Ralph Northam has proposed several bills that were previously defeated by a GOP-led legislature.
They include requiring background checks on all gun transactions, limiting handgun sales to one a month, a “red flag” law — allowing courts to temporarily take away someone’s firearms if they’re deemed a threat to themselves or others — letting localities regulate whether guns are allowed in government buildings, and more.
Senate Bill 16, which would prohibit the sale — and possession — of what lawmakers call “assault firearms” and magazines, has drawn particular ire among gun advocates who don’t want the government taking their guns.
Phillip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, which has been leading the statewide push, put it this way: Previous legislative attempts at putting restrictions on guns “were cherry bombs.”
"This is a nuclear bomb.”
The term “sanctuary cities” might remind some of similar efforts taken on the issue of immigration enforcement — cities that said they would not do the government’s bidding when it came to pursuing undocumented immigrants.
But there are key differences between those and the current situation, said Richard Schragger, a law professor at the University of Virginia. States and localities have the option to cooperate with federal immigration laws because the Constitution limits the ways the feds can force locals to enforce federal law.
But if a local official refuses to follow state law, that becomes more of a problem, he said.
Police officers do have discretion when it comes to certain laws. Little could be done legally, for example, in a situation where a cop pulls someone over and finds they have a gun they’re not allowed to have and decides not to do anything about it.
But local officials then open themselves up to contempt charges and police officers to individual liability, Schragger said. Say the officer doesn’t confiscate a gun that’s supposed to be under a new law, and then someone gets killed with the same weapon. The officer could become liable.
Dana Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, said the association’s been fielding calls from police chiefs across the state, and she’s been advising them to inform citizens of the limitations of such resolutions.
“We need to respect that that is the separation of powers, the balance of powers,” she said. It’s up to the courts to decide what can pass constitutional muster.
“Our chief concern is citizens might think the passage of (a resolution) means the locality has enacted an authority to thwart a state law that someone thinks is unconstitutional," she said. “These are statements of preference being made by localities.”
___
York-Poquoson Sheriff J.D. “Danny” Diggs compared the resolutions to municipalities’ annual legislative package that they send to the state, making clear what their priorities are. He’s in a group of sheriffs planning to release their own “declaration” of sorts, in support of the Second Amendment, which he believes would be infringed upon by some of the proposed bills.
He added that it would be “very difficult to enforce” new laws as they are currently proposed because he expects some would be unconstitutional and immediately challenged in the courts. When a noise ordinance in Virginia Beach was appealed in court, for example, he didn’t enforce a similar one on the books in York.
Nancy Guy, the Democratic delegate-elect in Virginia Beach’s 83rd House District, questioned the precedent these “sanctuary cities” would set.
“We would have chaos,” said Guy, who supports gun control measures put forth by her party.
She said the proposals are commonsense and not aimed at taking away people’s Second Amendment rights. She argues many have been passed in other states and helped reduce gun violence.
A spokeswoman for Attorney General Mark Herring called the resolutions symbolic.
“It’s not clear what a second amendment sanctuary is, what its proponents are hoping to accomplish, or what authority they think they have to preemptively opt-out of gun safety laws, but if the Virginia Citizens Defense League is circulating it you can bet it’s a bad idea,” Charlotte Gomer said in an email. “If the General Assembly passes new gun safety laws, as Virginia voters demanded just a few weeks ago, we expect that everyone will follow the law and keep their citizens safe.”
Still, Van Cleave with the league said he’s hearing that many counties won’t enforce the new gun laws. He declined to name them. One sheriff, in Amelia County, told the Washington Post he wouldn’t seize guns under a law he views as unconstitutional, even on a judge’s orders.
Bill DeSteph, a Republican state senator representing Virginia Beach, said the proposed gun control laws are unconstitutional and he’s circulating a petition to protect Second Amendment rights against a “radical, liberal-controlled General Assembly.”
He also said the gun control bills proposed by Democrats have scared and upset gun owners.
Brooke Corson went with her husband and their two sons to the Suffolk council meeting Wednesday. A former Army drill sergeant, Corson said her family hunts and teaches their boys how to use guns safely.
“If we don’t stand up and defend our rights, then they’re going to disappear quickly," she said.
Her 11-year-old son, Wyatt, agreed.
“If the second amendment falls, everything else does too,” he said. “Once you get the weapons of defense gone, everything else goes. History points that out.”
Washington Post: Editorial: Mischief-makers with an agenda promote ‘gun sanctuaries’ in Virginia
November 29, 2019
Vigilantism, with its alluring tingle of defiance and frontier justice, conjures a cinematic idea of American individualism. A similar impulse is at work among advocates of the so-called Second Amendment sanctuary movement, a trend in mainly rural counties declaring they will refuse to enforce restrictive state gun laws. Both are examples of individuals who, lacking legal authority, put themselves above the law, thereby promoting chaos.
In Virginia, the movement has lately become a fad, spurred by legislative election results that will, starting in January, hand pro-gun control Democrats control of both houses of the General Assembly for the first time in a generation. With a Democrat also in the governor’s mansion, some rural Republicans are raising the specter of mass gun confiscations — and pronouncing themselves Second Amendment Sanctuaries.
The idea — and the term itself — has gained traction in Western states and elsewhere, inspired by “sanctuary cities” that have adopted policies barring cooperation with federal immigration officials to deport unauthorized migrants.
The distinction between the two sanctuaries is basic. Localities that have passed resolutions declaring themselves Second Amendment sanctuary jurisdictions are threatening to ignore laws enacted by duly elected state legislatures and signed by governors. Immigration-focused sanctuary localities are breaking no law; rather, they are refusing purely voluntary cooperation in service to federal law enforcement. And, in practice, sanctuary cities often do — and should — fully coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in cases involving violent felons such as murderers and rapists.
In Virginia, local governing bodies in a few dozen Appalachian southwest and central Piedmont counties have passed or are considering resolutions declaring themselves gun sanctuaries. In many, longtime gun owners are hunters who say their way of life is threatened by liberal lawmakers in Richmond.
This is nonsense fanned by mischief-makers with an agenda. In fact, the gun legislation with the best chance of passage would promote public safety by requiring universal background checks — a measure with overwhelming bipartisan support among Virginians in public opinion surveys. Other bills with broad support would limit the number and types of weapons that can be sold. For instance, by restricting handgun purchases by individuals to one per month — an anti-trafficker measure that was the law in Virginia for 20 years before it was repealed in 2012.
The only cases in which gun confiscation could take place would be if the legislature enacts a “red flag” bill, which would allow law enforcement authorities to take away firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others. Such laws, which have received bipartisan support in many states, generally depend on an order from a judge who would consider evidence presented in court.
Local authorities who refuse such orders would be thumbing their noses not just at state law but also at judicial orders — and they should be removed from office and prosecuted. Short of that, however, the gun sanctuary movement seems mainly symbolic, another manifestation of growing division in an increasingly tribal nation.
A Beginner’s Guide to Twitter
Twitter is not Facebook. Twitter is where news is broken, links are shared, and memes are born. It is a place you can chat with friends, but unlike Facebook, Twitter is public. The more people you follow, and the more followers you have, the wider your reach. There are an estimated 330 million Twitter accounts in the world.
Tweets are limited to 280 characters. Your tweet can also contain links, photos, GIFs, or even videos.
Let’s Get Started.
Twitter is not about friending – it is all about following and being followed. Start out following people you know or news outlets or well-known celebrities you admire. Go directly to the page of the person you want to follow and see all they’ve tweeted.
Say something. Add a # to a subject so others can find it. Read your tweet carefully before posting. You can’t go back and edit but you can go back and delete it. Reply to others.
If you appreciate a tweet, then like it! If you want others who follow you to see it, retweet it.
Turn on your notifications you can keep track of your favorite people and news outlets.
Privacy
Everything on Twitter is public by default, but you can turn on a setting to set your account to private. Only the people who you’ve given permission to follow you will see your tweets. This will greatly limit your Twitter experience in my opinion.
Protect Yourself
You don’t have to put up with bullies or harassment. Twitter allows you to mute or block anyone who is bothering you. If you think someone is violating Twitter standards, you can report them and Twitter will shut them down if it is serious enough.
Do not follow or be followed by a bot. A bot is an automated account posing as a real person. They have a huge presence on Twitter and number in the millions. They are used to harass other users or attack a message or article. There are many articles on the web on how to spot a bot. Read “#BotSpot: Twelve Ways to Spot a Bot“. If an account is anonymous with little personal information, do not follow it.
Suggested Accounts to Follow
Goochland Democrats @goochlandvadems
Any account that @goochlandvadems is following
Sukie @froggybottompnd
Lingo and Slang to Help You Stay “Woke”
Woke – living in a state of awareness of current events . What happened to all of us when Trump was elected.
Trolls – actual people who are harassing you. Not to be confused with bots.
DM – direct private message between two Twitter users.
Meme – Photos or political cartoons that are shared on Tweets to drive home a point. Often humorous or sarcastic.
GIF – Graphic Interchange Format. A format for image files that supports both animated and static images.
Feed – Your twitter feed or timeline is any list of tweets that constantly updates when someone you follow tweets.
Twitter is not Facebook. Twitter is where news is broken, links are shared, and memes are born. It is a place you can chat with friends, but unlike Facebook, Twitter is public. The more people you follow, and the more followers you have, the wider your reach. There are an estimated 330 million Twitter accounts in the world.
Tweets are limited to 280 characters. Your tweet can also contain links, photos, GIFs, or even videos.
Let’s Get Started.
- Set up an account. Go to Twitter.com or download the app and sign up. The “full name” you choose will be your display name. It doesn’t have to be your real name. You can remain anonymous if you want. Next, pick a username you like. It will be your “handle” and people can reach you by typing @ in front of it in a tweet.
- Enter your phone number. Very important in case you ever lose access to your account.
- Pick an avatar. Highly recommend you put an actual photo of yourself ,especially when new, as you don’t want to be mistaken for a bot.
- Write a bio. You will be limited in characters so be brief. You want people to get a sense of who you are, what you are interested in.
- Finish your profile with a background image – this will appear at the top of your Twitter page.
Twitter is not about friending – it is all about following and being followed. Start out following people you know or news outlets or well-known celebrities you admire. Go directly to the page of the person you want to follow and see all they’ve tweeted.
Say something. Add a # to a subject so others can find it. Read your tweet carefully before posting. You can’t go back and edit but you can go back and delete it. Reply to others.
If you appreciate a tweet, then like it! If you want others who follow you to see it, retweet it.
Turn on your notifications you can keep track of your favorite people and news outlets.
Privacy
Everything on Twitter is public by default, but you can turn on a setting to set your account to private. Only the people who you’ve given permission to follow you will see your tweets. This will greatly limit your Twitter experience in my opinion.
Protect Yourself
You don’t have to put up with bullies or harassment. Twitter allows you to mute or block anyone who is bothering you. If you think someone is violating Twitter standards, you can report them and Twitter will shut them down if it is serious enough.
Do not follow or be followed by a bot. A bot is an automated account posing as a real person. They have a huge presence on Twitter and number in the millions. They are used to harass other users or attack a message or article. There are many articles on the web on how to spot a bot. Read “#BotSpot: Twelve Ways to Spot a Bot“. If an account is anonymous with little personal information, do not follow it.
Suggested Accounts to Follow
Goochland Democrats @goochlandvadems
Any account that @goochlandvadems is following
Sukie @froggybottompnd
Lingo and Slang to Help You Stay “Woke”
Woke – living in a state of awareness of current events . What happened to all of us when Trump was elected.
Trolls – actual people who are harassing you. Not to be confused with bots.
DM – direct private message between two Twitter users.
Meme – Photos or political cartoons that are shared on Tweets to drive home a point. Often humorous or sarcastic.
GIF – Graphic Interchange Format. A format for image files that supports both animated and static images.
Feed – Your twitter feed or timeline is any list of tweets that constantly updates when someone you follow tweets.
- Sheriff Candidate Forum: September 24th, 2019,Goochland High School 7pm
2017 JJ Dinner Photos
Meet the Candidates Breakfast on Saturday, April 22, 2017
Special thanks to our guests:
Lizzie Drucker Basch, Candidate for 56th District House of Delegates; Chrystal Doyle, surrogate for 56th District Candidate Melissa Dart; Linda Perriello aka Tom's Mom; 7th Congressional Candidates Janelle Noble and Helen Alli.
Special thanks to our guests:
Lizzie Drucker Basch, Candidate for 56th District House of Delegates; Chrystal Doyle, surrogate for 56th District Candidate Melissa Dart; Linda Perriello aka Tom's Mom; 7th Congressional Candidates Janelle Noble and Helen Alli.
GDC Ice Cream Social Sept. 11, 2016
Miscellaneous
Engaging Youth
We welcome your ideas for engaging young people as well as increasing participation in our meetings and activities. Please contact the committee if you would like to help and provide some suggestions.
Educational Forums
This year, we plan to hold one or more forums that will be of interest to Democrats and non-Democrats alike. The topic is TBD, but please let you know if you can help with these plans.
Brown Bag Lunches
Remember Friday Brown Bag Lunches at the library? Those were a big hit, but haven't been held in a long time. We can bring them back. Do you know of good speakers of interest who might come and share their ideas and knowledge with us? If so, please contact the committee
Engaging Youth
We welcome your ideas for engaging young people as well as increasing participation in our meetings and activities. Please contact the committee if you would like to help and provide some suggestions.
Educational Forums
This year, we plan to hold one or more forums that will be of interest to Democrats and non-Democrats alike. The topic is TBD, but please let you know if you can help with these plans.
Brown Bag Lunches
Remember Friday Brown Bag Lunches at the library? Those were a big hit, but haven't been held in a long time. We can bring them back. Do you know of good speakers of interest who might come and share their ideas and knowledge with us? If so, please contact the committee