Illinois Lawmakers Move Forward With ‘Sanctuary’ Counties

By Ready to Fire News On Jul 13, 2018

In the heartland of America, there’s a new story simmering that will bring happiness to the minds of gun advocates everywhere.

Far from the sanctuary cities that we have heard about where city officials provide illegal aliens with protection from the U.S. government, Illinois sanctuary resolutions are aimed strictly at protecting the Second Amendment rights of gun owners.

This trend is spreading quickly across the state, and has now been passed in 26 Illinois counties, where firearm aficionados are now officially protected from the gun control laws that they consider “unconstitutional.” Or are they?

County Boards v. The U.S. Constitution

In a move that many people consider symbolic, these local Illinois County Board members are passing so-called “gun sanctuary” resolutions that oppose new restrictions on firearms ownership that could be pending from the state level. There have been multiple bills in the Illinois General Assembly in the past few years that could be considered to limit the rights of gun owners, including:

Increasing the legal age whereby individuals may purchase a gun (House Bill 1465)
A bill that prohibits municipalities from regulating “the possession and ownership of assault weapons in a manner less restrictive than the regulation by the State” (House Bill 1467)
House Bill 1469, limiting the ability to deliver, possess or purchase an ammunition device that is considered “large capacity”

Local lawmakers were feeling the pressure to take action after the Florida high school mass shooting — as many states scrambled to pass more aggressive gun control laws that significantly limited the freedoms of Americans to own, purchase and use firearms.

The Resolutions Spread

The implication of adding “sanctuary” to the resolutions is aimed at increasing the likelihood of lawmakers to sit up and take an interest — sparking an ongoing conversation that could potentially lead to real solutions in controlling violent acts.

In a sanctuary city, officials protect those who are technically in violation of a higher law, such as a federal law. Gun sanctuary counties are planning to have the same effect. Even if a state or federal law is added that would have implications for individuals, sanctuary counties plan to uphold the constitutional rights of Americans to keep and bear arms. This could cause a problem for local law enforcement officials and for county lawmakers just as the sanctuary cities are facing fire for their firm stances.

The same individuals who are proposing the sanctuary county laws for Second Amendment rights state that they aren’t necessarily gun proponents. Instead, they are speaking out against the limitation of rights that were guaranteed in the Constitution. It is unclear whether the majority of the 26 counties will have employees and politicians who would protect the citizens if their gun sanctuaries were actually called into question.

Perhaps the key value of the various laws being introduced is to raise awareness that Americans are not willing to stand idly by while their gun rights are slowly pulled away — especially in the heartland!

~ Ready to Fire News