- Thomas Jefferson in a letter to James Madison, January 30, 1787
As the good citizens of the place of my birth, the Commonwealth of Virginia, face the tyrannical force of a governor who fails to live up to the standards by which that fair land was established, I think it’s a good thing to apprise other good Americans of the ongoing plight and what it means for the future of Virginia and the nation. Earlier I wrote a blog about Governor Ralph Northam’s views on one of the very principles of freedom underscored by our Constitution, the Second Amendment (2A), as he proclaimed that he would do whatever he found necessary to inflict his personal views, as repugnant as they might be, on a huge number of his citizens who adamantly oppose his proposed actions. And we’ve seen since his earlier commentary that he and his party’s representatives to the state legislature continue on their path. While they relented on a few items, most notably the banning proposal for AR-15 weapons when confronted by a massive audience at the legislative chamber on Monday past in response to a call of citizens by the National Rifle Association (NRA), Northam remains unmoved. Now he has now taken the step to call for a temporary State of Emergency on the Capitol grounds next Monday when the supporters of 2A hold a legally-approved rally on the steps of that grand building to voice their displeasure over his proposals. It will likely draw a massive crowd, much larger than the one which responded to the legislative hearings. Why? Because he says that intelligence advises him that violence is likely to ensue and he uses the example of the past Charlottesville incident to back up his claim. Not only does he provide no evidence of what is to come, but he also uses an incorrect and decidedly unconstitutional viewpoint on what happened in Charlottesville that is only a minimal part of the story. Perhaps he needs a lesson from the late and great Paul Harvey about how he should understand “The Rest of the Story” to ultimately find truth.
The basic truth of “The Rest of the Story” is that the sponsor of the rally next Monday in Richmond is the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCL), an organization of those who cherish their belief in the Constitution of the United States and their right to bear arms, a Virginia tradition since the earliest days of the Virginia Colony and supported ever since. Northam, you might remember, is also a pediatrician by trade who has openly supported even the most vile destruction of viable babies even after birth. So, it should come as no surprise that a man of such a belief structure would likely see citizen gun ownership as a threat to his misguided views. Furthermore, the Charlottesville incident that he commented on, in reality, had much greater degree of violence against citizen protesters generated by ANTIFA, carrying clubs and bats and also covering their faces. Yet the Charlottesville Police, as directed by their leftist mayor, stood silently by while even women and children were pummeled with the mainstream media focusing on only a few incidents that they could at least attempt to pin on those supporting retention of historical statues. The Left, of course, wants all semblance of past history removed so that they and use their political correctness to rewrite history to support their objectives. And no doubt, like is found in most protest scenarious, there are always a few misguided loners who show up to take advantage of a situation without it necessarily being caused by anything to do with the event.. But ANTIFA, well, they have a sordid track record of violence wherever they show, be it in the United States or many other nations and they were large and violent in Charlottesville. They are a group that exists to foment anarchy and hate while politicians cower in political correctness, unwilling to deal with their violence, so they just get away with it.
Eighy-six of Virginia’s ninety-five counties have enacted Sanctuary resolutions for 2A and most sheriffs have announced their intention not to support any infringement of the Constitution. A number of cities, including the largest in the Commonweath, Virginia Beach, have also signed on, meaning that to enforce any such law generated would result in either tyranny of the minority or the majority, depending on what the true numbers are. But being a gun loving state, the overwhelming land mass of Virginia is clearly gun country. Northam deep down inside this knows it, for word is out that he is asking for special funding to provide sufficient force on site. Could it be ANTIFA or some similar type of group? I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see, so the next move will be Northam’s as the gathering unfolds and it is likely that legal gun owners might very well, in accordance with existing law, bring their weapons to show their rights. If Northam reacts in characteristic fashion, it will be on him for he, and he alone, has fomented the problem in the first place that might likely rear its ugly head.
It’s for just that reason why the famous quote from that great Virginian, Thomas Jefferson, is found at the start of this blog. At the time he wrote to Madison, he was serving as Ambassador to France and he viewed, up close and personal, the abuse by the French monarchy toward her citizens. While he loved France, he saw a building hostility and resentment that would lead later to the French Revolution, where tyranny of the majority unfolded with much loss of blood and life. It’s one of the things that concerned him deeply when the Constitution was being discussed and written and it’s why he mentioned the need from time to time for a little revolution in his letter to Madison, a fellow Virginian and someone he admired. He knew that when men lose their good values and vision, bad things result and I think that perhaps Governor Northam could use a crash course in real history to open his now jaded eyes. God help Virginia, for if tyranny grabs hold in Virginia, the rest of us are likely to see the same thing transpire in other places as well. This is critical to understand, for if Americans don’t stand for freedom and liberty and if it is ultimately lost, it’s not likely to ever return. And it’s even more important to know that is one of the key reasons for 2A to be enacted in the first place. Without the right to bear arms, those who love freedom when tyranny strikes will be easy fodder to take down. Arms in the hands of good men is the means of maintaining freedom, period. God be with all Americans who love and cherish freedom in the weeks and months ahead. We will likely need all the help that He can provide.