Minuteman statue, Lexington, MA

My good friend and colleague Brandon Morse published a piece yesterday about Democrat Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris’ statement vowing to send police to the homes of Americans in order to confiscate guns banned by her executive order should she become President. Here’s the article. With permission of the editorial staff, I am republishing a short piece I did back in March on just what a Harris victory might mean for the Second Amendment.

The Shot Heard ‘Round The World.

On a cool Massachusetts morning, April 19, 1775, a group of farmers, tradesmen, and other “Minutemen” led by Captain John Parker, gathered on Lexington Commons to…express umbrage at the British Crown’s attempt to confiscate Colonial Weapons.

“Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war let it begin here,” declared Parker.

No one knows who fired the first shot, but at the end of the battle, eight Americans lay dead and as many wounded. This came to be known as the “shot heard ‘round the World” and the de facto beginning of the American Revolution.

Fast forward to today—the Second Amendment, arguably written with Lexington in mind, is still the only one we need “permission” to exercise and is still under constant attack by the left. That’s generating backlash among popularly elected local Sheriffs, reports The Wall Street Journal. From the article.

The “Second Amendment sanctuary” movement has taken hold in more than 100 counties in several states, including New Mexico and Illinois, where local law-enforcement and county leaders are saying they won’t enforce new legislation that infringes on the constitutional right to bear arms.

This isn’t a “one-off,” issue—we’re talking about over 100 counties across several states. This indicates widespread popular support, support that is galvanizing locally elected Law Enforcement Officials to take notice—and take action. The article goes on,

For instance, in New Mexico, 30 of 33 county sheriffs have signed a letter pledging to not help enforce several gun-control measures supported by Democrats in Santa Fe, according to the state’s sheriff association. The sheriffs, who are elected, say they are heeding the wishes of voters in the counties they serve. More than two dozen counties in the state have enacted “sanctuary” resolutions backing the sheriffs and affirming that no tax dollars in their jurisdictions should go to enforcing the proposed laws.

Predictably, there has been the mandatory hue and cry from the left, declaring those Sheriffs to be lawless rogues. Strangely enough, this from locales that support sanctuary cities for illegal aliens. Of course, their screeching is without basis. First of all, the local Sheriffs are on pretty solid Constitutional ground. Have a look at the generic Law Enforcement Oath of Office from North Carolina

I, _______________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and maintain the Constitution and laws of the United States, and the Constitution and laws of North Carolina not inconsistent therewith, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office as _______________, so help me God.

Most State Oaths of Office are pretty close to the above, first addressing fealty to the U.S. Constitution and only after, to the State Constitution and Laws.

Second, as A.R. Hawkins put it on Sirius Radio this morning, “No other rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights are interpreted so as to allow the government to stand between the people and that right.”

I would add that our Supreme Court seems to foster this by its willingness to “incorporate” every other Amendment in the Bill of Rights, except of course, the Second.

Where might this Revolt of the Sheriffs lead? From my foxhole, it’s not all that hard to imagine a local sheriff who refuses to honor a state-issued confiscation order, being confronted by state officers. Such a situation could result in the sheriff and his deputies on one side, with state officers on the other. If God forbid there is a Democrat administration in D.C., we could possibly add ATF and/or FBI agents into the mix on the side of the state. Where might that lead?

New Mexico—A cool March morning, 2021, San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari stood at the head of his Deputies as they protected the home of Joe Q. Citizen from an unconstitutional raid designed to confiscate Citizen’s guns. “This is an unconstitutional gun-grab measure,” Ferrari said of the state law supposedly authorizing such a raid—a law signed back in 2019 by then Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat.

Just as he finished talking, the lead ATF agent stepped forward and spoke into a bullhorn, “Sheriff Ferrari, you and your men are in violation of Federal and State Laws. By order of President Kamala Harris, You are hereby ordered to drop your weapons and surrender to Federal and State Authorities immediately.”

On a cool March morning—2021.

Mike Ford is a retired Infantry Officer who writes on Military, Foreign Affairs and occasionally dabbles in Political and Economic matters.

Follow him on Twitter: @MikeFor10394583

You can find his other Red State work here.