Such is the case in California, where draconian new restrictions blanket the state with areas where concealed carry is off limits even for legal permit holders. Word came last week that Sutter County is standing up against the state’s overreach into Second Amendment rights.
Sheriff Brandon Barnes and District Attorney Jennifer R. Dupre are in full agreement that their citizens are protected by the supreme law of the land. Barnes declared his office will not rush into enforcing the new gun control statutes that criminalize what is constitutionally protected behavior.
And Dupre has no intentions of prosecuting concealed carry permit holders who carry their firearms for self-defense.
The two jointly posted on Facebook their intentions and the reasons behind them. They declared they will work together to ensure that Sutter County citizens enjoy freedoms granted to law-abiding Americans.
“We have no interest in criminalizing constitutionally protected behavior. We took an oath to uphold our Constitution and will work to protect the rights of our citizens. This issue is far from being resolved and we are hopeful the courts will rule in favor of our Constitution. We will continue to keep our community informed on this important issue.”
The new California law, Senate Bill 2, created “sensitive places” on nearly all public property in the state and went into effect on Jan. 1. It is the focus of legal challenges and has already bounced around the appeals system.
A preliminary injunction was initially granted to suspend enforcement of the law, but that was stayed at the end of December.
This allowed the state to put the law into effect, though it will obviously not be enforced in all corners of California.
If governments have the will to ignore both the Constitution and the U.S. Supreme Court, it should not be surprising when local jurisdictions decide to take the same action against unjust laws.
