Sanctuary From the Forces of Darkness

Is there such a thing? Literally — forces of darkness — seeking to subvert human freedom and reduce humanity to iron-curtain rule? Are elite people active among us, like outrageous tyrants of the past whose names you know, names I won’t mention? People whose goal is to disarm you, render you helpless, then exercise absolute control over you?

That’s a pretty grim picture and hard to imagine. You’re reluctant to accept such a thing could exist here. I know I am. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce us under absolute despotism, it’s increasingly difficult to ignore the signs.

It is becoming so difficult to ignore, an increasing number of states, counties, cities and towns are considering, introducing or enacting Sanctuary Policies. A Sanctuary Policy is local legislation that legally places specific areas of jurisdiction (legal control) solely into local hands. Done properly, such a policy prevents federal meddling where it’s none of their business, based on clear precedent and rules of federalism.

Federalism is the principle that we Americans have two governments operating for us at the same time: one national, also called federal, and 50 states, with separate distinct powers. The powers delegated are subject to consent of the people governed.

Checks & Balances

One of our Founding Fathers’ many brilliant and unique concepts was to have these separate forces at play to balance each other out, apply brakes as needed, and the really clever part — delegate only certain power to each, and withhold certain powers from each. It’s confusingly called federalism. Under federalism, for example, police power lies exclusively with the states. Regulating weights and measures is to federal authorities alone. As examples of limits, states cannot control immigration, and the feds are banned, as you know, from infringing on rights to keep and bear arms. We’ve drifted from the plan.

Shared Responsibility

Mustering the militia in times of crisis on the other hand is a shared federal and state responsibility. Personal security and self-defense are state and individual responsibilities beyond the reach of national authorities. And dealing with arms in public hands is actually prohibited to the federal government by the guarantees of the Second Amendment. So, under the conditions of the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, Article VI, making demands or basically anything about the right of the people to keep and bear arms isn’t in pursuance of the Constitution. Infringement is banned. The 10th Amendment emphasizes, undelegated powers are reserved to the states, or to the people. Sanctuary should not need declaring.

But localities, anticipating infringement by feds who’ve promised it, are preemptively enacting Sanctuary Policies. My favorite part, the part some say is the glaring flaw in an otherwise inspired Constitution, is adding punishment for violators. It is blatantly illegal to deny the civil rights of gun owners. That’s already law. Now states are putting local teeth in these laws.

The feds will question this brazen (you might say proper) challenge to usurpation of citizens’ rights. Federal authorities have grown a bit uppity in their demands for power. Relinquish control, even if it’s undelegated? Nah. Shut up and go stand over there. Well, Oklahoma, Montana, Arizona, Missouri and others are going full-state Sanctuary, along with Illinois’ and Virginia’s counties and more.

Where does your county, city or state stand? Good Sanctuary Policy reestablishes who’s boss, without needing to use the muzzle end of your arms. Sounds like a plan.

Alan Korwin’s website GunLaws.com features his 15 years of work as The Uninvited Ombudsman writing Page Nine, the 14 books he’s written, 30 years as the publisher at Bloomfield Press, and more common sense like you just read. For more info: GunLaws.com, PageNine.org

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