"Sanctuary Counties" in PA.

**truecrimson** · February 1st, 2020, 06:38 PM

What has not been well explained in this thread is that GOA is coordinating the sanctuary movement in PA. They have produced a well thought out and specific standard ordinance (not resolution) that is being pushed in all counties and municipalities across the state. The standard ordinance they are using has been compiled after examining various sanctuary resolutions and ordinances from across the country. Including drug and immigration sanctuary ordinances and resolutions that have withstood challenge. That ordinance does what Bobrf250 said; it simply says no resources of (insert county or municipality here) will be used to enforce or support the enforcement of any new unconstitutional gun laws. This avoids the patchwork of different enactments that mean or do different things that we see in other states. It avoids violation of preemption by not being a gun law.

As to the hypocrisy of that, are we hypocrites for complaining about the lack of enforcement of drug and immigration laws and then yelling "We will not comply" when it comes to gun laws? The fact is that the rule of law is breaking down in this country and has been for some time. We either participate in that or get beaten over the head with it. It's right there in Alinsky's Rules For Radicals: don't follow rules but insist that the other side follow their rules. The left has been using that against us for a long time. If we don't fight on the same terms we will lose.

My final point will be to point out that preemption is about municipalities violating our rights in contravention of state law. Sanctuary is about what we do when the state violates our rights. It is not mere defiance of state law. it is a statement that the state is not all powerful and cannot violate our rights with impunity.

It is the correct legal and moral step before we actually do not comply.

**Square Bag** · February 3rd, 2020, 02:36 PM

In most cases the state troopers are going to be handling all these cases, so I don’t see any leeway from them. The Sheriff has no authority here so it’s not going to go along the Virginia lines.

**vfinnell** · February 3rd, 2020, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Square Bag

In most cases the state troopers are going to be handling all these cases, so I don’t see any leeway from them. The Sheriff has no authority here so it’s not going to go along the Virginia lines.

That is why the ordinance can be adopted by municipalities, too.

**Wilderness 1864** · February 14th, 2020, 12:26 PM

I see one of the primary advantages of these resolutions or ordinances is that they form a coherent basis for more organized political advocacy. We do not have that in PA, or not enough of it. I look at VA, where the movement was overwhelming. Will the resolutions have legal effect, will they be honored? Who knows? What I do know is that they helped galvanize 2A political support and resistance to the pending infringement laws. Any VA Democrat State Senator who hails from a Sanctuary jurisdiction will have to think hard about bucking that constituency -- including local political officers from that jurisdiction. It might be enough to turn the tide. Nothing is lost by trying.

Rallies are good. Mail ins are good. Emails and texts to legislators are good. I cannot, however, think of a more effective political statement to those politicians that thought they might be able to quietly trade away or surrender the Second Amendment in whole or in small pieces over time. The same people that gather to advocate for the Sanctuary laws are more likely to form deeper and useful personal affiliations, networks for increased political activism.

**vfinnell** · February 14th, 2020, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by Wilderness 1864

I see one of the primary advantages of these resolutions or ordinances is that they form a coherent basis for more organized political advocacy. We do not have that in PA, or not enough of it. I look at VA, where the movement was overwhelming. Will the resolutions have legal effect, will they be honored? Who knows? What I do know is that they helped galvanize 2A political support and resistance to the pending infringement laws. Any VA Democrat State Senator who hails from a Sanctuary jurisdiction will have to think hard about bucking that constituency -- including local political officers from that jurisdiction. It might be enough to turn the tide. Nothing is lost by trying.

Rallies are good. Mail ins are good. Emails and texts to legislators are good. I cannot, however, think of a more effective political statement to those politicians that thought they might be able to quietly trade away or surrender the Second Amendment in whole or in small pieces over time. The same people that gather to advocate for the Sanctuary laws are more likely to form deeper and useful personal affiliations, networks for increased political activism.

Yes, that is a very important part of this movement and it is happening right now across Pennsylvania. We have thousands more people tied into GOA's grassroots volunteer network to mobilize folks for gun-related issues in Harrisburg or locally.