More than 2,000 people packed the Stafford County Government Center on Courthouse Road on Tuesday night.
The majority of them urged the county’s Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution declaring Stafford a county that would uphold a key freedom guaranteed in the Bill of Rights — the right to bear arms.
“I’m willing to die to protect my rights. Is the governor willing to due to the same?” asked one Stafford County resident who spoke during the nearly four-hour citizens’ time.
Gold-Star widow Kristine Stewart, wife of fallen Stafford County hero David Stewart, urged local leaders to pass the resolution and held up a pocket-sized copy of the U.S. Constitution her husband had in his flack jacket on the day he and two other Marines were killed in Afghanistan in 2014.
“This is what he died to protect,” she said while holding up the document.
At 11:15 p.m., the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to adopt the resolution that urges lawmakers not to pass new legislation in January that would prohibit the ability of law-abiding citizens to buy keep guns.
Stafford County now joins 88 other jurisdictions across Virginia that have approved a similar resolution. Last week, neighboring counties Prince William and Spotsylvania approved similar resolutions.
The decree comes after new gun control legislation has been filed ahead of the 2020 General Assembly session, which begins on January 8. Like a bill by Senate Minority Leader Richard L Saslaw (D-35, Falls Chruch) that would make selling, renting, trading, making or transporting an assault rifle from another state into Virginia a felony. It also aims to limit the number of rounds in a magazine to seven.
And there’s legislation by Senator L. Louise Lucas (D-18, Hampton Roads) that would make it illegal for anyone to participate in a drill, parade, or march with a firearm at their side.
Earlier this week, Democrats in Congress said the could call out the National Guard to enforce newly enacted gun laws in the event local law enforcement officers weren’t up to the task. Last night, Stafford County Sheriff David Decatur said, “I’ve taken an oath to uphold the constitution…we will not be going around confiscating people’s guns.”
Tuesday’s meeting was the final meeting of the year for the Board of Supervisors. A new Board will convene in January with two new faces — Crystal Vanuch, who replaces the retiring Wendy Maurer in the Rock Hill District, and Tinesha Allen, who replaces the long-serving Jack Cavalier who lost his re-election bid on November 5.
