County Commissioners Discuss Possibility of Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – As the 2020 Presidential Election looms and
various policy stances are discussed on a national scale, a group of
area citizens are requesting that the County Commissioners consider
passing a resolution identifying Muskingum County as a Second
Amendment Sanctuary. Those calling for the resolution cite Red Flag
Laws and similar nationwide initiatives for gun control as a reason
to be proactive. Cassidy Crawford, a Muskingum County Resident, says
passing a Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution would send a message
to the statehouse.

“It shows that
this county is standing with its residents and that they would be—I
believe—the third county in Ohio to become a Second Amendment
Sanctuary; showing unity, helping the movement grow. It’s like in
Virginia—85 out of 90 counties did this in about a month; just
showing the Governor of that state that they won’t stand for these
unconstitutional laws that are coming down the pipeline.”

Sheriff Matt Lutz
says the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office strongly supports the
Second Amendment and understand the desire for a resolution—however,
he feels there may be a better time to enact such a policy across
the county.

“I’m not against
the Commissioners doing it. There could be a better time for this.
You know, I think right now Ohio is not in any kind of jeopardy at
all to have some type of new gun law to ban any type of gun. But, I
think if that was introduced there would be a lot of time there to
lobby against it and to form a stronger coalition against it—and
that might be a better time to come out with some type of Sanctuary
thing like this just to raise the awareness of it.”

While the County Commissioners lack the ability to create legislation, they do possess the power to enact policy. The conversation regarding a possible Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution will continue in the future.