WINFIELD, W.Va. — Putnam County officials say they will oppose any government organization that tries to impose laws that relate to opposing the second amendment in the state of West Virginia.
The promise comes as the county became a “Second Amendment Sanctuary” on Tuesday and according to Commissioner Ron Foster, it’s the first of all 55 counties in the state to take measures of that kind.
Foster said he has heard nothing but support for the resolution that states the county will support the people’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
“We have so much support, you can’t even imagine,” Foster told MetroNews. “It’s just been an outpouring of support. The people in our state, in particular, have seen a continuing attempt on a national level to roll back our gun rights.
“The people in Putnam County have overwhelming supported our measure to become a second amendment sanctuary county.”
Foster detailed how the trend of becoming a “Second Amendment Sanctuary” started in Virginia. According to him, residents became worried when New York City passed a law saying someone could not transport a firearm inside the city.
The state of Virginia now has over 100 counties, cities and other bodies with different versions of a Second Amendment sanctuary resolution.
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said last month that counties and cities going forth with the “Second Amendment Sanctuary” trend are being influenced by gun lobbyists.
Putnam County Attorney Larry Frye studied certain Virginia resolutions and created the county’s own to meet state code.
The resolution is as follows: “The County Commission of Putnam County, West Virginia is concerned about the passage of any law containing language that would unconstitutionally infringe upon the rights of the citizens of Putnam County to keep and bear arms.”
It further states that the county “expresses its desire that public funds are not used to unconstitutionally restrict the Second Amendment rights of the citizens of Putnam County, or to aid federal or state agencies in the unconstitutional restriction of said rights.”
Foster told MetroNews that he has already received calls from people in other counties in West Virginia that want their commission to do the same thing.
He said he hopes it spread around the state because the Second Amendment is very important to him and the citizens of West Virginia.
“It’s in the Constitution of the United States as one of the things our forefathers were concerned about,” Foster said. “I’m in full support of people’s right to protect themselves and have the opportunity to have guns for protection and sporting uses.”