March 28, 2024

County approves Second Amendment sanctuary status

After months of first being informed, and hearing again from multiple people Monday, Union County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution making the county a Second Amendment sanctuary.

Second Amendment sanctuary is a local government entity that has approved a resolution rejecting the enforcement of state or federal gun laws perceived to threaten the Second Amendment which is about gun ownership. Those threats include red flag laws, gun background check procedures and bans on assault-style weapons.

“I want to voice my support for that resolution,” said Ethan McGuire. “It’s very important to me. There’s a lot of things coming down the pipeline from the government. It sounds ominous but it’s true. What’s right for people in other part of the country, it’s not right for us.”

Dillon Daughenbaugh initially brought the proposal to the county earlier this year, when only two Iowa counties had approved. He said the number Monday was up to 26. He said Zach Nunn, a Republican running for a Iowa House Dist. 3 held by Democrat Cindy Axne, has proposed making Iowa a sanctuary state.

“I support it fully. It’s not a left or right issue. This is our right as Americans,” he said. “This is not something symbolic. We will not comply with unconstitutional gun, firearm, any support of unconstitutional laws.”

A red flag law is a gun control law that permits police or family members to petition a state court to order the temporary removal of firearms from a person who may present a danger to others or themselves.

Union County Sheriff Mark Shepherd said he is in favor of the sanctuary resolution.

“It is the right of the people to keep and bear arms for the defense of live and liberty,” he said. “The people of Union County Iowa derive economic benefit from all safe forms of firearms, recreation, hunting and shooting conducted within Union County.”

Supervisor Ron Riley, who said he supports gun ownership, asked what federal or state laws or are being proposed that are violating the amendment or are unconstitutional.

“What started this?” he asked.

Shepherd said there have been no rights taken away, but there are proponents to do that.

“I’d like to keep all our rights intact,” he said. “a guaranteed right under the constitution. As sheriff of Union County, I will follow all federal law. I do not want the Union County Sherif’s office or Union County elected officials to be used by federal government, physically or monetarily, to infringe on these rights or take away these rights from our citizens.”

He said regions of the country have discussions about changing gun ownership rights. He said New York City bans people from carrying firearms, which he speculated will be challenged in the courts.

“My position is to help safeguard those rights,” he said. He also said people fear their children and grandchildren’s rights could be in peril.

Riley called the move “a little symbolic” as the county is only putting its approval on a piece of paper and not have any legal recourse.

“You’re kind of heading off any problems at the pass,” Shepherd responded. “The state of Iowa needs to make clear to the federal government we are an outdoors, predominantly rural area. We enjoy our hunting and fishing. Possessing firearms is a right under the Constitution and we do it lawfully here.”

Supervisor Dennis Brown understood the motives of the people in favor.

“It is sad it has reached this point those in favor of gun ownership have to push back. Somebody once said, ‘The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.’ That is what these folks are bringing to us,” Brown said.

Supervisor Rick Friday made the motion to approve the resolution. It was second by Brown.

In other supervisor news...

Union County Public Health Director Zach Woods said the county had 60 new COVID cases last week. The county’s seven-day positivity rate is at 13.9%, which he said is 2 points greater than the state. Union County’s vaccination rate is at 47%. He said he noticed more people getting vaccinated and booster shots which he credits the growing attention the new, Omicron variant of COVID is receiving.

Supervisors approved the immediate resignation of Kari Chamberlain as New Hope Township trustee. Supervisors appointed Ray McNaught as the new trustee.




John Van Nostrand

JOHN VAN NOSTRAND

An Iowa native, John's newspaper career has mostly been in small-town weeklies from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River. He first stint in Creston was from 2002 to 2005.