Some of us who recall our civics lessons vaguely remember that President Lincoln and the Civil War settled the belief that a state could nullify a law of Congress (it cannot). However, recent research indicates that a number of states have adopted legislation negating congressional actions and others in response to presidential executive orders.
Now, however, in Washington and New Mexico, local law enforcement—i.e., sheriffs—have publicly taken positions in opposition to their states’ new laws regulating firearms. Some have declared, in a bow to irony, that their counties are now “gun sanctuaries.” This development and resistance may be traced to decades-long messaging by the NRA.
Meanwhile, on Waples Mill Road in Fairfax, Virginia, the NRA is engaged in internal debate concerning episodes on its NRA-TV program. Recently, the network depicted the popular Thomas & Friends talking trains in KKK hoods. The TV show is guided by a “philosophy of branded news” connoting that no topic is off limits.
With its leader, the former Lt. Colonel Oliver North, the NRA has organized its advocacy along extremely hard lines. North, former Fox pundit, former candidate for Senate from Virginia in 1994, and convicted felon whose conviction was overturned after appeal by the ACLU, hosts media programming and special events on behalf of the organization.
How long to wait for the NRA-TV episode or series that depicts gun sanctuary counties as a wave of patriotic Alamo standoffs across the nation? How dumb, numb, or normal a message are folks willing to watch? Silly question: as low as one could go.
Categories: gun control, Issues, Local, National
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