‘We remain silent no longer’ Group works to make Walker County a Second Amendment sanctuary
Georgia lawmakers’ efforts to pass gun laws similar to the new restrictive laws recently being passed in Virginia triggered Roy Hambrick Jr. to act.
Hambrick and several others gathered to start the group Silent No Longer, garnering support to make Walker County a Second Amendment sanctuary. They collected more than 1,800 signatures with their online petition on Facebook.
“We stand against any legislative attack, foreign and domestic, that would jeopardize our constitutional freedom to keep and bear arms and to protect our friends and family in the community,” he said.
The group now boasts 1,600 members.
On Dec. 4, 2019, the Georgia Senate introduced Bill 281, also referred to as the Georgia Firearms and Weapons Act.
According to Hambrick, the bill has been edited several times, and there are three more proposed bills that directly conflict with the Second Amendment: the Ammunition Ban (Senate Bill 305), Georgia Red Flag Protective Order Act (House Bill 435) and Senate Bill 150, which states “that persons convicted of family violence offenses or subject to family violence temporary protective orders cannot receive, possess, transport, purchase or transfer firearms.” Hambrick considers the S.B. 150 restrictions a due process violation.
“Every bill is being funded by out-of-state donors pushing the same bills, language and political views that violate the Constitution in many ways. It’s pretty much a total weapons ban at this point,” he said.
“Now linked with seven other counties all standing together for the same cause, Silent No Longer is working with the county sheriff and the county commissioner to protect citizens against frivolous legislation that would jeopardize the law of the people,” Hambrick said.
He spoke at the Lafayette City Council’s Feb. 10 meeting.
“We, the concerned citizens, have decided to remain silent no longer, and we are currently organizing our community with our elected officials to make a clear and concise stand against this,” he told meeting attendees.
“It’s part of the Constitution,” Mayor Andy Arnold replied. “We are going to uphold the Constitution in this town just like we always have. It’s our rights.”
Once the resolution is in place, Silent No Longer will work to elect/reelect officials who will support the Constitution and laws of the land and will fight frivolous legislation that would jeopardize the law of the people, Hambrick said. Silent No Longer will also continue voter education and voter participation.
“We are normal lawabiding, working-class citizens, and our way of life and our Second Amendment rights are under attack, and for that we remain Silent No Longer,” he stated. “We stand together to fight this demonic tyranny and will continue to gain strength through knowledge, numbers and a strong united community.”
In Catoosa County, a group recently presented its case to make Catoosa a Second Amendment sanctuary. During the Feb. 4 Board of Commissioner’s meeting, resident Ray Blankenship identified himself as administrator of Catoosa County’s Second Amendment Sanctuary Group, and said he has met with the sheriff about a resolution that would protect local gun owners against any new legislation that threatens the right to bear arms. “I’ve been a resident and law-abiding citizen of Catoosa County for a decade,” Blankenship said. “This is a petition/proposition to make Catoosa County Georgia a Second Amendment sanctuary in reference to resist any state or federal legislation that could further restrict constitutional rights of citizens listed under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.”
For more information, visit Silent No Longer’s Facebook page.
Mary Catherine O’bryant is a reporter for the Walker County Messenger in Lafayette, Ga., and the Catoosa County News in Ringgold, Ga.