A friend of the family became a citizen over the past week.
Though our two families are separated by many miles we still keep in constant contact and have stayed at each other’s homes on vacation.
This person sent us no less than two dozen photos of the naturalization ceremony and you could tell from the pictures alone how happy they were to be a citizen of the United States.
One of the amazing things that I was able to witness the last time we were all together was the fact that this person memorized the entire Constitution. The whole darned thing.
It was a thing of beauty, but it’s sad that there are some lawmakers that want to take that great document and rip it to pieces at their convenience.
Democrats took over both chambers of the Virginia legislature in November, and as expected, they’re pushing anti-gun laws through as quickly as they can.
Democrats have also proposed an assault weapons ban, red flag laws and universal background checks.
Gov. Ralph “Blackface” Northam immediately banned all guns ahead of Monday’s pro-gun rally, citing “credible and serious threats.” Virginia is an “open-carry” state, meaning residents don’t even need a concealed-carry permit but can rather just wear a gun openly.
“We have no intention of calling out the National Guard,” Northam said. “We’re not going to cut off people’s electricity. We’re not going to go door to door and confiscate people’s weapons. We’re going to pass common sense legislation that will keep guns out of dangerous hands and keep Virginia safer.”
A Virginia judge on Thursday ruled that a firearms ban can remain in place during the pro-gun rally on the Capitol grounds in Richmond. Thousands are expected to attend. Gun rights advocates appealed the ruling.
“Without relief from this court, petitioners and thousands of other rally participants will be irreparably denied their right to bear arms,” the groups’ attorneys argue in their appeal.
“Determined to prevent another tragedy, the Governor issued a carefully limited Executive Order. The Order does not prevent anyone from speaking, assembling, or petitioning the government. Instead, it temporarily precludes private possession of firearms in a sensitive public place during a specified time to protect public safety and safeguard the rights of all citizens to peacefully speak, assemble, and petition their government,” Herring said in a legal brief.
“The plaintiffs argued the firearms ban violates the First and Second Amendments and that Northam didn’t have the authority to impose it. According to The Associated Press, Judge Joi Taylor said in her ruling the governor has the authority under state law to take action related to the “safety and welfare” of the state. Taylor also cited rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court that the right to bear arms can be subject to limits,” CBS News reported.