Folks, I want to make sure everybody in Virginia understands what’s coming down the tracks next year. Democrats in Richmond are already lining up bills to ban semi-automatic rifles and outlaw magazines over ten rounds. And from what I’m hearing, they’re talking about doing it with no grandfather clause — meaning law-abiding Virginians would be told to hand over their own property or become criminals overnight.
Let me be real clear about something:
That is flat-out unconstitutional.
First, the Second Amendment is not a suggestion. Since the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision, any gun law has to line up with America’s historical tradition. And there has never — not once — been a time in our history when government demanded citizens turn in the firearms they lawfully owned. AR-15s and standard-capacity magazines are the most commonly owned firearms in America. “Common use” means protected. Full stop.
Second, if the government tries to take your lawfully purchased property with no compensation, that’s a straight-up violation of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment. If the federal government has to pay for a farmer’s raisins, they sure as heck have to pay before they confiscate your rifle. They can’t just wave a wand and make your property worthless. That’s not how the Constitution works — not in Virginia, not anywhere.
So if Democrats want to pick this fight, they’re walking straight into a buzz saw. The Constitution is on your side, and I’ll be right there with you using every legal tool we’ve got.
Because in Virginia, we still believe in the Bill of Rights — all ten of ’em. And we don’t let government push folks around just because they think they can.
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