Scores of people spoke in advance of the vote, a process that went on until 2:00am. In the end the council voted down the proposal to declare the city of Lynchburg a Second Amendment sanctuary by a margin of 5-2.
Despite the motion limiting the number of speakers, 120 people signed up to speak during the meeting’s public comment period — which lasted more than five hours — voicing concerns for and against Northam’s proposed gun control laws.
Lynchburg resident Ryan Thomas called the proposed Democratic gun laws “Draconian.”
“I can’t imagine people smart enough to get elected to hold public office can’t see how restrictive these laws are,” Thomas said. “They are attacking our right to defend ourselves.”
Lynchburg resident Tomas Straka, a native of the Czech Republic, agreed.
“These laws are not about public safety, they are about control,” Straka said. “The goal of every leftist regime has been disarmament. I know because I came from one of these countries. If gun control laws were effective then Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore would be the safest cities in the world. They are not.”
Lynchburg resident Elizabeth Corrales said the measures state Democratic lawmakers are proposing “do nothing to protect law-abiding citizens.”
“Restrictive gun laws only benefit criminals,” Corrales said during Tuesday’s meeting. “As a mother of four, I want that ‘great equalizer’ to protect myself and my family. I will not abide [by] any unconstitutional gun laws passed.”
Lynchburg resident and Vietnam veteran Robert Flynn spoke against the city becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary.
“When I left Vietnam, I left my M-16 behind,” Flynn said. “I’m a civilian now and have no need of an assault rifle which has the same purpose of killing someone. I have rifles and shotguns that I hunt with, and no one is trying to take those from me. I am against this city becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary.”
– Shannon Keith in Lynchburg will not become a Second Amendment sanctuary