American Rifleman – September 2019

18 SEPTEMBER 2019 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN

ILA STORY

Virginia Special Session Shows

How Gun Owners Must

Mobilize To Defend Freedom

A

s many Americans spent the

July 4th weekend enjoying

cookouts, parades, and

fireworks with family and friends, NRA-

ILA and Virginia gun-rights supporters

honored American independence

by mobilizing to defend our unique

Constitutional rights and heritage.

On July 9, the Virginia General

Assembly held a special session to

consider gun-control legislation. Thanks

to the monumental efforts of Old

Dominion gun owners, the General

Assembly convened without passing

any new gun-control laws. That result

should stand as an example to gun

owners across the nation about the

power of well-organized, grassroots

gun-rights activism and the importance

of getting personally involved in pro-

gun efforts.

The special session was called

by Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam

following the May 31 attack at a

public building in Virginia Beach.

As has become the custom among

gun-control advocates, Gov. Northam

wasted little time in attempting to

convert the tragedy into a political

opportunity. Northam announced

the special session during a press

conference on June 4—well before a

comprehensive investigation of the

crime had taken place.

It wasn’t until July 2 that the Virginia

Beach City Council voted a unanimous

10-0 in favor of a resolution directing

the city auditor to arrange for an

independent review of the May 31