The Commonwealth’s Guard Problem

With the majority of Virginia’s counties declaring themselves Second Amendment Sanctuaries, some Democratic lawmakers have opined that Govenor ‘Coonman’ Northam should use the National Guard to enforce future gun control legislation — but can he?

For those not keeping score, Virginia Democrats now control the executive branch and recently seized both houses of its legislative assembly in a hostile takeover. The State Court, also controlled by the Democrats, appointed a University of California professor to redraw the districts of Virginia in order to create a permanent Democrat Dominion. And, it worked.

Virginia Democrats have now proposed several new laws, including a ban on “assault weapons,” universal background checks, and a red flag law. In response, 75 Virginia counties (and counting) – an overhwhelming majority – have declared themselves 2A Sanctuaries. As the old saying goes: what’s good for the illegal alien goose, is good for the gun owning gander. Two can play at that game.

Virginia Democrats have threatened to withhold state funding to what they consider the unwashed ruralites. Rep. Donald McEachin (D) told the Washington Examiner on Thursday that Gov. Ralph Northam “may have to nationalize the National Guard to enforce the law” if local authorities refuse to do so themselves. This is coming from a person, who as a state representative, doesn’t realize that a president can federalize – not “nationalize” –Guard units, but not the Governor. The Governor, however, has the power to activate the Virginia National Guard units to put down insurrection and restore order within his borders.

Here’s where the dilemma begins. Talk is cheap. What would the Governor call up the Guard to do, exactly? In most modern situations, they sit back in reserve as state or local law enforcement agencies assume the front line. If things get too out of hand, the Guard can be called into a more “direct” role and possibly engage any staunch resistance that the State authorities cannot quell.

But, here’s the catch: virtually all of the Guard armories are located in the rebelling counties that are resisting the occupation government. The soldiers assigned to these duty stations are the people who most likely voted the pro-2A sheriffs and local authorities into office. The Army National Guard is traditionally right-leaning and take their oaths of enlistment and office seriously, at least at the company and below level. Once you get to the battalion, brigade, and joint forces HQ level, there will be more career-minded yes men, particularly in the operations sections who are chasing a bird or even a star. The Adjutant General is going to be a political appointee of the Governor. In short, don’t be too surprised if the chain of command is trapped in its own echo chamber and oblivious to the disposition of its own personnel.      

Does anyone expect the enlisted soldiers, NCOs, idealistic lieutenants, and the company commanders to carry out the trampling of the beloved Second Amendment in their own counties? Does anyone expect these soldiers to disarm their friends, families, neighbors, and co-workers without the fear of reprisals against them and their loved ones? Let’s rule out violent reprisals and just look at their employers. Would an employer want to hire someone hated by all of his customers? Some of these soldiers are already deputies for their local sheriff’s departments. The same sheriffs who are in defiance of the state government. Is anyone in his right mind going to stomp on the neck of his brother in order to serve people in Richmond and Northern Virginia, people who all hate him? Statistically, he’s going to be a Southern, white, Republican-voting, heterosexual male, the very thing that supporters of these gun control and anti-militia laws despise. Oh, and he almost certainly owns firearms also. Typically, an AR-15.

So, what happens next? Any governor who has half a brain will realize that his own Guardsmen will likely mutiny or, at the very least, refuse to volunteer for state active duty. The Northam will have to request Guard units from other states to come in and enforce his policy. That means neighboring states that have a partnership contract. Their governors will have to sign off on sending their units potentially crush civilians in their own country. Will other Southern states agree if they see Virginia’s own Guard sitting out of the fight? It would have to be a blue-leaning state, likely to the North. Not a popular move for any Virginian governor to call Yankee troops down to invade his own state and subdue his own people. All of that aside, if one thinks it’s unpopular, imagine how unpopular this would become in those states when Guardsmen, who are also majority right-ring, have to go to Virginia to confiscate guns. It would take a staunch Yankee governor to drag his state into this mission. Expect mutinies or refusals from other states’ Guard.

Assuming any of the Yankee states agree, they can only send their people for a very limited amount of time, then it requires the states’ legislatures approval for additional funding when it runs over 30 days. This is all a loan, as states will expect to be reimbursed by Virginia. Virginia would have some FEMA dollars if they declare a state emergency to reimburse other states. FEMA pays them, and they repay the states who come to their aid. This is assuming the Federal government doesn’t throw up any roadblocks. In short, Virginia Democrats better hope they can crush their enemies in less than a month.

Also, remember who sits in the Oval Office. He might help the Democrats confiscate guns, then again, he might not. Or, he may make a lot of Tweets and soundbites that contradict each other and ultimately do nothing. Speaking of the President, Trump could throw a monkey wrench into the whole thing and federalize any Guard unit that attempts to answer Governor ‘Coonman’, and simply order them to stay home. If the President does federalize Guard units under Title 10, expect more mutinies, of course, and likely jeapordize his re-election.  

Through all of this, Trump and Congress, looking for re-election, will have to explain to the voters that this is totally cool and not the darkest days of the Republic.

Deo Vindice

-By Dixie Anon