Sanctuary cities seemed to have cropped up overnight in 2017 as a way for people to thumb their noses at federal immigration laws. For several years, mayors and other officials boldly stood in front of cameras proclaiming their communities were now and forever “sanctuary cities.” Conservative and Second Amendment proponents, not to be outdone, declared their counties and municipalities to be safe for legal gun owners. But one California town has taken this strategy to the next level.
What’s Good for the Goose …
The elected leaders of Oroville, CA, have officially toed a line in the sand, declaring their home a "Constitutional Republic City" to protect its citizens from the perceived heavy-handed and numerous mandates issued by Governor Gavin Newsom and the Biden administration. The resolution passed with a 6-1 vote. Possibly, the wording had something to do with the success. It says, in part, Oroville is keen on “the separation of powers, individual rights, and the rule of law outlined in the United States Constitution, including the freedom for local government to have local control over issues related to the citizens who reside within the City’s jurisdictional boundaries.”
Speaking to Fox News, Vice Mayor Scott Thompson explained:
“In a way, we are acting as a sanctuary city for our citizens and their rights and freedoms protected by the U.S. and state constitutions. Gavin Newsom modeled this type of declaration for us when he declared San Francisco a sanctuary city for what he believed to be overreach by the federal government against his citizens.”
As a fencer might say, “Touché.”
The declaration is focused not on one mandate -- rather, all of them. From the president of the U.S. of A. to the governor of the Golden State, who found out recently he wasn’t nearly as admired as he wanted to believe. Although he dodged a recall bullet, Newsom found out his handling of business shutdowns and raging cases of COVID-19 nearly upended his political rise. But they aren’t his only mantle to wear. In addition, he recently had the arduous task of mandating the word “alien” to be removed from the state’s legal code. It must be exhausting just being Gavin.
An Oldie but a Goodie
And the Biden mandate on businesses requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or else lose your job – well, that isn’t going to fly, either. It matters not from where the directives originate. To the vice mayor, if they infringe on his citizens’ rights, well, that’s going to be the end of that in Oroville. As Thompson described, it is time to put a stop to “the large amount of mandates that are affecting every aspect of our lives and our kids’ lives.”
(Photo by Rojan Shrestha/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The good folks of Oroville aren’t the only Golden State justice warriors, either. Not long ago, more than 1,000 folks descended on Sacramento armed with homemade signs reading: “My children won’t be a science experiment to make you feel safe.” And the oldie but goodie: “My body, my choice.” It was in response to the controversial edict by the state in enforcing public-school student vaccinations. Perhaps that is why public-school enrollment is down to record low levels in L.A. County. More than 30,000 students have been pulled out for home school or private education options.
Perhaps this latest strategic stronghold against the tyranny of elected officials will begin to trend outside of California. Will Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin follow in increasing the controversial vaccine mandates? And will individual municipalities create their own "Constitutional Republic Cities" to protect the rights and freedoms afforded by the good old U.S. Constitution?
As Oroville Mayor Chuck Reynolds believes, this is a political statement to “reaffirm to people what type of government we live under” -- something that seems to have been forgotten of late.
~ Read more from Sarah Cowgill.
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