by Levar Cole
Some Vermont legislators appear eerily similar to the old segregationists who refused to integrate public schools.
Vermont is adopting that tradition of massive resistance when it comes to further restricting firearms ownership by its law-abiding citizens. Like the segregationists, certain legislators seem to thumb their nose at and ignore the state constitution, federal law, and recent US Supreme Court rulings as they continue to propose legislation further restricting firearm ownership by residents.
The governor, who in recent years yielded to the legislature on this issue, commented on the unconstitutional nature of recent laws, and noted how they would be challenged in court. This is important whether we own firearms, don’t own them, or don’t care, principally because our legislators appear perfectly happy to set law without limit, and legislate based on feeling and emotion rather than respect boundaries in our state and federal constitutions and by our nation’s Supreme Court.
Apparently, our legislators see the boundaries and shrug them off. This is akin to me getting elected and proposing a ban on all abortions despite the recent limits on abortion restrictions Vermonters put into the state constitution.
Like current legislators, I could just ignore law, push a proposal that feels good to me, and then opine, as Senate President Pro Tempore Philip Baruth said about firearms, that people have gone through a transformation where we realize we don’t want to live in a country where access to abortions is so ubiquitous.
Then, a future governor would just let it become law, and comment that the courts will have to deal with it, as those seeking abortions must travel elsewhere as the lawsuits wind their way through the labyrinth of state and federal courts.
We must remember, legislative majorities change from time-to-time. These days are trying for all of us. We can see it in ourselves, our families, and we can see it in our neighbors. Political affinity, rural or urban, religious or non religious, sex, gender–that feeling of being under siege is felt by many of us.
We have an obligation to limited government. This has been and should be the nature of our republic. And it’s not just for the federal power, it’s for states, and local governments too. Limited government consists of respected boundaries. Feelings-based government is tyranny.
The author is a former selectboard member for Chelsea and 2020 candidate for Vermont House of Representatives. Following his career with the federal Inspectors General, his family moved to Chelsea. He and his wife grow vegetables and homeschool their 5 children.
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