2019, BOCC

Molon Labe! Custer Becomes a 2nd Amendment County

Molon Labe!

Custer Becomes a 2nd Amendment County

Sangre de Cristo Sentinel
Updated 03/07/19

If the progressive liberal leaning legislators of Colorado think the LEGAL gun owners of Colorado are going to take their Red Flag Bill HB 19-1177, sitting down, THEY ARE WRONG. MOLON LABE ** (Come and get it) .

Custer County Board of Commissioners Meeting

–February 28, 2019

WESTCLIFFE, Colo.

by Jackie Bubis

It was standing room only on Thursday morning at the Custer County Courthouse as the Custer County Board of Commissioners met for their end of month meeting. Resolution 19-02, declaring Custer County a Second Amendment Sanctuary County, was up for discussion. All commissioners were present, Commissioner and Board Chair Tom Flower, Commissioner Bill Canda and Commissioner Jay Printz.

After polling the citizens present in the room, Chairman Flower moved consideration of Resolution 19-02 up on the agenda. This resolution, the Second Amendment “sanctuary” County resolution, was put forth by the request of Sheriff Byerly to address the Red Flag bill currently under consideration by the Colorado legislature. The crowd applauded heartily after Attorney Smith read the resolution. Sheriff Byerly filled in some background, reporting that two thirds of the New Mexico counties have put this sort of resolution in place. Fremont County just passed one as well. In the Sheriff’s opinion, there would be 10-15 more counties following suit in the next couple weeks. He also reported that this legislation goes far beyond previous legislation that failed to be passed last year and that it doesn’t address mental health issues at all. “This bill also turns the Fourth Amendment upside down.” Byerly stated.
When asked by Commissioner Printz why he felt the need to put this resolution in place prior to the legislation being passed, Sheriff Byerly suggested that this resolution will hopefully send a message to the Senate and perhaps influence the Senate against passing this legislation.
Commissioner Canda made a motion to adopt the resolution. Commissioner Printz read a statement upholding the Constitution. There was much applause after the  reading of the resolution and more after it passed. It unanimously passed 3-0.

The Custer County Sheriff’s Office posted the following statement later in the day on Thursday;

“On Thursday, February 28th, 2019 the Custer County Board of Commissioners voted to approve Resolution 19-02, declaring Custer County a Second Amendment Sanctuary County. This action was taken after Sheriff Byerly asked them to consider the resolution, similar to what Fremont and Montezuma Counties passed earlier this week.
The declaration is a direct result of the efforts currently being made within the Colorado Legislature to force HB 19-1177, The ERPO or Red Flag Bill, into law. The bill as currently written is in direct conflict with provisions of Due Process, as outlined in the 4th Amendment, and contradict the right to bear arms. This Resolution reinforces the US Supreme Courts affirmation of citizens’ rights under the 2nd Amendment. We are thankful to our commissionersfor taking a strong position for the citizens of Custer County.”

Courtesy of CCSO

Custer County Sheriff Shannon Byerly later issued this statement in response to a request from the Sentinel;

“As the Colorado Assembly considered HB 19-1177, also known as Emergency Restraining Protection Order or “Red Flag” Bill, I had several concerns about the language of the proposed legislation. Most people who know and understand my beliefs surrounding the U.S. Constitution weren’t surprised by my open opposition to it. If you have objectively read through this attack on the American Judicial Process, you can easily understand why most elected Law Enforcement Officials are not willing to accept this as written. In both the 4th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, we find a Due Process Clause to address the administration of justice to safeguard citizens form the arbitrary denial of liberty and or property by the government. The wording to HB 19-1177 is a direct conflict to the Due Process Clause and undermines the Criminal Justice process as we know it today.
If this bill doesn’t scare you by the complete upheaval of Due Process, then the prospect of having your Second Amendment Gun Rights seized without being able to defend your rights should. The ERPO bill was introduced under the guise of addressing concerns over deficiencies in the mental health system and it has morphed into an significant broach of our rights as a citizen. I believe it is critical as both your Sheriff, and a citizen of this country to take a firm stand when our government takes action to violate the very rights by which I have sworn to defend and enforce. In Article II, Section 13 of the Colorado Constitution is clear in Supporting the Second Amendment by defining the rights of firearms owners and I will continue to work to defend those rights. I appreciate the Board of County Commissioners standing tall to protect our citizens God given rights.”

 

**An explanation of Molon Labe;

From Wikipedia “The phrase [Molon Labe] was reportedly the defiant response of King Leonidas I of Sparta to Xerxes I of Persia when Xerxes demanded that the Greeks lay down their arms and surrender. This was at the onset of the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC). Instead, the Greeks held Thermopylae for three days. Although the Greek contingent was defeated, they inflicted serious damage on the Persian army. Most importantly, this delayed the Persians’ progress to Athens, providing sufficient time for the city’s evacuation to the island of Salamis. Though a tactical defeat, Thermopylae served as a strategic and moral victory, inspiring the Greek forces to crush the Persians at the Battle of Salamis later the same year and the Battle of Plataea one year later.”