A township in Muskegon County has declared itself a Second Amendment sanctuary and created a maximally inclusive militia in hopes of protecting citizens' constitutional rights from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's gun control laws.

What's the background?

Democrats control both chambers of the Michigan state legislature. With this power and Whitmer's signature, they have successfully pushed through numerous bills aimed at curtailing Second Amendment rights.

For instance, SB 83, ratified by Whitmer in May, allows family members, quacks, cops, roommates, and others to petition to void another citizen's Second Amendment rights if they can halfway persuade a judge it might prevent the targeted citizen from doing future harm either to themselves or to others.

In the face of the leftist power trifecta's gun control efforts, constitutionalist officials across the state have signaled their opposition with largely symbolic local ordinances and resolutions.

The Holland Sentinel indicated earlier this year that well over 50 of Michigan's 83 counties have adopted resolutions declaring themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries or at the very least reaffirming their support for gun rights. Several townships and at least one city have followed suit.

The Holton Township Militia

Holton Township Clerk Malinda Pego, who is also co-chair of the Michigan GOP, introduced a motion at a Nov. 14 board meeting declaring the township a Second Amendment sanctuary.

The resolution stated that "the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of our nation; ... the Second Amendment to the Constitution states, 'A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed'; and ... the United States Supreme Court has affirmed that the right of an individual to 'keep and bear arms,' as protected under the Second Amendment, is incorporated by the Due Process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment against the states."

Noting that board members will remain steadfast in upholding the the U.S. and Michigan constitutions and oppose "any law that would unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the citizens of Holton Township to keep and bear arms," the resolution called for the technical establishment of a militia.

Accordingly, all legal residents with primary residency within the township who are 18 or older, capable of passing a federal firearms background check, and desire to do so can become a member of the Holton Township Militia simply by indicating their intent "on open media or to friends and or family or by letter."

The resolution further claimed that admission into the militia protects various items from federal, executive, county and state regulations, including all federally permissible ammunition of any current caliber; all federally legal accessories, including stocks, grips, optics, magazines, clips, and suppressors; and body armor legal under federal law.

The motion passed with the support of all board members with the exception of the treasurer, who was not present, meaning Holton Township, 200 miles northwest of Detroit, will "not acknowledge any new laws that are associated with red flag laws, or any other infringement of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution" or "acknowledge any new regulation that prohibits open carry or concealed carry."

Managing expectations

Township Supervisor Alan Jager told WXMI-TV that in the face of Democratic legislation like SB 83, militia membership will ensure that citizens see some sort of due process when threatened with having their firearms seized.

Jager, who voted in support of the resolution, said, "If you got to court, [you can say] I have a right to these guns because I need them to protect myself and to protect my community."

"Then you can maybe have a jury of your peers, or at least have a lawyer present and try to explain your case ... my neighbor just don't like me, so he called on me and now I'm gonna lose my guns," said Jager.

Jager told Michigan News Source there's little demand on militia members, as there are no monthly meetings or paramilitary activities.

"All you have to do is say, 'I'm in.' If you don't want to be in, all you have to do is just never say anything," said Jager.

The township supervisor suggested the savage Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel revealed the need to remain vigilant and not to be caught off guard.

"They took their guns away. An then look what happened. 1,400 people died," said Jager. "And now they're telling people in that same area 'buy guns to protect yourself, because you're not safe."

While a militia might defend against attackers, attorney Randall Levine told WOOD-TV that membership in a militia would not ultimately protect a resident from subjection to state laws regulating firearms.

"I think a resolution is more of a statement," said Levine. "There's nothing in the creation of a militia which is going to alter in any way the prescriptions in Michigan law that pertain to responsible gun ownership and use."

"How they're used, the fact that if they're used responsibly, where they can be carried, how they can be carried is a subject that is exclusively within the purview of the Legislature," added Levine.

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