RICHMOND, VIRGINIA — Governor Terry McAuliffe’s executive order effectively banning firearms in state buildings required just one last thing before going into effect. Largely conducted as a formality and an obvious farce to a democratic process, a meeting was held where citizens could voice their complaints of the new order. The biggest group that were present were those working for the State of Virginia.
“As a state employee, I appreciate my right to carry a firearm in my defense,” Reynolds, the chief of staff for state Sen. Thomas A. Garrett Jr., R-Buckingham, said Wednesday.
Gun owners and concealed carriers took their turns urging a delegation of the Department of General Services to absolutely no effect. Despite a plethora of fantastic reasons why banning guns in state buildings was an ineffective preventative measure for stopping gun violence, the board quietly sat and listened before Gov. McAuliffe’s measure went into effect.
“The criminal element doesn’t pay attention to signs. They don’t pay attention to laws,” said Cory Brown of Chesterfield County. “That’s why they’re criminals. They don’t care.”
While Virginians urged on legislators to take action, the General Assembly already tried to pass a bill to stop the gun ban from going into effect. That vote happened earlier this year and passed the assembly. It was shot down personally by McAuliffe. Legislators didn’t have enough votes to override the veto, effectively lining up McAuliffe for an easy win.
This is the same governor that used his Attorney General to potentially destroy countless lives along the Virginia border as concealed carry reciprocity was temporarily halted altogether. This would have inevitably turned residents living on the border with Virginia and who had enjoyed a long existence crossing the border for work and leisure without issue to suddenly be turned into criminals.
Under the new ordinance passed by the governor banning firearms in all state-owned public buildings, the only exceptions exist for active duty and retired law enforcement and active duty military.
State employees, out-of-state visitors and the rest will all have to abide by the conditions of the gun ban and either leave their guns in their vehicles or face harsh penalties.
