During the 2013 legislative session, we saw an explosion of state nullification bills dealing with issues ranging from heath care, to the Second Amendment, to NDAA detention.
Out of this renewed interest in nullification, a grassroots movement continues to grow and flex its muscles. Realizing they need to bring more pressure to bear on reticent state lawmakers, nullification advocates have taken the movement down to the local level.
Over the last several months, led by grassroots activists across America, city councils and county commissions have passed resolutions and ordinances in support of the Second Amendment and blocking NDAA detention provisions. Some bodies have passed legally binding legislation prohibiting local cooperation with unconstitutional acts. Others have approved non-binding resolutions supporting state efforts. Both strategies send strong messages to state lawmakers and will increase pressure to pass state-level nullification bills in the next legislative session.
Activists in Colorado serve as a powerful example of what local grassroots activism can accomplish.
At least six local governments in the Rocky Mountain State have passed resolutions supporting the right to keep and bear arms. These include the Weld County Commission, El Paso Board of County Commissioners, the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners, the Mesa County Commission, the Montrose County Board of County Commissioners and the Archuleta Board of County Commissioners.
Jeff Maehr hopes to harness the momentum created by these grassroots efforts and coordinate county level efforts across the state to nullify unconstitutional acts.
“This involves the simple unifying act of creating local areas as ‘Liberty Zones.’ We are almost there in Archuleta County, Colorado, and the concept is growing among other local areas,” he said.
Maehr said his group garnered over 400 signatures, along with contact information, from people in Archuleta County supporting the initiative in just two weeks.
“We’re offering local people a simple way to become active, instead of being frustrated at doing nothing,” he said.
Maehr said as liberty zones evolve, each group can focus on issues that resonate in a given area. Different groups can employ similar grassroots tactics on a wide range of issues, from food sovereignty, to Second Amendment preservation, to nullifying NDAA, to protecting privacy and limiting the use of drone.
“Everybody doesn’t have to do the same thing, but here are some steps you can take locally to defend the Constitution.”
Understanding the proper relation between the people and government rests at the heart of the Liberty Zone concept.
“It is top down, but the people are at the top,” Maehr said. “The federal government is way, way outside of its jurisdiction on almost everything. This is something everybody can tap into. Yes, we can do this at the local level. This is what we are going to do in our county.”
For more information on the Liberty Zone concept, click HERE.
Links to Colorado Local Second Amendment Resolutions
Weld County – http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2013/01/weld_county_commissioners_second_amendment_resolution_guns.php
Montrose County – http://www.montrosecounty.net/DocumentCenter/View/4836
Mesa County – http://www.ammoland.com/2013/02/colorado-county-resolves-to-up-hold-the-2nd-amendment/#axzz2TWEwX7xv
Jefferson County – http://www.nraila.org/media/10866553/jefferson_county_resolution_in_defense_of_2nd_amendment_rights.pdf
El Paso County – http://libertyzone.org/El-Paso-Resolution-In-Defense-of-2nd-Amendment-Rights.pdf
Archuleta County – http://co-archuletacounty.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/04232013-186 (Resolution is at the bottom of the minutes document)