Gun rights resolution adopted

The Clark County Board of Supervisors went on record last week as opposing any future state or federal legislation that would infringe on residents’ rights under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

While some supervisors said the resolution in front of them was vague and without meaning, others said it sends a message to lawmakers that Clark County residents do not want to see their rights to keep and bear arms undermined.

The resolution “To Declare Clark County’s Affirmation of its Citizens’ Second Amendment Rights” passed on a 22-5 vote at a July 22 evening meeting at the courthouse in Neillsville.

Brought forth by the board’s executive committee and Supervisor Ken Gerhardt of Neillsville, the measure was designed to “affirm” the rights already granted to citizens under the federal and state constitutions, and oppose “legislation that would infringe upon any constitutional right guaranteed to its citizens ...”

In helping draft the resolution to send to the board, Gerhardt said he was careful not to include controversial statements, nor join the municipalities that have declared themselves “sanctuaries” from future legislation that would limit gun rights. This resolution, he said, is a simple affirmation of existing laws that give citizens the right to own firearms.

“I can’t in my wildest dreams imagine what the problem is with this resolution,” Gerhardt said. “It’s supporting what’s on the books. It’s supporting what’s law ... Basically, all this is about is support for the Second Amendment.”

The problem, said Supervisor Bryce Luchterhand of Unity, is that the “rather innocuous appearing resolution” is part of a larger effort to not just support existing gun rights protection laws, but to expand them.

“It’s actually designed to promote the proliferation of guns in America,” he said.

Luchterhand said the “lie” perpetuated by the National Rifle Association has scared Americans into believing the government wants to revoke their constitutional gun rights. “Nobody is advocating abolishing the Second Amendment,” Luchterhand said.

Also, Luchterhand said, the resolution seems opposed to rules the county board itself has passed in regard to gun rights, such as a policy that prohibits citizens from carrying firearms into county facilities. The county is just in the process of implementing a costly new courthouse security system, he said, with a metal scanner being put into place to make sure people are not carrying guns or other weapons into courtrooms and office areas.

Luchterhand also said each supervisor has already taken an oath to uphold all parts of the state and federal constitution, and it is not necessary to pass resolutions to affirm single amendments.

He also said it is not a county government’s place to decide how constitutional amendments should be upheld.

“The Supreme Court interprets that, not the Clark County Board of Supervisors,” he said.

Luchterhand cited a list of statistics related to shootings and gun deaths in the United States, and said some gun control would save lives.

“If we had simple little rules (including background checks and longer waiting periods) we could save 10,000 of those lives in this country every single year,” Luchterhand said.

Gerhardt said Luchterhand’s statements were “full of assumptions” and that his statistics were “not factual.”

“You’ve pressed every hot button you could find from here to your place,” Gerhardt said. “I tried to stay away from this; you couldn’t resist.”

Supervisor Dick Lange of Colby said Luchterhand’s comments are “the same old liberal drivel that you hear every day.”

Supervisor Nancy Amacher of Owen said she does not think the resolution has any substance.

“It’s unnecessarily vague,” she said. “It just doesn’t say anything, that’s my opinion.”

Supervisors voting against the resolution were Amacher, Luchterhand, Kevin Flink of Abbotsford, Arlene Kodl of Thorp and Chuck Rueth of Loyal.

Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to “state and federal elected representatives of Clark County.”