Crowd Erupts As Sheriff Deputy Tripp Kester Says “I’m Not Gonna Enforce an Unconstitutional Law”

From the Blaze:

A sheriff's deputy in Davidson County, North Carolina, delivered a powerful speech in defense of the Second Amendment Tuesday, before the county's Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to declare the county a Second Amendment sanctuary as the country watches Virginia's Democrat-controlled legislature's plans to impose a series of gun control measures.

The Winston-Salem Journal reported that 20 people spoke before commissioners and a "standing-room-only crowd of more than 150." Each person who made a statement was in favor of the proposed resolution to make Davidson County a Second Amendment sanctuary.

According to the newspaper, "perhaps the biggest cheers of the night came for Davidson County Sheriff's Deputy Tripp Kester, who spoke while wearing his sheriff's office uniform."

"I just want to personally and publicly go on record supporting this resolution before us, this evening," Deputy Kester began, saying,"it's simple," before making his case.

"The Constitution needs no explanation. It's been enforced for several hundred years now. It's easy to understand. It says what it means, and means what it says. And the last time I read the Declaration of Independence, it specifically reminds all of us that we're endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, which means God-given."

"Among these, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," Kester continued. "And that governments are instituted among men specifically to secure our God-given rights. And it says when government becomes destructive to these ends — meaning that they go above and beyond trying to secure our liberties and trying to take them — it's the right of the people to alter or abolish that government, either by voting or ultimately, God forbid, to use our Second Amendment rights to protect ourselves from tyranny."

Deputy Kester then called for the Board of Commissioners to join the counties of Cherokee, Lincoln, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, and Wilkes in becoming Second Amendment sanctuaries.

"Publicly demonstrate to us that you're willing to uphold and honor the same oath I took when I put my hand on God's Word and held my other hand up to Him and swore that I'd give my life to defend that Constitution," Kester told the commission, adding that he was "not trying to be disrespectful, but regardless of what you all do or don't do, I'm not going to enforce an unconstitutional law."

The room erupted with applause at that point, and the deputy received a standing ovation.

Here's more, from the Washington Examiner:

A sheriff in North Carolina vowed not to enforce any "unconstitutional" gun laws if passed by the state's legislature. 

Davidson County Sheriff's Deputy Tripp Kester told the Davidson Board of Commissioners this week that he supported a Second Amendment resolution to protect gun rights and that he "swore an oath" to protect the United States Constitution. He added that as a law enforcement officer, he would not enforce any law infringing upon the right to bear arms.

"The Constitution needs no explanation. It's been enforced for several hundred years now," said Kester. "It says what it means, it means what it says. And the last time I read the Deceleration of Independence, it specifically reminds all of us that we're endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, which means God-given, among these life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness and that government's were instituted among men specifically to secure our God-given rights.

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"I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but regardless of what y'all do, I'm not going to enforce an unconstitutional law," Kester continued as applause broke out in the room. "Let's let these people know that we're here to support them, and we're not going to allocate any personnel, finances, resources, or facilities to infringe on their liberties."

The pro-gun rights resolution, introduced by Commissioner Zak Crotts, was passed by the board unanimously and follows similar resolutions adopted in Virginia and Kentucky, which state that no law officer will infringe on the citizens right to keep and bear arms. Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions have been adopted in more than 100 Virginia counties as the Democratic majority in Richmond is set to pass monumental anti-gun legislation.