Were afraid theyll take our guns, N.J.’s newest 2nd Amendment town says – NJ.com
Another New Jersey municipality has adopted a pro-Second Amendment resolution, following a lengthy debate touching on gun laws, domestic violence, self-defense, misinformation and even a reference to weapons restrictions in Nazi Germany.
The Stillwater Township Committee adopted a resolution declaring Stillwater a Second Amendment / Lawful Gun Owner Township" on Tuesday night, but not everyone in the room was cheering.
Some in the audience of more than 60 spoke in opposition to the resolution, which does not supersede any state or federal laws, before it was approved in a 3-1 vote.
It resembled resolutions passed in at least seven other New Jersey municipalities since December.
Stillwater Mayor Lisa Chammings cast the lone dissenting vote, stating that while she supports the Second Amendment she was not comfortable with the part of the resolution claiming that red flag laws - statutes that allow for removing weapons from someone judged a threat to themselves or others - had been "misapplied and misused and run afoul of the U.S. Constitution.
I know the amount of domestic violence this township went through, Chammings, whose late father was Stillwaters last police chief, told the audience from the dais.
She also alluded to the suicide of a police officer.
The governing body in Stillwater, located in Sussex County, undertook the resolution at the behest of Assemblyman Parker Space, R-24th District, who voted against New Jerseys 4-month-old red flag law. The four committee members who voted Tuesday are Republicans.
Space spoke several times during Tuesdays meeting. He outlined a hypothetical confrontation involving Stillwater committee member Vera Rumsey in asserting that New Jerseys red flag law could facilitate a false allegation against him.
With red flag laws, we can sit down and have coffee - Vera and I, or Committeewoman Rumsey, and we could be talking about different things and she could feel - maybe, He was talking about Donald Trump and I dont like him, and I felt kind of threatened by what he had to say, and then she could, in return, report me, and then pretty soon theyre coming to my door, taking my firearms away, Space said.
Space, though, was describing a different process than exists under New Jerseys red flag law, formally known as the Extreme Risk Protective Order Act of 2018.
It allows for a judge in response to a request from family or household members, or law enforcement to order the removal of guns and ammunition from someone who poses a significant danger of bodily injury to self or others, as described in the statute.
The legislation received crossover support from many Republicans, passing the Senate by 32-5 and Assembly by 59-12. At least 17 other states have similar laws, including Florida, where Space at one point acknowledged owning property.
Some in the audience who spoke in support of the resolution, though, appeared to pick up on the idea that the red flag law, and others, are simply a pretense for seizing weapons. There was applause when one speaker drew a parallel to gun restrictions under the Nazis in Germany.
Kathleen Marshall, who spoke in opposition to the resolution, expressed dismay at the outcome.
Im heartbroken, Marshall, a Stillwater resident since 1992, told NJ Advance Media.
I love my town. I think theres a lot of misinformation and ignorance about what the actual laws are. They go right to, theyre taking our guns away, and thats not what this is about, Marshall said.
Kathleen Marshall, a Stillwater resident who addressed the township committee in opposition to the resolution, remains at the meeting following the vote, Jan. 21, 2020Rob Jennings / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
After Donna Price, a Stillwater resident, spoke in opposition to the resolution and disagreed with Spaces characterization of red flag laws, a man in the audience asked her if she felt threatened by him.
I do, Price said.
In response, the man responded, perhaps facetiously, that Space might get in trouble as a result.
You just got red-flagged, the man said.
Tuesdays meeting, while at times tense, remained civil. Every seat in the room, which has a maximum capacity of 55, was taken, and there appeared to be up to two dozen others standing along the side and back walls and just outside the door.
Kaitlyn Hammerle, a Stillwater resident, spoke in support of the resolution.
All it is saying is that Stillwater respects and supports the lawfully abiding gun ownership of all the residents. It avoids using the word sanctuary, which could be misconstrued as allowing illegal firearms," Hammerle said in a reference to a version of the resolution adopted in West Milford and, last week, by the Cape May County freeholder board.
Mike Vrabel of Sparta spoke in opposition. He said the current laws do not violate the rights of law-abiding gun owners and refuted assertions from Second Amendment advocates that increasing access to guns would save lives.
Vrabel, a U.S. Air Force veteran, alluded to a friendly-fire incident in 1989 in Panama, that he witnessed, that claimed the life of a 19-year-old Army Ranger.
As far as the good guy with a gun theory, I understand the emotional appeal of that, said Vrabel, a member of the Sussex County chapter of Brady formerly the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Ask yourself, if an incident happens, and you are armed, and you have your concealed carry permit which I know is almost impossible in New Jersey are you up to the task, because even an Army Ranger can falter, Vrabel said.
As he concluded, someone from the audience shouted, How many people were saved in Texas - a reference to a gunman at a Texas church who was fatally shot by another church member Dec. 29, but not before the gunman killed two people inside the building.
Votes in additional places seem likely. Space has asked municipalities in Sussex and Warren counties, along with both freeholder boards, to consider pro-Second Amendment resolutions.
Two Sussex County freeholders, board director Sylvia Petillo and Herb Yardley, attended Tuesdays meeting but did not address the Stillwater committee.
Assemblyman Parker Space, R-24th District, in hat, with Sussex County Freeholder Herbert Yardley at the township committee meeting in Stillwater, Jan. 21, 2020Rob Jennings / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
In contrast with the mayor, George Scott, the townships deputy mayor, offered unambiguous support for the totality of the resolution.
Im concerned that theyre going to come in and take my guns, Scott said.
Chammings, while stating her support for the Second Amendment, said she could not back the resolution without hearings specific problems regarding red flag laws.
I dont know how its being misused or misapplied, she told NJ Advance Media following the vote, in quoting back the part of the resolution that gave her pause.
Stillwater is home to about 3,900.
Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Here is the original post:
Were afraid theyll take our guns, N.J.'s newest 2nd Amendment town says - NJ.com
- Gun rights groups hail Trumps pick to lead ATF: First ever truly pro-Second Amendment nominee - New York Post - November 20th, 2025 [November 20th, 2025]
- Turning Point hosts Paige Roux to talk about firearm safety and the Second Amendment - Kentucky Kernel - November 20th, 2025 [November 20th, 2025]
- The Supreme Court is more interested in Second Amendment cases than ever before - Local News 8 - November 20th, 2025 [November 20th, 2025]
- SAF FIGHTS GOVERNMENT EFFORT TO CONTINUE ENFORCING POST OFFICE CARRY BAN - Second Amendment Foundation - November 20th, 2025 [November 20th, 2025]
- SAF FILES MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS YOUNG ADULT FIREARMS BAN - Second Amendment Foundation - November 20th, 2025 [November 20th, 2025]
- Second Amendment Legacy Foundation awards $50,000 in youth shooting sports grants - KTLO - November 20th, 2025 [November 20th, 2025]
- Second Amendment not bar to felon in possession indictment - Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly - November 20th, 2025 [November 20th, 2025]
- An Official Journal Of The NRA | This District Courts Treatment of the Second Amendment is Comically Unconstitutional - Americas 1st Freedom - November 18th, 2025 [November 18th, 2025]
- Kennedy secures veterans Second Amendment rights in deal to reopen government, renews call to stop paying Congress during shutdowns -... - November 18th, 2025 [November 18th, 2025]
- Federal Bills Introduced to Safeguard Second Amendment Rights During Government Shutdowns - NSSF | The Firearm Industry Trade Association - November 5th, 2025 [November 5th, 2025]
- Why the political arguments used by conservatives to twist the Second Amendment are a public fraud - Milwaukee Independent - November 5th, 2025 [November 5th, 2025]
- Save the Filibuster Save the Second Amendment - Gun Owners of America - November 5th, 2025 [November 5th, 2025]
- The Supreme Court Is More Interested in Second Amendment Cases Than Ever Before - The Trace - November 3rd, 2025 [November 3rd, 2025]
- SNL Weekend Update: Michael Che Says Government Still Aids Food Insecure Families Through Second Amendment After SNAP Cutoff - Deadline - November 3rd, 2025 [November 3rd, 2025]
- Supreme Court to weigh Second Amendment rights of cannabis users - inlander.com - November 3rd, 2025 [November 3rd, 2025]
- The Popular 3D-Printed Gun Globalizing the Second Amendment - Bloomberg - October 30th, 2025 [October 30th, 2025]
- The Future of the Second Amendment: A Nation Divided, Armed, and at a Crossroads - The Truth About Guns - October 30th, 2025 [October 30th, 2025]
- A warning to Florida public officials about the new open-carry law - Second Amendment Foundation - October 30th, 2025 [October 30th, 2025]
- Members Newsletter: Will SCOTUS Go Narrow in its New Second Amendment Cases? - The Reload - October 30th, 2025 [October 30th, 2025]
- I just took Everytowns online firearm training course - Second Amendment Foundation - October 28th, 2025 [October 28th, 2025]
- New Hampshire Bill Strengthening Second Amendment Rights on Public Property Advances - The Truth About Guns - October 26th, 2025 [October 26th, 2025]
- An Official Journal Of The NRA | Illegal Drugs and Second Amendment Rights - Americas 1st Freedom - October 23rd, 2025 [October 23rd, 2025]
- Supreme Court Will Weigh Gun Restrictions for Drug Users - The New York Times - October 23rd, 2025 [October 23rd, 2025]
- The Right to Bear Technology: Americas Other Second Amendment - Andreessen Horowitz - October 23rd, 2025 [October 23rd, 2025]
- Supreme Court adds another gun case to the docket, over drug use and the Second Amendment - MSNBC News - October 23rd, 2025 [October 23rd, 2025]
- Supreme Court will consider case on Second Amendment rights of drug users - Yahoo - October 23rd, 2025 [October 23rd, 2025]
- Supreme Court will decide if 'habitual drug users' lose their gun rights under Second Amendment - The Spokesman-Review - October 23rd, 2025 [October 23rd, 2025]
- Supreme Court will consider case on Second Amendment rights of drug users - Fox News - October 21st, 2025 [October 21st, 2025]
- Why an American raised in Rhodesia reveres the Second Amendment - Second Amendment Foundation - October 21st, 2025 [October 21st, 2025]
- In yet another move against gun ownership, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed Assembly Bill 1127 into law, triggering... - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Across the aisle: shootings, safety and the Second Amendment - The Muhlenberg Weekly - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Second Amendment auditors walking roads with rifle and body armor, Fla. cops say - Police1 - October 13th, 2025 [October 13th, 2025]
- The Second Amendment Holds More Weight Than Uncle Dicks Deer Stand - NSSF | The Firearm Industry Trade Association - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Supreme Court to hear Hawaii gun law case with Second Amendment implications - Baltimore Sun - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Our Next Debate: Would America Be Safer Without the Second Amendment? - The Free Press - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Fact Check Team: SCOTUS to hear Hawaii gun law case, potential impact on Second Amendment - The National Desk - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Second Amendment auditors walking Florida roads with AR-15 and body armor - Tampa Bay Times - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Fact Check Team: SCOTUS to hear Hawaii gun law case, potential impact on Second Amendment - KRCR - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Impac Mortgage : Discloses Execution of Second Amendment to Tax Benefits Preservation Rights Agreement and Execution of Amended and Restated Key... - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Supreme Court takes Second Amendment case challenging Hawaii gun law - Fox News - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Supreme Court takes case that could allow more guns in malls and restaurants - CNN - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Justices Take Up Second Amendment Case Over Hawaii's 'Affirmative Consent' Law - Law.com - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- A different view on Second Amendment rights - thepress.net - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Second Amendment Roundup: Removal of Firearm Disabilities - inkl - October 2nd, 2025 [October 2nd, 2025]
- Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality, Inc. Enters into the Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement - MarketScreener - October 2nd, 2025 [October 2nd, 2025]
- Pass the CR, then fight with Truth , and the forgotten part of the second amendment. - Daily Kos - September 30th, 2025 [September 30th, 2025]
- Letters: What the Second Amendment really guarantees - NOLA.com - September 28th, 2025 [September 28th, 2025]
- The Correct Argument for the Second Amendment - The Stanford Review - September 25th, 2025 [September 25th, 2025]
- Letter to the Editor: Protect the Second Amendment - Bemidji Pioneer - September 25th, 2025 [September 25th, 2025]
- Supreme Court should revisit the Second Amendment - Wisconsin State Journal - September 21st, 2025 [September 21st, 2025]
- The Second Amendment Was Created to Put Down Slave Revolts - CounterPunch.org - September 19th, 2025 [September 19th, 2025]
- Charlie Kirks Shocking 2023 Gun Statement Goes VIRAL after Assassination | Defends Second Amendment - Oneindia - September 17th, 2025 [September 17th, 2025]
- Georgia Sheriff Calls Upon Citizens to Exercise Their Second Amendment Rights - Firearms News - September 17th, 2025 [September 17th, 2025]
- The Trump Administration's Half-Baked Plan to Disarm Transgender People Is Legally Bankrupt: Such a Gun Ban Is Not Authorized by Statute or Allowed by... - September 17th, 2025 [September 17th, 2025]
- Budget Committee Approves Ratification Bill on Second Amendment to EC-Bulgaria Financing Agreement under Recovery and Resilience Facility - - September 17th, 2025 [September 17th, 2025]
- Guns of Delusion: Who killed Charlie Kirk? America's Second Amendment obstinacy - The Times of India - September 13th, 2025 [September 13th, 2025]
- Charlie Kirks Murder Illustrates How the Second Amendment Is Swallowing the First - Slate - September 13th, 2025 [September 13th, 2025]
- Vaccines, the Second Amendment, and the Utah Supreme Court - Utah Public Radio - September 13th, 2025 [September 13th, 2025]
- Florida Court Strikes Down Open Carry Ban, Aligning Firearm Laws with Second Amendment - Hoodline - September 13th, 2025 [September 13th, 2025]
- Charlie Kirk's pro-Second Amendment stance revisited after shooting death - Daily Express US - September 13th, 2025 [September 13th, 2025]
- Florida touts big win for Second Amendment after court throws out open carry ban - Washington Examiner - September 13th, 2025 [September 13th, 2025]
- Second Amendment activists in shock as Charlie Kirk shot instead of just schoolchildren - The Beaverton - September 13th, 2025 [September 13th, 2025]
- Fact Check: Charlie Kirk once said some gun deaths 'worth it' in order to have Second Amendment - Yahoo News UK - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- DeSantis announces 'Second Amendment' tax holiday, renews push for open carry of guns - The Northwest Florida Daily News - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- Fact Check: Charlie Kirk once said some gun deaths 'worth it' in order to have Second Amendment - Yahoo News Canada - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- Charlie Kirk once said some gun deaths 'worth it' in order to have Second Amendment - Snopes - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- Charlie Kirk said "some gun deaths" were an acceptable cost for having Second Amendment gun rights - Daily Kos - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- Medical Marijuana and the Second Amendment: Eleventh Circuit Revives Second Amendment Challenge to Federal Ban on Gun Ownership for Drug Users - JD... - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- Charlie Kirks Pro-Gun, Second Amendment Comments Resurface After Fatal Shooting at UVU - Times Now - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- Reader says protect Second Amendment rights, but reduce access to some firearms - San Antonio Express-News - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- DeSantis announces 'Second Amendment' tax holiday, renews push for open carry of guns - Lakeland Ledger - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- Charlie Kirk, shot dead in Utah, once said gun deaths are 'worth it' to save Second Amendment - Firstpost - September 11th, 2025 [September 11th, 2025]
- Florida will have a Second Amendment sales tax holiday. Here's what to know - Pensacola News Journal - September 9th, 2025 [September 9th, 2025]
- DeSantis announces 'Second Amendment' tax holiday, renews push for open carry of guns - yahoo.com - September 9th, 2025 [September 9th, 2025]
- Florida Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday begins, runs through end of the year - Floridas Voice - September 9th, 2025 [September 9th, 2025]
- Marylands Handgun Roster Board: a rubber stamp or assault on Second Amendment? - Baltimore Sun - September 6th, 2025 [September 6th, 2025]
- Tennessee joins other states on Second Amendment SCOTUS brief - WKRN News 2 - September 6th, 2025 [September 6th, 2025]
- Opinion: Bill 36-0144 Is an Unconstitutional and Racist Attack on the Second Amendment - The Virgin Islands Consortium - September 6th, 2025 [September 6th, 2025]
- Letter to the Editor: Americas Deadliest LoopholeThe Case Against the Second Amendment - Peachtree City Citizen - September 6th, 2025 [September 6th, 2025]
- Congressional Democrats Try to Stop AG Bondi from Restoring Ex-Offenders Second Amendment Rights - Cato Institute - September 5th, 2025 [September 5th, 2025]