Thirty Illinois counties have announced that they are officially declaring themselves "safe spaces" and "sanctuary counties" but not for leftists or illegal immigrants but for gun owners.
According to Guns.com, last week Mercer County, Illinois became the 30th county to label itself a "gun sanctuary," part of a statewide effort to send a message to legislators — including Chicago's mayor, Rahm Emanuel — that Illinois citizens still care about their Second Amendment rights, even if the Illinois state government is trying to pass strict gun control.
“We’re telling the state they cannot pass laws that impinge on our Second Amendment rights,†a Mercer County board member told Guns.com.
The "sanctuary" declarations are considered largely symbolic, but the idea is popular, especially among Illinoisans who live outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. By November, more than 25% of Chicago's 102 counties will be "gun sanctuaries" and more are considering draft legislation.
Illinois has long been a flash point for gun rights. The iconic Heller Supreme Court decision originated with a Chicagoan who challenged the city's position that gun ownership was not an individual right to be curtailed at will by local governments.
Recently, Illinois has become a "proving ground" for "common sense gun legislation" including a ban on bump stocks, a restriction preventing anyone under the age of 21 buying a firearm, and a strange licensing scheme that would require all gun dealers in the state to purchase a "dealer license" — something they're already required to do at the Federal level.
Illinois' Republican governor overturned the dealer licensing bill but has expressed at least tepid support for other types of gun legislation.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/33503/thirty-illinois-counties-declare-themselves-emily-zanotti
