Michigan town establishes Second Amendment militia
Holton Township in Michigan’s Muskegon County last month passed a resolution protecting the Second Amendment against “red flag” laws and established a militia to defend gun rights.
Four of Holton’s five board members approved the resolution, which declared the 2,500-resident town to be a “Second Amendment Sanctuary.”
“The people of Holton Township, through their duly elected members of the Holton Township Board, hereby designate Holton Township as a Second Amendment Sanctuary in order to preserve for the people of, on and in Holton Township, the inalienable rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America," the resolution read.
“[T]he Holton Township Board hereby declares its intent to oppose any infringement on the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms,” the document added. “We, the people of Holton Township, hereby declare our inalienable rights, our freedom and our Liberty as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America.”
In an addendum, the township’s board invited qualifying residents to join the Holton Township Militia “to stop any infringement on our Second Amendment rights as defined in the Bill of Rights, in the United States Constitution.” To join the militia, residents must be over 18 and pass a federal background check.
Furthermore, the town refused to acknowledge “red flag” laws which allow the state to confiscate a taxpayer’s firearm if they “may harm themselves or others.”
“Holton Township will not acknowledge any new laws that are associated with red flag laws, or any other infringement of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution,” said the addendum. “Holton Township will not acknowledge any new regulation that prohibits or conceals open carry.”
The declaration was a defiant stand against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who in May signed a red flag law “ensuring police officers, health care professionals, and family members concerned someone who may harm themselves or others can seek a court order to temporarily confiscate their firearms.”
Days after the resolution, Whitmer signed another law prohibiting taxpayers convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors from buying or owning a firearm for eight years.
Holton Township is considered a “purple” town, meaning it is evenly split between Republican and Democrat voters.
While Holton is not the first local government to declare itself a Second Amendment Sanctuary — 53 counties in Michigan alone have already done so, reported Bridge Michigan — it is the first to establish a militia.
