STAUNTON — The Department of Virginia of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the largest combat veterans service organization in the state, has gone on record to oppose any legislation restricting Second Amendment rights, says the organization’s state commander, Eric Mallett.
Mallett said that at the VFW state convention, representing over 32,000 members from across the commonwealth, delegates unanimously passed a resolution expressing their “full support for Second Amendment rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America.”
Mallett said, “We oppose any attempt by the Virginia General Assembly to enact legislation that changes, alters, restricts or deletes any of those rights.”
He added, “Our delegates and members feel very strongly about this issue and what they see as a continuing encroachment on the individual liberties and rights they fought to defend and for which many of their comrades died.”
The resolution cites “efforts in Virginia by some elected officials to infringe on our Second Amendment rights” and noted that those same officials “have ignored the wishes of veterans, hunting enthusiasts, members of gun clubs and others.”
“All veterans have taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. We continue that support and defense for the document as a whole and not just those parts that we might like or prefer. To do anything less would be a dishonor to those who have gone before us and a disservice to those that follow,” Mallett said.