This article was originally published by David Staats in the Idaho Statesman.
Nampa is the latest Idaho community to declare its intent to oppose any legislation and possibly defy any laws that may infringe upon Second Amendment gun rights.
The City Council voted unanimously for a resolution declaring Nampa a Second Amendment City. The resolution says in part, “The Mayor and City Council are opposed to any legislation that would infringe upon the right to keep and bear arms or ban the possession and use of any firearms now employed by the individual citizens of Nampa, for defense of life, liberty and property.”
Nampa joins Eagleand Starin the Treasure Valley in declaring opposition to such legislation and laws — though Nampa did not declare itself a “Second Amendment Sanctuary,” as Eagle and Star did.
Sanctuary status is largely symbolic. The term plays on liberal cities’ declarations of themselves as sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants, with restrictions on city police from enforcing federal immigration laws.
The more recent declarations by conservative city councils come after calls to “defund the police” gained momentum amid the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Armed groups have shown up to counter Black Lives Matter rallies in Boise and elsewhere in recent months.
The Nampa council on Monday directed its police department “specifically to exercise sound discretion to not enforce against any citizen any unconstitutional laws.”
CouncilmanJacob Bowerproposed the resolution. Council members Victor Rodriguez, Darl Bruner, Jean Mutchie and Randy Haverfield supported it. Council member Sandi Levi was absent. Mayor Debbie Kling did not vote; the mayor votes only to break ties.
“Jacob, brother, you’re good,” Rodriguez said before the vote. “Thank you for doing this. This right here tells a lot about our community. It tells the state of Idaho what we are all about. Thank you, sir.”
Nampa is the third-largest city in both Idaho and the Treasure Valley, with nearly 107,000 people as of April, according to the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho. Only Boise and Meridian are larger.
