Guest Opinion: Vermont Libertarian Party Opposes Governor Scott’s Change of Heart on Gun Control

Governor Phil Scott hasn’t been paying attention if he thinks Vermonters will sit idly by as he changes his position and enacts new gun control. The ocean of orange at the January 30th statehouse hearing should be enough to inform anyone that Vermonters cherish their gun rights, as protected by both the second amendment and the Vermont Constitution’s sixteenth article.

The Vermont Libertarian party fully supports the inalienable right to self defense by keeping and bearing firearms. No law abiding citizen should be deprived of their rights because of the actions of a criminal.

The Governor states that it is his duty to keep the people of Vermont safe, and the Vermont Libertarian party agrees with him on this point. But to enact new gun control measures that violate due process and the right to keep and bear arms will not help achieve this goal, but will work in the long run against it. What we need instead of feel good measures are actual, tangible methods of protecting our children, and this is the lesson that the Governor needs to take to heart.

The Vermont Libertarian Party is an affiliate of The National Libertarian Party. The motto of the VTLP is “Small Government, Low Taxes, More Freedom.” The VTLP has been more or less active in the Green Mountain State since the early 1980s. Despite the relatively small size of our state Party, the Libertarian Party is the largest third party in the country and driving a renaissance in libertarian thinking in this country.