Pennington County Commission continues pro-gun sentiment

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Pennington County now joins Bennett and Fall River Counties as 2nd Amendment Sanctuary Counties in South Dakota.

“It’s an expression and statement that we’re trying to make to the country of saying, we were given these rights, we want to retain these rights,” said Gary Drewes, the Chariman of the Pennington County Commission. “Leave the 2nd Amendment alone. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean that nobody else does.”

It is a sentiment found across the United States, but Pennington County is now officially making a statement.

“The resolution is more of a statement of how we chose to live our lives in Pennington County,” said Drewes. “We choose to retain the 2nd Amendment. We believe that every person in Pennington County, every law abiding citizen, should have the right to enjoy the 2nd Amendment, and own and bear arms.”

Drewes said the County Commission took the request from Commissioner Travis Lasseter and others to preserve 2nd Amendment rights. Drewes thinks similar resolutions will make their way across South Dakota, as he said gun culture is a part of the state’s DNA.

“I was born and raised in South Dakota, and hunting and owning guns was part of the heritage that I grew up with,” said Drewes.

The chairman said he received no emails or calls against the proposal, and no one made appearances against the resolution. In terms of how this impacts the community, Drewes is more focused on the sentiment it portrays.

“I don’t know how much of an impact it will have on the community, I think if anything, it will just strengthen us from the standpoint of sticking up for those rights that I think most people believe that they should have,” said Drewes. “It’s just going to express a voice of saying we have it, we want it, we want to retain it, please leave it alone.”

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