State Gun Control Legislation

Quote from TRNT : But as you mentioned many oaths do include loyalty to and protection of the US Constitution. But here is the crucial point: the US Constitution says the SCOTUS is the ultimate arbiter of what is or what is not constitutional. Therefore, imo, a sheriff who ignores the ruling of the SCOTUS and follows his own interpretation is violating his oath to protect the constitution as our constitution says the SCOTUS is the ultimate arbiter. A society that allows every local sheriff to follow their own interpretation of the Constitution over a supreme court is a society that cannot claim to be of law and order.

Back to my fundamental question, why have a Constitution if the SCOTUS is the exclusive arbiter? There is a balance here. I think you are setting up a false dichotomy. Every local sheriff and every citizen does not get to decide for himself. On the flip, the SCOTUS, it should be acknowledged, is capable of erring. Hopefully when they do it will be in the gray area where it doesn't throw the country into chaos.

Quote from TRNT : Again.....I acknowledge the ethical dilemma of a local sheriff who truly believes the orders and ruling of the SCOTUS is unconstitutional or wrong or immoral or whatever and when a local sheriff follows his own interpretation against that of the SCOTUS he should just drop the pretense that he is following his oath and resign his position or at least rescind his oath before taking arms against gov.

That would depend on the nature of his oath. Sheriff being a local office, assuming the local population still wants him to hold it, I see no reason he would resign, as long as he serves at the pleasure of that local body.

Quote from TRNT : As long as we have rather free elections, it would be preposterous if not comical for a local sheriff to claim that he is upholding the constitution by ignoring the orders of the SOCTUS and taking arms against a freely elected gov..

Freely elected can still by tyrannical. The fact that we are a Republic and our supreme law is the Constitution means the government is only legitimate in as far is it remains within the bounds of the Constitution. And here I'll defer back to my "fundamental question" counter to yours.

Quote from CyberGuy : We are a democracy! The fact that you can drag your ass to the polls and vote for the president makes us a democracy. Maybe we are not a direct democracy, but we are a democracy.

Republic. There is a difference. The fact that you don't know the difference makes me believe you have been subject to indoctrination (educated in the public school system in the past 40 years, or worse yet, studied some form of humanities in a university) and have not taken the time to self educate.

Quote from CyberGuy : I'm talking about how Southerns took it upon themselves to secede due to Lincoln getting elected.

Seceding was fine, and does not a vigilante make. Taking it upon themselves to then fire the first shots and invade the north in a preemptive manner was folly. But then again, perhaps we don't want that discussion in this thread...

Quote from CyberGuy : Yes, in theory you're right, but some people will interpret what you said as not getting the things they want through elections.

And those I will not support, and will take up arms against as required.