St. Germain may soon follow Florence County as only Second Amendment Sanctuaries in Wisconsin

ST. GERMAIN – Gun store owner Jason Hyrczyk’s phone ringtone of gunfire says it all.

“It’s part of our American heritage,” said Hyrczyk, owner of Blacked Out Arms in St. Germain. “That’s why we’re different than any other country. It guarantees our freedoms.”

Hyrczyk strongly supports the second amendment, and agrees with the town board members who proposed a resolution to make St. Germain a second amendment sanctuary.

“We want to have a voice up here as well,” said St. Germain Town Supervisor Jim Swenson.

With talk about restricting gun access in the state capitol, Swenson said he and others feel left out of the political process.

“We’ll keep going forward with what the constitution states and what our belief is,” said Swenson.

Resolution SG19-12-1 was proposed by town supervisor Brian Cooper at the Dec. 9 meeting.

It states “the right of the people to keep and bear arms is guaranteed as an individual right under the second amendment.”

Debate arose at the Dec. 9 town board meeting about a how a potential future law could be at odds with the second amendment.

The resolution states “the town supports the sheriff of Vilas County to exercise sound discretion not to enforce against any citizen an unconstitutional firearms law.”

This could put law enforcement in a difficult position – should they follow their interpretation of the constitution or state law?

But Vilas County Sheriff Joe Fath has no problem with this.

“It wouldn’t have any effect on our department,” said Fath.

Fath, a resident of St. Germain, doesn’t believe Wisconsin will pass any of what he calls ‘unconstitutional second amendment laws’.