Imagine this: you’re a law-abiding gun owner in the U.S. Virgin Islands, standing up for your Second Amendment rights, only to face a barrage of insults, threats, and outright abuse from the very lawmakers sworn to protect you. That’s the dystopian reality unfolding in the USVI, where Virgin Islands Safe Gun Owners president Kosei Ohno recently joined Cam Edwards on his podcast to expose the ugly tactics deployed by legislators pushing a sweeping gun control bill. These aren’t just policy disagreements—these are personal attacks designed to bully dissenters into silence, with lawmakers hurling epithets like terrorists at peaceful advocates and even doxxing supporters. Ohno’s firsthand account paints a picture of a government weaponizing power to crush opposition, a chilling echo of the authoritarian playbook we’ve seen from anti-2A zealots on the mainland.
Context matters here, and the USVI’s unique status as a U.S. territory amplifies the stakes. Unlike states with robust constitutional protections, territories like the Virgin Islands operate under federal oversight but often skirt full Bill of Rights scrutiny—think Heller’s limited applicability offshore. This bill, if passed, would impose draconian measures like mandatory safe storage mandates, red-flag expansions, and ammo restrictions that mirror California’s nightmare regime, all under the guise of public safety post-hurricanes and crime spikes. But the real outrage? Lawmakers aren’t debating merits; they’re smearing gun owners as societal threats to ram through feel-good restrictions that disarm the vulnerable while criminals ignore the rules. Ohno’s group has mobilized thousands of signatures and packed hearings, forcing delays—but the abusive rhetoric reveals their desperation.
For the broader 2A community, this is a canary in the coal mine. If island lawmakers can treat constituents like enemies of the state over basic self-defense rights, what’s stopping blue-city councils or statehouses from escalating? It’s a stark reminder that vigilance isn’t optional; victories like stalling this bill demand national amplification. Support groups like Virgin Islands Safe Gun Owners, share Ohno’s story, and gear up—because when they can’t win on facts, they turn to fear and fury. The fight for freedom doesn’t take vacations, even in paradise.
