Rock Island Today

For Rock Island County Republican Chairman Drue Mielke, the fight to preserve Second Amendment gun rights is a matter of principle.

“I’m not even a gun owner, but I know the constitution gives each of us that right,” Mielke told Rock Island Today. “Anything that seeks to take away rights we all have, I’m ready to stand in opposition to.”

With a growing number of local residents now pushing to make Rock Island County a gun sanctuary county, Mielke was recently on hand at Rock Island County Republican headquarters to lend his voice of support during a discussion on the issue that preceded a county board meeting. Even before the meeting, Mielke has been pushing to get a gun sanctuary resolution on a committee meeting agenda. 

After being stymied up until now, he said he now plans to get the legislation on next month’s agenda. Mielke said the crux of his resolution would oppose bills at the state level that would "restrict the individual right of U.S. citizens as protected by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution."

Mielke said a local citizen’s group has also elicited his help in trying to get the issue on the 2020 ballot in the form of an advisory referendum.

"This referendum directs county employees not to enforce those laws that are deemed unconstitutional, that are, at the state level, being passed right now," Mielke said.

Finally, Mielke said simply passing more laws will not make the state’s gun problem magically disappear.

"We have a gun problem, I don't think anyone is saying we don't," he said. "But at the same time, the Second Amendment is a very important right."