George Washington’s Mount Vernon Becomes Gun-Free Zone

With a policy change taking effect his year, Mount Vernon—the estate of the first president of the United States—is now a gun-free zone.

The decision was made by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, which has operated Mount Vernon since just before the Civil War.

The new policy is evident in the Mount Vernon Bag Inspection Policy & Prohibited Items website, which clearly states a ban on the possession of “weapons/firearms, except [by] qualified law enforcement.” This is a shift from a policy allowing the possession of guns in a way that comports with Virginia law into a policy that creates a ban similar to that which was in place during firearm-based attacks at the Aurora movie theater (July 20, 2012), Sandy Hook Elementary (December 14, 2012), Fort Hood (April 2, 2014), and Umpqua Community College (October 1, 2015).

The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) is aghast that the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association would put such a policy in place, both in light of George Washington’s love for firearms and the practical knowledge that gun-free policies only disarm law-abiding citizens. VCDL president Phillip Van Cleave spoke to the Washington Free Beacon about the gun prohibition, saying:

George Washington is most certainly turning in his grave now that his beloved Mount Vernon has been turned into yet another dangerous ‘gun-free zone’ for all visitors. It amazes me how little some know about criminal or terrorist behavior. It is not in the nature of either to obey laws, much less somebody’s ‘policy.’ This policy should be reversed as an anathema to the very rights which Washington fought to protect.

During his first inaugural address, delivered January 8, 1790, Washington said, “A free people ought not only to be armed but disciplined.” At this point, Americans can no longer be armed in Washington’s home.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.