And you are amazed at the work of the Virginia Citizens’ Defense League and how they have managed to get the backing of so many people including Chief LEOs and the rank and file, I can tell you the “secret” of their success.

They never behaved like excluding dickheads. 

When VCDL went on to normalize Open Carry in Virginia, they sent letters to the local Law Enforcement agencies and media outlets inviting them to drop by to wherever locations  they would be holding their OC picnic. And it was a picnic for real: Full families, grilling, kids playing, etc.

Anybody approached them and they had pamphlets and people who would talk to anybody interested in what were they doing. “Wanna dog? Soda? Here you go.”  Just being neighborly and it paid off. Event though Gun Control tried to paint them as extremist, the only morons acting up in front of the cameras were the Anti Gun protesters. Eventually LEO agencies stopped sending cops over because it was more of a soft detail than actual prevention of any violence. I was told that at one event, the two cops “guarding” fessed up and said they were sent mostly to see if any Anti Gun nut was going to do something stupid and get free food.

VCDL used that neighbor-friendly and inclusive attitude with every gun issue and never went Chest Thumper™ and “Fuck Da Police”  even though they did have issues with some agencies at the beginning and with Norfolk  PD arresting twice VCDL members illegally IRRC. And the issues were resolved in court, not insulting and acting the fool. They always behaved like Ladies and Gentlemen because they knew that was the ticket to reach their goals.

And they kept that attitude till tody and it also has come to pay again handsomely with 2A Sanctuary counties and  the activism of people actually going to meeting and showing their resolve.  The voters may have faltered at the electoral boxes, but if the Democrats thought they were just gonna walk as easy as the Wehrmacht on Paris, they are awaken to a nasty reality.  There is a nasty resistance out there and  not the Liberal pussy hat wearing kind.