California is no longer the land of liberty — it’s becoming a fortress of control. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest expansion of red flag laws is just the newest brick in a wall that’s closing in on the freedoms we hold dear.
These laws don’t just target criminals — they empower bureaucrats to strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights based on suspicion, hearsay, or ideological bias. And while the elite enjoy private security and gated communities, the rest of us are left defenseless, surveilled, and silenced.
But this isn’t just about guns. It’s about the systematic dismantling of freedom. The First Amendment is under siege through legislation that punishes dissent and censors faith. The middle class is being crushed by taxes, regulations, and cultural hostility. And the working poor are left with nothing but slogans and sidewalks.
Now comes Proposition 50, a blatant attempt to hijack our congressional maps and hand them back to Sacramento politicians. In 2010, we the people voted to take redistricting out of the hands of lawmakers and give it to an independent citizens’ commission. Prop 50 spits on that reform. It’s a power grab disguised as fairness — a Trojan horse that would let the Legislature redraw maps mid-decade to tilt the balance of Congress.
Vote no on Prop 50, not just because it’s wrong, but because it’s a test — a test of whether we still have the will to resist.
And while we’re at it, let’s fight for something bigger: election integrity. I’m proud to support the petition drive for a California Voter ID constitutional amendment, which would require government-issued ID to vote in person and verify citizenship for mail-in ballots Reform California. This isn’t about suppression—it’s about restoring trust. If we need ID to buy cold medicine or board a plane, we should need it to choose our leaders.
I’ll be honest: I no longer believe the system will fix itself. The walls are caving in. The state is run by one party, the courts are complicit, and the federal government won’t save us. But I’m not leaving. I’m not backing down. In fact, I’m stepping forward.
It’s time for a more combative conservative movement — not violent, but unflinching. Not reckless, but relentless. We must organize, speak boldly, and build parallel institutions that reflect our values. We must defend our counties, our churches, our businesses, and our children from a state that no longer hides its contempt for freedom.
We are Merced County. We are the remnant. And we will not be ruled by fear.
Gene Johnson Jr. is the chair of the Republican Party of Merced County and president of the Merced County Republican Assembly.