From Sheriff Mark Cage of Eddy County, NM. Worth sharing IMHO!! "This is the entire prepared statement I was intending to deliver today in Santa Fe. Unfortunately, the rules kept being changed to the point that I was only able to deliver part of it. I wanted ya'll to see the entire message as I intended it. It was obvious that it fell on deaf ears as very little attention was given to our comments by the committee. But here you go anyway: When you see the level of violence indicated in mass shootings, it is evidence that social order has collapsed in that social sphere. Instead of jumping to easy conclusions and blaming an inanimate object (the gun) we must look at what prompted the shootings in the first place. In these cases, it was prompted by cultural rot in the form of dysfunctional behavior. It is reckless, dangerous and counter-productive (not to mention unconstitutional) to limit access to defensive weapons from the very people who benefit the most from being able to defend themselves. I’m talking about law-abiding citizens. Taking guns away from drug gangs and criminals is about as difficult as stopping them from getting illegal drugs to sell or making them stop thieving. To make matters worse, America’s criminal justice system has become a revolving door for violent repeat offenders. Once released, these offenders commit crimes before the signatures dry on the booking sheets. Despite observing the flaws in our justice system, the reason that not much will happen to them is that state and local officials are powerless to stop them because you are targeting the wrong things. It’s a swing and a miss to target guns. Instead, we should target violent career criminals and their anti-social behavior. Mental and behavioral health MUST be addressed in an effective manner before ANY crime reduction techniques can be successful. Mentally healthy, well-adjusted human beings DO NOT randomly kill other human beings with guns. Or knives or rocks or sticks for that matter The Department of Justice just released the 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI), revealing that of the prisoners who had possessed a firearm during their offense, a huge majority of them did not jump through gun control hoops to obtain their gun(s). So I ask you, how will more laws that will be ignored by criminals help in combating violent crime in New Mexico?? Among prisoners who possessed a gun during their offense, 90% did not obtain it from a retail source with over half of them being stolen, found at a crime scene or obtained off the street. Since none of the gun control measures before this legislature do not affect the way violent criminals behave, the argument for increased background checks, "assault weapons" bans, waiting periods, age restrictions on gun purchases, closing the so-called "gun show loophole," etc. become irrelevant or misguided at the least. In regards to the “red flag” law suggestion I have to point to Due Process of Law which is defined as: A fundamental, constitutional guarantee that all legal proceedings will be fair and that one will be given notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard before the government acts to take away one's life, liberty, or property. Also, a constitutional guarantee that a law shall not be unreasonable, Arbitrary, or capricious. The Federal Firearms Act of 1938, the Gun Control Act of 1968, and the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 are all well-crafted, constitutionally sound, established laws. They comprehensively prohibit fully automatic weapons, regulate sales and provide for true “common sense” regulation of firearms and ammunition. Under these laws, “assault” weapons (which I can only define as a military, fully automatic firearm) manufactured after 1986 are not available to the public at all. Can’t buy them. The ones manufactured before 1986 are allowed for transfer between individuals vetted by the ATF, possessing a special tax stamp and cost around $20,000 apiece. Collectors own these weapons. It’s a little disingenuous to label a gun as an assault weapon just because it looks mean, has a folding stock, or maybe a bayonet lug. Mass killers are not affixing bayonets to their rifles and stabbing people to death. I implore you to apply due diligence by closely studying the existing federal laws I have referenced and consider how we can better apply those laws and ways that you can better empower your front line defenses (law enforcement) to make our society safer. More laws, especially redundant and in some cases unconstitutional laws will not magically force criminals to comply nor will it make the people you and I serve safer. To the contrary, you may very well cause much more harm than good. Thank you for your time and your service to this great state. Sheriff Mark Cage, Eddy County, NM *Much appreciation to my friend, Sheriff David Clarke, for his advice and contributions to this message!*
I'd like to know why he thinks why "common sense" regulation of fully automatic weapons allows the purchase of those manufactured prior to 1986 but completely bans the purchase of those manufactured subsequent to the Hughes Amendment.
"The Federal Firearms Act of 1938, the Gun Control Act of 1968, and the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 are all well-crafted, constitutionally sound, established laws " Nope.
far more than you do-remember-you are a fan of Australian styled gun laws and registration. I don't believe that federal gun control is constitutional
you are a well known fan of ridiculous harassments of gun owners you pretend because others might support a law that say bans children from taking machine guns to grade school, they are anti gun while you pretend you are not
The constitution is the foundation of our laws. The second amendment says Shall not be infringed. Merica
Actually, unless a proposed law is a glaringly gross violation of the Constitution, no Politician wastes time with Constitutionality, unless to specifically object to a proposed law. Rather bills are proposed and amended until a version is arrived that has a chance of passing. Politicians commonly think: Let others fight about it later as far as Constitutionality, once a bill is passed into law, it is a much harder process to get SCOTUS to even review a law once it has passed, never mind getting it reversed or struck down.
