My favorite C.S. Lewis quote goes thusly: “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
Nowhere is this tyranny more blatantly exercised than when leftist politicians exercise dictatorial powers in violation of the 2nd Amendment in the Bill of Rights in the U.S Constitution. And the most recent and egregious example of this tyranny is New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s attack on the 2nd Amendment.
But before we delve into that, a bit of backstory is in order here.
Good news Backstory Part !: New Mexico Becomes a Shall Issue State
In 2003, New Mexico was one of the four states – along with Missouri, Minnesota, and Colorado – that became “shall-issue” states, i.e. states in which law enforcement officials are required to issue a concealed carry permit (CCP, also known as “CCL” for “concealed carry license,”, “LTC” for “License To Carry, “CWP” for “concealed Weapon Permit,” or, most commonly, “CCW” for “Concealed Carry Weapon”) to any applicant who meets the requirements specified by law.
Prior to that year, New Mexico and Missouri had been no-issue states, whilst Minnesota and Colorado had been “may-issue.”
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As Beckie Gaskill of Concealed Coalition puts it, “The ‘Shall Issue’ meaning is that it’s guaranteed you’ll obtain your permit for carrying a concealed weapon (CCW) if you meet all local requirements. The key word here is “guarantee.”
Good News Backstory Part !!: the SCOTUS Bruen Decision
Concealed carry rights got a further boost on or about 23 June 2022, when the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), in a 6-3 decision on the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen case – with the majority opinion authored by Justice Clarence Thomas – ruled that New York’s long-lingering concealed carry law violated the 2nd Amendment.
Throughout the nation, anti-CCW laws started falling like dominoes. Even my home state of Maryland – a longtime anti-gun bastion, became a shall-issue state, thanks in part to then-Republican Governor Larry Hogan.
But then along came anti-Constitutionalist Democrat Party state governors like Wes Moore in Maryland, and Mrs. Lujan Grisham in New Mexico.
Bad News Current Story Gov. Lujan Grisham ShredstheConstitution
Make that not just “Constitution” singular, but “Constitutions,” plural! In addition to the U.S. Constitution – you know, the supreme law of the land – there’s the State Constitution of New Mexico, specifically Article II § 6, which reads: “No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons. No municipality or county shall regulate, in any way, an incident of the right to keep and bear arms. (As amended November 2, 1971 and November 2, 1986.)”
But, you see, Gov. Lujan Grisham doesn’t care about her state’s Constitution or the Constitution of the U.S. as a whole.
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Gun Rights Groups – and New Mexico Cops – FightBack
Fortunately, freedom-loving real Americans are not taking the Governor’s guff lying down.
Her arbitrary ban has spurred a federal lawsuit to block the ban before it was filed, and GOP state lawmakers have called for her impeachment. More specifically, the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) – an organization led by Dudley Brown — and Foster Haines, a member who lives in Albuquerque, are suing the governor in the U.S. District Court in New Mexico and seeking an immediate injunction against implementing her Draconian order.
The New Mexico Shooting Sports Association has openly and fearlessly declared on social media: “We will not comply.” Meanwhile, State Reps. Stefani Lord and John Block are calling for the impeachment of the monarch, er, Governor.
Furthermore, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina has stated he will not enforce the order, and Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen has publicly questioned the infringement upon self-defense rights.
Even Anti-Gunners Don’t Like It
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What’s more, as noted by Washington Times reporter Kerry Picket, the Governor’s actions are even being opposed by “a liberal Democratic congressman and a prominent gun control activist,” namely Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and David Hogg respectively. As Hogg posted on his X (formerly Twitter) page: “I support gun safety but there is no such thing as a state public health emergency exception to the U.S. Constitution.”
Wow! Yet Governor Marxist Michelle persists with her attack on freedom.
* ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
No Guns for You: One State Has Essentially Tried to Kill the Second Amendment
