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PRESIDIO
12-27-12, 08:44
Good morning all. I'm new to this forum (well been a member for a while but rarely post). As with most everyone we've had some concerns about the upcoming ban legislative effort. New Mexico is an important state in this debate and I believe we should use all pressure to bear on our reps and sen. Our rep senators and reps in this state are not very strong either and I want to discourage them from fleeing from our side. I've had some correspondence with Ben Lujan and so far he is the only one to respond. Just wanted to share this info with you. First letter is Lujan responding to my initial email and the second is my response. Feel free to use it in anyway you see fit. God bless...

colin

Dear Colin,



Thank you for contacting my office in Washington, D.C. Discussing critical issues with my constituents is very important to me.



The shooting in Connecticut is a terrible tragedy and my thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved. I am a supporter of the Second Amendment, but in light of the many recent shootings—from Aurora to Tucson—and the heinous killing of innocent children in Newtown, I believe that there needs to be a real discussion about how we balance these rights and the safety of our communities.



This conversation must be expansive, and must include a discussion regarding high-capacity magazines. While I have expressed concern about limits on magazine capacity in the past, we have seen high-capacity magazines on any gun amplify the amount of destruction and loss of life that can be caused. Focusing on the size of magazines is one way to begin to address these horrific events without compromising Second Amendment rights or our responsibility to promote public safety.



In addition, the role that mental illness plays in these tragic events must be addressed. Too many people with mental health issues are slipping through the cracks and are not getting the help they need. More should be done to provide help to those suffering from mental health issues, both for their sake and the benefit of our communities.



Once again, thank you for expressing your opinion on this matter. Please feel free to contact any of my offices if I can assist you in any way. I am very interested in your opinions and your concerns. To find more information regarding current legislation, services I can offer, or ways my office can be helpful to you, please visit my website at: www.lujan.house.gov.






Sincerely,
Rep. Ben Ray Luján
United States House of Representatives
NM-03

Representative Lujan:

I apologize in advance if my comments are curt but I find it necessary to be very direct with you. You obviously have little knowledge about firearms (although I'm sure you enjoy their protection at the capitol) which really comes as no surprise; also, its very ironic that so many lawmakers really don't fully understand what they are voting for many times. First, these are not "high" capacity magazines, they are "standard" capacity magazines. Less than "standard" would be "low." Further, these are not "assault" weapons which would be firearms with select fire capability and are already heavily regulated under NFA. So, in short, the game is up. "High capacity magazines" and "assault weapons" are two little convenient, dirty, and misleading phrases you tricksters in Washington have used with impunity for a long time to subliminally push your agenda and they've been used long enough. Let's just say its not politically correct any longer to call them "high capacity magazines" or "assault weapons."

Someone who is well trained with firearms can perform a magazine change in less than a second. See here. Will you then ban firearms training? Will you ban semi-autos? Once you do ban them and someone is restricted to his lever action 30-30 and he becomes really fast at reloading, will you ban those too? Christine Amanpour of CNN did a journalistic piece (if you really want to call it that) about how the murder rate from gun violence has gone way down in England. This is true but, its because there is no individual firearms ownership. What she failed to mention was England is up to its slit bloody neck in knife murders. They are now considering banning certain types of knives that are particularly gruesome when used against someone in a knife attack. The questions become: Where does it stop? When they are successful at banning all knives people will kill each other with hammers. People can still buy the materials and build the same bomb that Timothy McVeigh used in OKC. When will we start addressing the real problem? In the previous email I mentioned Rwanda. No guns, at least 400,000 people murdered with machetes.

Will you insist the armed guards at the capital used for your protection in Washington be limited to ten rounds in addition to the other restrictions you would attempt to impose on the rest of us? I'm sure you wouldn't insist. Why? Because if someone was threatening you or other members of congress with violence they would want all means at their disposal (including standard capacity magazines) to prevent such an attack. Why then do you think your life is worth more than my family? Do you really believe another firearms ban will prevent massacres? It does nothing but prevent the vast majority of law abiding gun owners like me from having adequate means to provide for their own protection and does nothing to reduce crime. The statistics from AWB94 more than prove this point. Why does David Gregory and people like him so against having armed guards in schools yet have armed guards in the schools their children attend? Why will David Gregory not be prosecuted for having a 30 round magazine in D.C. when someone else caught with a 30 round magazine in D.C. will pay the $1000 fine and spend a full year in jail? Why? Why? Why? Once you ban firearms there will be three sets of people that have them: criminals, police/government, and the super rich. And if the super rich is caught with an illegal firearm they will just get a really, really good attorney to get them off because they have the money to pay for it. No, Mr. Lujan. Your proposal stinks of monarchy, protected superior classes of people, and caste systems.

I think I've already made this very clear in my last email: Someone who has ill intent will commit horrific crimes no matter what laws are put in place. The real issue is the fact that our country has completely and totally turned its back on God. Our fathers are absent. In many cases, there are no parents, and children are being raised by grandparents. Even if both parents are in the home they are more concerned with their careers and buying more crap than being parents. Parents are divorced and disconnected from their children. Children are being raised by TV, video games, and babysitters. We are inundated with garbage on TV. We glorify free sex, prostitution, legalized marijuana, gay sex, gay marriage, drunkenness, drugs, pornography, and the theory of evolution while simultaneously rejecting the name "Jesus Christ" as if it were a curse word. We can teach a junk science that man evolved from apes but not that there is an Almighty God that who has created us and we are accountable to. We can have the gay, lesbian, and transgender student union but no moment of silence at a school. Further, if a Christian speaks out that he/she doesn't want their children taught about homosexual sex at school, they are labeled a bigot and treated like a criminal. We need to cater to Islam, because after all its a "peaceful religion" and we need to be inclusive. Inclusive to all but Jesus. We can allow 52 million abortions since 1973 and somehow justify in our minds that its different than what happened in CT. From this dark environment comes forth Adam Lanza and there will be many more to come just like him; and we wonder why there is so much mental illness in this dysfunctional country? Focusing on firearms is like giving someone ibuprofen for a brain tumor. You are attempting to treat the symptoms not the problem.

No, Mr. Lujan, the real problem is this world is upside down. We have been a blessed country because of our faith in Jesus Christ and our unwavering support for the State of Israel. But I believe the Lord is removing His hand of favor because the actions and behaviors of this country in the past few decades in particular have shown an utter disdain for God and His will for us. Unfortunately, I believe things will get much, much worse as we move forward. Your thoughts may be, "Oh great, another religious zealot." I'm sure that's what a lot of people said as Noah was closing the door of the ark. If so, guilty as charged. I am a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are perilous times Mr. Lujan and you and everyone in Washington are focused on the wrong things but, there is still hope. (2nd Chronicles 7:14) The answer is not jobs, money, or banning firearms. The singular answer for all is putting Jesus Christ first in your life. Once that is done, all other things fall into place.

Mr. Lujan, whatever restrictions are imposed upon me by law I will submit. Not because I agree with you or this country that I no longer understand but because the Lord tells me I must. (Romans 13:1-2) I do not answer to you or any lawmaker in Washington, I answer to The God Almighty. I do however, currently, still have the right to vote and will exercise that right and encourage others to do so as well. No need to respond to this email because I don't really care what you have to say at this point. I've made clear I will be watching your votes and you know where I stand and that's really what's important here. You work for your constituents, they don't work for you.

Finally, I've copied about 2000 people on my email list. Not all of them are in your district but I encourage them to email their representatives as well. Further, this train of emails will be posted on my blog HERE.

To my friends: It is time for action. I will be posting emails and phone numbers for all elected reps on the blog. There is a very, very serious assault coming our way on the Second Amendment but as I mentioned in my email, we as a nation have a great deal of other problems as well. It's not just the Second Amendment we need to stand up for. I think for too long we have been silent on a great number of important moral issues that are really at the root of this violence we've seen lately. Yes I believe Adam Lanza was mentally ill but all too often that is where the discussion stops. I believe we need to discuss the root of that mental illness and my belief is this illness manifests itself from the environmental issues listed above. I encourage you to make those issues an important part of this discussion. If I can help you in any way call me (575) 403-7962 or (575) 576-0303 or email.

Blessings through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Colin

PRESIDIO
12-27-12, 10:07
I'm currently trying to get this correspondence published in the ABQ Journal, Quay County Sun, and Farmington newspaper. I know the Quay County Sun editor fairly well. We will see how far it gets. I'm sure Lujan doesn't want this kind of attention to what he supports.

TehLlama
12-29-12, 19:00
ABQ Journal is beyond hope. Farmington sounds more likely, but what response did you expect if you pull up Rep. Lujan's platform from the last election?

Pancho
02-21-13, 00:16
Right on Presido

Nailed it right on the button.

Great to see that post, from one believer to another.

3 AE
02-21-13, 02:40
Presidio, Well done! I too have just received an email from my U.S. Representative whose response to my position on gun control, initiated through Ruger's link on their website, basically mirrored the one you received. I'm having some trouble trying to form a response that would reflect my position more clearly on this matter. Would you mind if I could use your outline and response in general, since you worded it so succinctly? Way better than I could have formulated. Again, great job.

Lumin
02-23-13, 10:59
Figured I would post the only reply I have gotten back so far from Congressman Steve Pearce (2nd New Mexico District), not the worst reply I have received but still pretty vague:

Dear ******,
Knowing your support for the Second Amendment, I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on this issue.

I firmly believe the Second Amendment guarantees the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. If we are to honor and uphold our Constitution, this right cannot be infringed upon. Many Americans choose to own a gun for protection, sport, hunting, or collecting. All of these reasons are constitutionally valid for ownership and my voting record strongly reaffirms my commitment to protecting these rights.
As you are well aware, in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut and the Aurora, Colorado tragedies this past year, many Members of Congress have called for legislation to ban certain types of firearms and to restrict the sale of guns and ammunition. More gun restrictions may allow Washington to congratulate itself, but it will never change the sickness and depravity that drives someone to murder indiscriminately.

Currently, several bills regarding gun control have been introduced in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. I have significant concerns with these proposals and will vote against any legislation that infringes upon America’s right to bear arms. These proposed bills are not about reducing or solving gun violence, but about Washington attempting to diminish our constitutional rights.

You can be certain that I will continue to support policies that promote and confirm Americans right to bear arms. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office.