Here's a new story that touches on a hot button issue, i.e. the second amendment being suspended in parts of New Mexico. Here's a brief sum up from AP:
For Debate:
1. What is your reaction to this story?
2. Do state governors have a right to suspend the right to carry guns in public?
I thought about including a question about banning guns and if that would reduce violent crime, but I think that would be a big topic by itself.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday issued an emergency order suspending the right to carry firearms in public across Albuquerque and the surrounding county for at least 30 days in response to a spate of gun violence.
The Democratic governor said she expects legal challenges but was compelled to act because of recent shootings, including the death of an 11-year-old boy outside a minor league baseball stadium this week.
Lujan Grisham said state police would be responsible for enforcing what amount to civil violations. Albuquerque police Chief Harold Medina said he won’t enforce it, and Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said he’s uneasy about it because it raises too many questions about constitutional rights.
The firearms suspension, classified as an emergency public health order, applies to open and concealed carry in most public places, from city sidewalks to urban recreational parks. The restriction is tied to a threshold for violent crime rates currently only met by the metropolitan Albuquerque. Police and licensed security guards are exempt from the temporary ban.
Violators could face civil penalties and a fine of up to $5,000, gubernatorial spokeswoman Caroline Sweeney said. Under the order, residents still can transport guns to some private locations, such as a gun range or gun store, provided the firearm has a trigger lock or some other container or mechanism making it impossible to discharge.
Lujan Grisham acknowledged not all law enforcement officials were on board with her decision.
For Debate:
1. What is your reaction to this story?
2. Do state governors have a right to suspend the right to carry guns in public?
I thought about including a question about banning guns and if that would reduce violent crime, but I think that would be a big topic by itself.