SANTA FE, New Mexico:
“They don’t care about our rights as citizens, that we want to be able to defend ourselves,” Representative Stefani Lord, a Republican, stated.
Dozens of people gathered at the Roundhouse on Saturday afternoon, joining her and House Republican John Block. Republican lawmakers are worried about the volume of gun legislation that have been submitted this year.
“Right now we are under the biggest assault in the state’s history against our gun rights and we cannot afford this,” Block stated.
Democrats claim that there hasn’t been enough attention paid to gun legislation despite the fact that gun violence has devastated New Mexico over the past 12 years.
“Gun deaths in our state have increased by 80% since 2012,” stated House Democrat Andrea Romero.
Bills aimed at altering state gun laws include those that would increase the legal age of purchase to 21 years old, create waiting periods before approving the purchase of firearms, and build upon the red flag gun legislation already in place in New Mexico. Advocacy groups such as New Mexicans must take all necessary steps to stop gun violence.
“New Mexico is at a crisis point and we have to come to the middle right and so we have to work with other gun owners,” Miranda Viscoli stated.
Democrats and advocacy groups insist that something needs to change, and they think that working together is the only way to make that happen. Republicans said they are willing to work on improving certain issues, but they do not think legislation affecting people’s second amendment rights should be included.
“We need to focus on mental health and we need to focus on the culture of violence we are creating in the state,” Block stated.
