Will Our Rights Be Preserved by Our Sheriffs?
The Land of Enchantment is a physically beautiful land indeed, yet one with the misfortune to be so traditionally misgoverned by our liberal Democrat majority as to be relegated too frequently to the very lowest rankings of the states when it comes to poverty, education, health, etc. Once in a while, however, we do find something besides our majestic landscapes to be proud of. A statement just issued by the New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association and signed by 29 of 33 county sheriffs, declaring that their oaths of office don’t require them to enforce federal laws they consider unconstitutional, provides New Mexicans with just such a moment. While I’ve read and heard similar statements from individual sheriffs and police chiefs in other states, I‘ve not seen anything comparable from a statewide law enforcement association.
The Sunday, Jan. 27th, Albuquerque Journal published an article written by Mike Bush of the Mountain View Telegraph quoting several county sheriffs from around the state to the effect that they will refuse to support the President’s attempt to restrict constitutionally protected firearms ownership. The ABQ Sunday article is not posted on their website but there is a link to a Jan. 24th article by the same reporter, Mike Bush, published by the Mountain View Telegraph. The ABQ piece appears to be a fleshed out version of the original and reveals that the Sheriff Dan Houston of Bernalillo County (that’s Albuquerque and the state’s largest metro area) is one of the signers. The Sheriffs’ Association website has posted a press release [.pdf] containing this:
The undersigned sheriffs of the New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association
On the issues of gun control
It is the position of the New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association that we will honor our oath of office
Which states;
I [………….] Sheriff of [………..] County, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America, the constitution and laws of the State of New Mexico and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of my office to the best of my abilities, SO HELP ME GOD.
That pledge is followed by thirty names although the ABQ Journal article says there were only 29 signatories. I am quite pleased that my sheriff’s name is among them. Also noteworthy are the names of several sheriffs from northern, heavily Democrat, areas of the state including the über liberal Santa Fe County. Both news reports also point out that support for enforcing existing laws and tightening the background checking process is widespread among these same sheriffs. They do want to reduce gun violence, just not by denying their constituents their 2d Amendment rights.
Readers should consider using the action of the NMSA as a catalyst to inspire your own law enforcement leaders to follow suit. Sheriffs in Missouri and Utah have also taken concerted actions so this is a movement that is taking hold. Faced with the reality that any new federal gun control laws could encounter widespread nullification by those very public servants needed to enforce them, this overweening administration might well decide to back away from any such constitutional confrontation. But even if Obama proceeds in his arrogant gun grab, we the people will know we’re not alone in our fight. It seems highly unlikely that any sheriff who signed that pledge is going to permit Eric Holder’s BATF or any other federal agents to disarm the citizens of his county. If that proves not to be, then:
Crossposted at American Thinker
Category: Gun Grabbing Fascists
“Put Not Your Trust in Federalized Sheriffs”
http://freedominourtime.blogspot.com/2013/01/put-not-your-trust-in-federalized.html
Utah Sheriff’s are doing something similar, here:
http://www.utahsheriffs.org/USA-Home_files/2nd%20Amendment%20Letter.pdf
Eagle Keeper’s link is a good read and spotlights the inconsistent and suspect declarations of some of the shire reeves who have signed on to this effort. Personally, whatever their motivation, I don’t much care. Chances are they (or, most of them, anyway) are merely pandering to and grandstanding for their respective constituencies. That’s fine with me because these public positions are adding to the crescendo of opposition to the gun grabbers. Put another way, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Certainly some of these sheriffs must be considered suspect; they are politicians after all. I’m a bit skeptical about some of the names on the New Mexico list because I know they are true-blue, hardcore Democrats from counties with few Republicans or conservatives. However, out west here, even many liberal Democrats tend to get antsy when the government starts talking about more gun laws.
And as Air Cav points out, the fact that they are speaking up is adding to the building groundswell of opposition. Best to keep in mind that old adage about looking a gift horse in the mouth.
Here’s another list you may want to check out to see who from your area is getting on board:
http://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/list-of-sheriffs-standing-up-against-obamas-gun-control-updated/31948/
Went to hear Larry Pratt of GOA speak yesterday, and talked to him after the fact. He is absolutely convinced that the local sheriffs are this nation’s most effective line of defense against FedGov usurpation. He’s completely on board with the idea.
I posted the link article on another thread, but I think it bears repeating (and upstate NY is where I was borned):
http://www.wellsvilledaily.com/news/x1084485609/Sheriffs-in-Allegany-Steuben-and-Schuyler-counties-decry-states-stricter-gun-law
I was thrilled to see Dan Huston’s name on that list. He’s my Sherriff and I’ll vote for him again.
Bet this is getting the libtards panties in a twist. If so, good. If not we ain’t yanking hard enough.
Two Illinois county sheriffs. I know Wyoming has already set in place a state law barring federal agents from seizing legally-owned weapons from Wyoming citizens.
http://k2radio.com/wyoming-house-bill-no-hb0104-firearm-protection-act/
http://k2radio.com/bill-would-exempt-wyo-from-federal-gun-ban/
County Sheriffs of Colorado also came out against gun control:
http://www.csoc.org/ppdocs/GunControlLegislation.pdf
An interesting point I haven’t heard before – “In Colorado, the largest mental health facilities are the county jails and state prisons”.
It’s sad to think that people don’t get help until AFTER they commit a crime.
Unfortunately, we also have to fight this battle at the state level as well as the Feds since Colorado is now blue across the board.
Poet…you know San Juan County sheriff is on that list, and as conservative as Farmington/Aztec region is, if he hadn’t he’d have been gone before you could say, “Second Amendment.”
“Donahue and Raney have collaborated to produce a museum-quality example of the controlled dialectic at work in the campaign to disarm the public. Both of these sheriffs will carry out orders to confiscate personal firearms. They’ve just tailored their respective rhetorical approaches for different constituencies.”
An interesting presentation of the “good cop/bad cop” shtick at work.
Personally, I don’t give one shit what Lew Rockwell and his crew say, think or believe is going to happen. Matter of fact, him, Jones, Quayle and every of their believers ought to buy an island somewhere in the middle of an ocean, then they can sit around the campfire swapping conspiracy theories and spit.
Our sheriff issued a statement after being hounded by a few of those followers around from around here. Someone thrust a petition or pledge at him. He wasn’t none to pleased they hounded him but, he let everybody know his department will do no such thing. However, law breakers will still go to jail.
Oh yea, the Georgia Sheriffs Association is in the middle of dealing with several of our state senators that are trying to push a bill that is the twin to Feinsteins…
One more reason I like calling NM home. 🙂
Course, all the Libs in Santa Fe are probably having vapors over this
A benevolent despot is the worst sort of tyrant, and the hardest to withstand becaue everything is done with the best of intentions, and by a parent, to whom one must owe obedience. It seems almost monstrous to rebel.
Sound familiar?
A bit OT, but how is New Mexico a blue state?? Haven’t been there since I moved cross-country at age 3 but isn’t it basically Arizona minus a major city??
Arizona sheriffs are doing the same thing! Sheriff Joe said (terribly paraphrased) “president omammy can write all the executive orders he wants but unless the LEOs in the street carry them out, they don’t mean a damn thing. As like Instinct, I’m glad to call Arizona home.
Here in Florida, our local Sheriff has said the same thing, and the number of other Sheriffs doing the same is growing every day.
MOLON LABE!!
Yat Yas,
Don’t let his populist blather fool you. Sheriff Joke is a fed to the bone.
streetsweeper,
“Guilt” by association? Brilliant.
Didja even bother to read Grigg’s piece? Or just dismiss it out of hand because of the unapproved source?
Eagle Keeper: I think you’ll find most here have about the same opinion of Lew Rockwell and crew as they do IVAW. Maybe worse.
If you are trying to influence people’s opinions here positively, using Rockwell or anything associated with him is probably not a good way to do so.
Hondo,
Note that the author of my link at (12) is Will Grigg.
He’s the same pro-liberty pundit that wrote the piece to which I linked at (1). (Which piece 2/17 Air Cav spoke favorably of at (3).)
It’s pretty sad that “most here” won’t bother to read and evaluate an article on its merits, regardless of the website on which it appears.