Guns aren't the problem, and never really were

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Fwd: Guns aren't the problem, and never really were
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:16:38
From: Mike Blessing
To: LPNM Discussion list @ Yahoo!, My Public Email Archive, The Weekly Sedition @ Yahoo!, New Mexicans for Liberty
BCC: [80 individuals]

Re: Gun Arguments Die in Latest Massacre

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Guns aren't the problem, and never really were
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2012 01:51:55
From: Libertarian Party of New Mexico <lpnm.chair@gmail.com>
To: <llinthicum@abqjournal.com>, <opinion@abqjournal.com>

"And it’s time for Americans to stop talking about our individual rights and start accepting our collective responsibilities."

With that one sentence, Ms. Linthicum disavows the one thing that separates America from the rest of the world – the United States is the only country with the notion of individual rights written into its core documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

She says "I don’t want to hear that it’s not guns that are the problem, people are." Well, she's going to, and not just from me, from what I see on the Journal's website. Because it's the truth. Inanimate objects such as guns, knives and baseball bats don't cause violent crime, as she alleges. That's like saying cars cause drunk driving.

Then she says she doesn't want to hear about how an armed teacher could have prevented the tragedy. Again, she doesn't want to hear the truth. She's got an agenda to promote and doesn't want anything to get in the way.

Fact is, Linthicum's pet cause of victim disarmament legislation has been a stagnant one since the year 2000. Twenty dead kids in a public school is just what she needed to bring it back to life.

Why hasn't she asked any questions about Adam Lanza's psychiatric state at the time of the tragedy? Was he doped up on Ritalin, Prozac or any other anti-depressant?

And about the shootings themselves:

Why is it that not many (if any) people shoot up private schools or religious schools like this? What makes the public schools so special in this regard?

Why is it that there's never any coverage of these sort of incidents happening with homeschooling families? After all, quite a few of those in the homeschooling movement are also supporters and exercisers of the right to own and carry weapons.

Why is it that these sorts of shootings never seem to happen at gun shows, at gun stores or at shooting ranges? After all, by Linthicum's brand of thinking, these are the places that they should happen the most at – lots of guns present, lots of ammo present.

Anyway, Linthicum wants us to put our inalienable Constitutional, civil, God-given human rights aside for her notion of "collective responsibility." Well, what happens when her side loses an election, and she becomes subordinate to someone else's notion of "collective responsibility" – a version that she doesn't particularly care for? Maybe then she'll learn to appreciate that "outdated" notion of individual rights?

I can only hope so.

_______________________________________________________________________

Mike Blessing / Phone – 505-249-1248
State Chair, Libertarian Party of New Mexico

Who owns you? Who runs your life? Who should – you or someone else?
Freedom is the answer – what's the question?

"If you wanna live long on your own terms
You gotta be willing to crash and burn"– Motley Crue, "Primal Scream"

---

Copyright © 2012 Libertarian Party of New Mexico and Mike Blessing. All rights reserved.

Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises. Webmaster Mike Blessing.

This blog entry created with gedit Notepad++.

2013 Annual State Convention

Libertarian Party of New Mexico

2013 Annual State Convention

Theme: The Way Forward – Rebuilding

Venue: Quarters BBQ – 3700 Ellison Dr. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114

Contact Mike Blessing – 505-249-1248

Friday, 19 April 2013

Although there is no formal program for Friday evening, for anyone wanting to arrive early, the early birds will gather in the Quarters BBQ bar area at about 6:00 PM for an informal dinner / discussion – No-host, pay-as-you-go, dinner, cocktails, and networking.

Saturday, 20 April 2013

11:00 AM – Registration and pay-as-you-go lunch

• Order off the menu for lunch. Registration fees are Ø50 per person (Ø40 if paid before 1 April 2013), to include dinner in the evening.

1:00 PM – LPNM Business Meeting [no charge for anyone attending ONLY the business meeting]

• All who are registered with the State of New Mexico as Libertarians ("LIB" on the voter registration card) can vote during nominations for public office.
• Only Caucus Members can vote during LPNM business and internal LPNM elections.
• Visitors do not vote in any actions or activities.
• Central Committee meeting after close of the LPNM Business Meeting.
• See below the schedule for more details.

3:00 PM – Speaker [To be announced]

4:00 PM – Speaker [To be announced]

5:00 PM – Break [so Quarters can prepare for the dinner]

6:00 PM – Family-style dnner [included in the registration fee]

• Includes BBQ chicken, ribs, sliced beef brisket, sliced pork brisket, hot links, with various sides, and includes your choice of iced tea, coffee, or soda [other beverages are pay-as-you-go].

7:00 PM – Keynote Speaker – [To be announced]

8:00 PM – LPNM Fundraiser Auction [Bring items to donate]

9:00 PM – Convention [and Quarters] closes

Speakers and Candidates Addressing the Convention Membership

Speakers will have 30–45 minutes to make their case, then should be open to questions from the audience. Audience members are requested to ask questions of the speaker as opposed to making statements. All speakers will be considered to have consented to being recorded, including but not limited to audio or video devices, for posting to the internet (YouTube, etc.).

Handouts for Distribution

The LPNM membership reserves the right to disavow any handouts (handbills, brochures, CDs, DVDs, etc.) offered for distribution to convention membership, as well as the person(s) doing the distributing.

Nominations for Candidates for Public Office

As per the New Mexico State Constitution, all of the municipal elections scheduled to take place in 2013 will be "non-partisan" – the candidates' partisan affiliations will not be listed on the ballot, but anyone who can get by with Google or Bing can find out how these folks are registered and affiliated with a few keystrokes and mouseclicks. Still, the NMSA ("State law") doesn't forbid the LPNM membership from talking to any particular candidate. Nor does the NMSA forbid the LPNM from inviting any candidates to speak to us. If you know of any that might be of interest to us, let us know.

Becoming an LPNM Candidate for Public Office

Anyone wanting to be a candidate for public office on the LPNM's ballot line needs to :

1. Register to vote as "Libertarian" before the Governor's Election Proclamation for 2012 comes out. Usually this Proclamation is put out on the last Tuesday of January. A safe bet is to get this done at least two weeks before the Proclamation is released by the Governor's Office.
2. Sign up with the LPNM as a Caucus Member (see above).
3. Get nominated by your peers at the State Convention (or a County Convention for offices contained entirely in one county).
4. Download and thoroughly read the candidate guides available from the Secretary of State's office, as they contain all of the details required by the State of New Mexico – filing dates, signature requirements, etc. See here for the guides – http://www.sos.state.nm.us/2012CandidateGuideInfo.html
5. Read the Run for Office page at lp.org
6. If you're seeking one of the LPNM's nominations, it helps a bit if you introduce yourself to your fellow New Mexico Libertarians in person a bit before the State Convention – show up at some of our county-level meet-and-greet supper clubs, that sort of thing.

Participating in LPNM Internal Business

All you have to do to participate in the LPNM's internal business (changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, internal nominations, etc.) is to do the following (both steps are necessary, regardless of order completed):

1. Register to vote as "Libertarian" so that your voter registration card reads "LIB" in the spot marked "PARTY" (lower right-hand corner).
2. Sign up as what the LPNM refers to as a "Caucus Member." Basically, this means that you've signed the Non-Aggression Pledge and paid $25 in dues. You can do this at the Convention itself, as we'll have the necessary paperwork on hand.
3. Pay the required amount for a convention membership (separate from LPNM membership dues).
4. Anyone seeking a spot on the Central Committee or as an officer of a county affiliate needs to be a Caucus member.
5. If you're seeking one of these spots, it helps a bit if you introduce yourself to your fellow New Mexico Libertarians in person a bit before the State Convention – show up at some of our county-level meet-and-greet supper clubs, that sort of thing.

Out-of-State Visitors

1. All national-level candidates (for President, National Chair, LNC spots, etc.) are responsible for covering their own expenses, including but not limited to travel, meals, and lodging. They are, of course, free to solicit financial or other support from individual LPNM members, but the LPNM will not expend organizational resources for this purpose.
2. The LPNM as an organization will NOT endorse candidates for any office until they have been officially nominated by an accredited affiliate of the Libertarian Party.

---

Copyright © 2012 Libertarian Party of New Mexico and Mike Blessing. All rights reserved.

Produced by KCUF Media, a division of Extropy Enterprises. Webmaster Mike Blessing.

This blog entry created with Notepad++.