By STEPHANIE NAKLEHWhen it comes to gun violence, we can hardly keep up with the news. One deadly shooting follows another, and there’s no appetite for change in our GOP-led, NRA-bought Congress.
But in all that bad news, I want to focus on our local representatives who are fighting for gun sense. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich have publicly stood up to the NRA’s dangerous priority legislation known as “Concealed Carry Reciprocity”, which would gut state gun laws, forcing New Mexico to accept the concealed-carry standards of every other state—making it easy for residents in neighboring states like Arizona, with very weak laws, to carry hidden, loaded weapons in New Mexico.
I would like to thank both senators for taking a stand against our plague of gun violence. I also would like to thank our own Stephanie Garcia Richard, who currently represents those of us in House District 43 and who is running for State Land Commissioner, for her brave battle to protect New Mexicans by fighting for stronger background checks.
We need all of our elected representatives to protect our citizens against the dangerous gun lobby. These leaders all have my vote—and my donations.
Editor’s note: Stephanie Nakhleh is a freelance writer and volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
