[Editor's Note: This is a continuation of a multi-part series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session of Feb. 19, and regular meeting on Feb. 21. It will include more of the four hours of public input but will require additional articles.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
Grant County commissioners continued to hear public input at their meeting on Feb. 21, 2019, which had been moved to the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center in order to allow more people into a larger venue. It was standing room only and still some people were turned away due to limits on capacity.
The next person to speak in public input was Matt Fabre, WNM Communications president. "I ask you to pass the measure opposing HB 220 and HB 255. As a business, I see a couple of problems that will affect our ability to continue to provide services to the area. I see regulations that are very duplicative. In this case, there is no balance between what happens to the community when you consider business and environment. So much in New Mexico requires addressing permits. This is so different from other states that have perfect economic and environmental records. It's problematic. We don't have expansion of businesses because of the additional permitting and regulation costs here. I have lived in other states as well as here in New Mexico. The other states have seen balance between economic and environmental issues. This business, Freeport McMoRan, is the lifeblood of this community. The businesses and residents are the ones who provide support. We are your employers, commissioners. People are asking for a balanced view. The perfect example was the person from Lordsburg. What are the hidden unknowns you haven't thought about? What about the social impacts of these bills?"
Ron Strain pointed out that since the 1840s, what is now Grant County has had mining. "Manuel Armijo was governor when we were still part of Mexico. In 1952, I got a job with the mines. It is four generations now working for the mines. I raise cattle on Freeport lands. Freeport puts food on the tables, and how much is donated to the community each year? Whitewater Creek, which is also called Copper Creek, look at how the mine is cleaning it up. You are elected to represent us."
Joe Gros said the room was full of people who are passionate about their community and their jobs. "Think about the effect on the community, the effect on families. Politicians have tremendous control. I'm a pastor, so I will quote Proverbs 29:2. 'When the righteous are in authority, people rejoice. When the wicked are in authority, the people groan.' You're hearing the groans. We run a school. These bills would adversely affect our school population. Please do not remove our Second Amendment rights. I'm a pastor who loves to eat meat. I'm also a hunter. We want to be able to buy weapons with no infringement on our rights. If we are criminals, we won't care about the laws. In Santa Fe right now, it drives me crazy to think that coyotes are more important than babies."
Charlie LeBlanc said he didn't think the Second Amendment legislation going through the Legislature had anything to do with public safety. "They just want to take away our liberties. We have to defend ourselves. Yes, we'll call 911, but they're missing the point. A shooter who kills kids in a school has a mental illness. Think about what this Legislature is proposing. When I'm camping in the woods, I want to make sure I’m protected from two-legged threats, as well as the four-legged ones. New Mexico is No. 1 in burglaries. One group will benefit from the closing of the mines. That would be U-Haul as people move away from their homes that are now worthless. I hope the group in Santa Fe gets their heads turned right way around. When people tried to speak against legislation, they weren't allowed to. It's a one-way road."
Rachel Valencia said HB 51is simply the murder of the unborn. "Coyotes are more important than baby human beings. As long as we continue to kill the unborn, God is not going to help us. Euthanasia is next. If our children stand to gain from our death, they can go to the doctor and get a medicine to give to us and we're gone. Next, they will pass a law that the disabled or mentally challenged can be put to death. They don't just want the rich people to become poor, but also the middle class to become poor. That's socialism. Thank you to the sheriffs for letting people have a voice. Unless there's socialism, the government won't be able to control us. Recently, at 3 a.m., I heard a big pounding on the back door. It was a burglar coming in. Fortunately, my son came in the front door, got his gun and shot into the air. The burglar left. My son's gun took care of us."
Colton Finch said he was 23 years old. "I thank Sheriff (Frank) Gomez for the resolution naming Grant County a Second Amendment County. I am here representing Gila Valley Electric. HB 220 and HB 255 will directly affect us. An extensive amount of our business is at Freeport. If the mines are prospering, so are we. The mines had a $163.2 million impact on the region in 2017. 1,400 people are employed at the mines and another 4,000 indirectly. When you throw a stone in the water the ripples affect everything more as they move outward from the stone. We are in opposition to these bills. If these bills will provide any positive impact, show us the benefits. I thank Sheriff Gomez. A firearm is an inanimate object. It's the deterioration of society that is causing problems, not the firearms. You don't stop vehicles from running to stop crashes. If someone wants to hurt you, bad people will continue to do bad things. When guns are stolen, it's the criminals who are buying them. These bills will make me a criminal, if I lend my rifle to my sister to use when she goes hunting. And HB 87 is an infringement on my Second Amendment rights."
Bill Barrington said he came to Grant County as a contractor in 2004 for a temporary job. "I stayed. If you take the mines away, we will all leave. We pay your bills. The gun rules are bad law. Criminals will break into your houses if you have no way to defend yourselves."
Catherine McCauley was next on the list, but she said she was waiving her right to speak.
Charlene Ashburn said: "Grant County and mining are synonymous. Hundreds of us work for a wonderful company. Somebody wants to change the rules. New Mexico is not a business-friendly state. If somebody wants additional insurance for the mines at an additional $1 million a year, that million dollars will not be spent in New Mexico. It will be shipped out. Our area does not have the lowest cost of production, so that's additional cost. If you support these legislative bills, you do not support the people of Grant County."
Cynthia Donovan said she is third generation in Grant County. "I'm here to encourage you to oppose HB 220 and HB 255 and to support the resolution for the county to be a Sanctuary Second Amendment County. The county seal represents our community from mining to ranching. These bills will kill the lifeblood of Grant County. They are using scare tactics and falsehoods. The mine adheres stringently to the regulations and tests the water frequently. These bills will destroy the mines. The impact on Grant County begins with the 1,400 employees, the 4,100 jobs, $163 million a year. The mines connect everyone in the county, and they will all be impacted. Nothing, including you the commissioners, will not be impacted. You are sugar-coating it that the bills will not kill the mines. I completely support our sheriff and the Second Amendment resolution. It is critical for us to be able to protect ourselves. You, Commissioner Browne are the secretary-treasurer of GRIP. You've always been an opponent of the mines. It's a clear conflict of interest."
Luanne Brooten said she has been watching this country. "I've lived through a lot of administrations. Not one has wanted to get rid of the Second Amendment. They want to protect the schools and churches. We want to be part of the solution. The U.S. has more gun deaths than any other country. We want to be part of the solution. Aren't you smart enough to figure out how to get rid of crazy people?"
[Editor's Note: If you search on the Internet for most gun deaths, depending on the source and the year, you get different results. Some say U.S. has the highest rate and others put the U.S. at 11th, 31st and 68th. Remember the book: "How to Lie with Statistics?" This proves it.]
Brooten continued and talked about the 1st Amendment when she said she was terrified of the crowd and got booed. "Read the First Amendment. You're abridging my First Amendment Right. It includes freedom of the press and freedom of religion, along with freedom of speech. The Second Amendment is the right to keep and carry arms. The Supreme Court has upheld the right to self-defense in the home, but not to carry semi-automatics and assault rifles to kill people. If you are a sane, responsible gun-owner, figure out how to prevent gun violence."
Commission Chairman Chris Ponce again asked people to calm down and give everyone a chance to speak "whether you agree with them or not. Let's not forget the First Amendment."
Jeremy Gonzales said he is a miner, a combat veteran, a small business owner and a husband and father of four daughters. "My family is working so your laptop and phones have copper. I've seen a lot of other countries. I came home and saw the mountains and felt at peace. In other countries, I saw people just wanting to raise their families like I do."
Christy Gonzales said to the commissioners: "You've heard half of us. That was my husband right before me. I'm not originally from here. I came here from Albuquerque. I lived up there as a single mom, in a gated community where I felt safe. Until the day there was a shooting right outside the gate. The person didn't legally have a gun. These laws would not have solved that problem. When I legally had a gun, it was stolen. Look at the individuals, not the guns. As for the red flagging of people to take away their guns. Someone could say about my husband: 'He's big; he's intimidating,' so someone could red flag him. That's a bad law. People say the big corporations make too much money. The more money they make, the more we make. Freeport is environmentally friendly. It's a good company. They provide so much for this community. Why would we not support this company? If we don't, why should they support us? The mine is our livelihood. As a wife and mother, you have to support us."
John Brack said he moved to Grant County in 1977. "I left and then came back. I'm a retired miner. I started the Freeport mine in Chile. We followed all the environmental laws in Chile and from the U.S. I had an opportunity to come back for the restart of Chino. I don't know what the hidden agenda is to get rid of the mine. When I first came back, a law passed on water quality. It was upheld in the Supreme Court. We need to enforce the laws we have. Putting new laws in doesn't prevent stupid things from happening."
The next article will continue the public input.