Last week, Mexican President Felipe Calderon unveiled a large sign with the English message “No more weapons!” on a Mexican bridge facing El Paso, Texas. Mr. Calderon used the unveiling of this sign to call for additional gun control measures in the United States, including the reinstitution of a ban on modern sporting rifles. Ironically Mexico, which justifiably guards its sovereignty, seems to have no problem dictating to the United States what our domestic firearms laws should be.
While we respect the work of President Calderon to willingly take on his country’s powerful drug cartels, we continue to be disappointed that he, in the name of security, would urge our Congress to reinstitute a failed ban on so-called “assault weapons.”
Semi-automatic rifles, demonized as so-called “assault weapons,” are not machine guns but modern sporting rifles that are used every day by law-abiding Americans for the shooting sports, hunting and home protection. Since 2004, when the Clinton/Gore ‘assault weapons’ ban expired, modern sporting rifles have fast become one of the most popular types of firearms for law-abiding Americans to purchase. And according to a recent survey, nearly half the people buying modern sporting rifles are either current or retired members of the U.S. military or law enforcement.
The firearms that President Calderon would have the United States ban are functionally no different than any other semi-automatic civilian sporting firearm. They shoot only one shot per trigger pull, no spray firing as some allege, and use the same ammunition as other guns of the same caliber. What differentiates modern sporting rifles from other guns is cosmetic; for example, the type of stock on the firearm.
According to the Department of Justice, so-called “assault weapons” are rarely used in crimes (less than 2 percent). Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established that banning firearms and ammunition have no effect on crime levels.
It’s also worth noting that ATF statistics identify the average age of recovered firearms in Mexico (of U.S. origin) to be more than 15 years old, a clear indicator that these firearms are not straw purchased from the United States.
Moreover, it is well-documented that the drug cartels are illegally smuggling fully automatic firearms, grenades and other weapons into Mexico from South and Central America. Such items are not being purchased at retail firearms stores in the United States.
Here are some key facts that President Calderon should consider:
Fact: Only 12 percent of firearms recovered in Mexico are from the United States.
We can all agree that there are serious crime problems in Mexico; however, sacrificing the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans as a means of addressing this issue is neither an option nor a solution.
How about we put a sign up that states “No More Drugs”
Or “No More Mexicans”.
That might be unPC, better make it undocumented travelers or they won’t like us any more.
I do not respect Calderon and I see his banther as a direct attack on our freedoms. I’m NOT politically correct on this issue.
You are merely correct.
Yes, Mr. Calderon, because the gun control you already have on your side of the border is working *so* well.
This is a man who filed a lawsuit against Arizona, called its laws “racist” for trying to stop an invasion of illegal immigrants and when invited to speak before Congress stood up and insulted our Constitution. He is an ass who is losing a narco-terrorist civil war in his own failed country and refuses to take responsibility for it. How can anyone take him seriously?
What we really need to ban is politicans who take an oath to protect the constitution then try to sale it to the UNITED NATIONS!!! the second ban or disban would be the BATF who are responsible for all the US GUNS SENT TO mexico. another ban should be NO MORE MEXICAN TRANS PLANTS. The Ban on Obama, Clinton and any other public officals Federal state or local who do not take their oath to protect the Constitution seriously should be tried for treason. TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK NOW!!!!! IMPEACH Obama and ALL OF His CLONES!!!!!!!!!!! One Last thing FELIPE And Obama can kiss my ASS
Make firearm ownership legal in Mexico where the people can defend themselves will solve alot of their problem.
We need a law to protect guns from Mexican Presidents who can’t control their own country’s.
Mr. Calderon why don’t you control your Mexican immigrants from invading the United States and spend less time telling us how to run our country!
Maybe we should set up a big sign facing Mexico to “Keep your citizens and drugs home!”
…and who, in Congress, or the White House, is going to RESPQND to Caslderon, and tell HIM to REMOVE THE SIGN, or WE WILL PUT UP A SIGN INFORMING MEXICO TO KEEP THEIR ILLEGALS AT HOME !!!
How many US Firearms are legally exported/sold overseas that wind up in Mexico illegally? Sold legally by US manuf’s, then smuggled into Mexico. 12% sounds WAY HIGH to me. Probably includes all the guns dip shit Holder used in Gun Runner!!
What has gun control in Mexico done for them? I think if more of the people of Mexico had guns then they would be able to defend themselves.
He needs to ask his buddies Obama and Holder to stop ‘walking’ guns into his country.
Maybe he should put that sign on the White-house lawn.
You take care of Mexico, SIR & when we get rid or Obama, we can take care of our selves. We have not promoted the drug trade with weapons. You have allowed it to happen because your citizens have no weapons except drug king illegal US weapons.
Calderon is shilling for Obama…. Fix your problems at home – they keep leaking across the border into our country.
Just last week, a woman shopping in downtown El Paso was hit by a stray round. At the same time, Juarez police were in a firefight with carjackers. The round that hit her? 5.56 mm, the same caliber as the guns used by Juarez police. The mayor of Juarez had the nerve to say El Paso Police should be checking on Fast and Furious guns instead of worrying about Mexican police randomly shooting in the air.
So when is El Presidente going to file suit against the Obama Administration for violation of Mexico’s sovereignty?
In the meantime, I’d like to sponsor a sign facing Mexico saying “No more Illegals!”.
Build a thirty foot high concrete wall on the U.S.- mexico border and on the side facing mexico write ” No More Mexicans”.
Does the fact that MSR was on average sold 15 years ago at a retailer infer that gun shows are a purchase point for Illegals?
I wonder if Calderon has been doing queer things with w/hussein osama? oops- I mean obama.
Hey Caleron we will swap for every firearm you return we will give you 100 tomato pickers and their illegal anchor babies sounds like a fair trade to me!
It is a hell of a thing when some two bit politician from a backward country thinks he can get away with telling the US how how we should live. We need to erect a sign the says, “Calderon; shut your mouth or we will shut it for you.” Does anyone know how to say “Go fuck yourself” in Spanish.
We check cars coming into our country..why don’t they? I always get waived through…getting back into the US is way harder….
If President Calderon truly wants to reduce the crime in his country, and truly believes that US guns are the problem there is a VERY simple solution.
He should CLOSE Mexico’s borders! if his people can’t get out to USA, and/or back into Mexico with their illegally gotten guns, then there won’t be a problem anymore.
Unless of course the true source of the problem comes from within…
I THINK A SIGN ON OUR SIDE THAT SAYS “NO MORE DRUGS” WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE, OR “TELL YOUR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OUTLAW CARTELS TO STOP COMING HERE AND STEALING GUNS” SHOULD BE POSTED ON A 30 FOOT GUARDED FORTIFIED CONCRETE WALL WITH A 100 YARD WIDE MINE FIELD ON THEIR SIDE!
I’m 1/2 Mexican & born in the USA and proud of it, I have a message for el presidente Calderon – Shut the hell up and go fuck yourself. I am so sick and tired of this a-hole, 1st when he stood there about a year ago when visiting Washington and preached to the Washington politicians and to US, AMERICANS of how it’s OUR fault they have problems with violent cartels and the firearms they use…stay on your side of the border you bastard! And this Fast & Furious…don’t get me started on those idiots – Eric Holder and the communist Obama…
Illegal drugs are consumed from San Diego to Vegas to Chicago to NY to
Boston down to Oklahoma, Florida and the rest of the 50 states within the U.S.
The population of the U.S. consumes more than half of the world’s illegal drugs,
so that does not leave much of an option for their land to be used as a drug
corridor, specially when cocaine, heroine and other drugs are produced in other
countries and transported illegally to then be delivered to U.S. drug Lords. Why
are authorities in the U.S. blaming Mexico when they should be attacking the
problem from WITHIN?
The U.S. has over 100 gun manufacturers and over 20,000 dealers that Mexico
seems to be where they are focusing, so that these fellows can be employed and
pay their mortgages, while innocent people in Mexico and U.S. Southern states
are being killed with their goods.
Hey, I love guns and I love my family, so I have to own a gun to protect
them, but our Second Amendment does not include buying and selling guns to
cartels, so those people in Mexico that are fighting to stop drug smuggling into
our land (U.S.) have to die at their own expense and sacrifice.
Please realize that this is a fight that both governments need to work
together in order to win. By having very weak gun control laws in the States,
Mexico is not being helped by our country whatsoever. Mexico is the U.S.´ 2nd
largest trade partner after Canada.
Those people that have lost their jobs in the U.S. have to thank our gun
laws because over 50,000 people have died since President Calderon of Mexico
declared war against drug cartels, so let us not blame our southern neighbor for
our selfish laws and drug consumption that has gotten out of control.
God Bless.
A U.S. Citizen living in Mexico
Better yet, Mexico should legalize drugs, so that all those white collar, blue
collar and other junkies that are in the millions will end up going to Mexico
and create an immigration problem for Mexico.