The Almighty One is grasping at such an opportunity with his anti-knocker ordinance. No... The ordinance has nothing to do with last weekend's topless protest in Santa Fe (ABQ Journal - Subscription), it's an ordinance designed force those nasty solicitors to register with the city and for them to comply with a no-knock list.
Hey, we hate being harassed by solicitors as much as the next Eye but if we're not in the mood to deal with a vacuum salesman or some political or religious nut we don't answer the door.
So where's all of this coming from? According to The Almighty One, the registration and no-knock list is a reaction to the 2007 murder of Tak Yi and Pung Yi by a couple of traveling magazine salesmen (Subscription). Apparently in the Alcalde's mind, magazine salesman plus murder equals no-knock ordinance (political opportunity).
It's nonsensical yes, but it gives Marty an opportunity to claim that he's doing something to prevent crime - in this case murder. Look, we have a hard time believing that two rapists and murderers would hesitate for a moment to violate the city's no-knock ordinance when they're already willing to rape and murder - which by the way are a bit more serious than the petty misdemeanor proposed by The Almighty Alcalde.
"The Chávez administration will continue to support citizens against predators who would take advantage of the innocent victims in Albuquerque," a mayor's spokeswoman said.If the mayor is so concerned about forcing a few door-to-door salesmen to register with the city, pass background checks, and post $500 bonds, then why doesn't the Almighty Alcalde want APD to report suspected illegal aliens to the federal authorities (read it here)? There are quite literally thousands of illegal aliens running around this city - a disproportionate number of whom are involved in crime.
Chávez proposed the law after two magazine salesmen were accused of killing Tak Yi and Pung Yi at the couple's home. The measure calls for companies to conduct background checks on their solicitors and post a $500 bond. The city would also create a "no-knock" list for homeowners.
-ABQ Journal (Subscription)
Meanwhile, Marty is worried about traveling salesmen. Simply put, the no-knock ordinance is a nonsensical, politically motivated, unenforceable piece of, uh... legislation. It doesn't need re-writing as Councilor Ken Sanchez suggests, it needs circular filing.
10 comments:
The mayor is famous for stupid laws, i.e the cell phone ordinance. How about some real laws like an ordinance for 911 abuse (i cant find one anywhere), drunk in public, and panhandling? The aggressive panhandling ordinance just doesn't cut it.
How is the cell phone ordinance a stupid law? The stupid part is APD's failure to enforce it and flagrant violations of it. Using as cell phone while driving has been proven in multiple scientific studies to be *more* impairing than having a BAC of .10 (actually, its more impairing that .12) Do you think DUI laws are stupid too? I think it's weird that you think minor annoyances like panhandling and drunk(s) in public are more important than the thousands of people who are killed or maimed in car wrecks because people can't wait til they're done driving to yap on their stupid cell phones.
Back on the subject at hand, Marty is fond of laws like this that address things that were sensationalized in the news. High profile is high priority to Marty, even when the thing he's trying to outlaw has only happened once in the history of the city.
This post by the Eye would have been a lot better just pointing out how stupid this new ordinance is without trying to drag illegal immigration into the mix.
Silly, unenforceable etc, but not all bad. I like the concept but like so many laws the enforcement manpower ain't there.
To the above nay-sayer:
Draggin illegals into the mix was valid. Enforcing immigration laws makes a lot more sense than cell phone bans. Regardless of your stats there are no laws banning eating or conversing with passengers while drivng. These items too are equally distracting. Frankly I don't see an officer who has to use a radio and a CAD [computer aided dispatch] system while driving could write someone for using a phone without a tinge of doubt creeping in. The correct charge for any of those items as well as applying makeup while driving is "Careless Driving" and is to be charged when it visibly affects driving in such a way as to threaten safety.
A hands free cell law effectively says you can't drive your car with one hand on the wheel and converse... now before you say that's dangerous think of all the folks you see yaakkking it up with their passengers and hanging their arm out the window on a warm day, same thing.
The cell phone law is pointless. If talking on the phone causes you to drive poorly, there are laws in place for that. If you are driving on the phone and not showing signs of impairment, then let it go. Im just waiting for the mayor to close drive thrus so we dont eat and drive.
Just one more of Mayor Marty's "Q Tips"...zzzzzz...
#4, by your logic DWI laws are also pointless because it is already illegal to drive poorly. Cell phones (regardless of whether a hands-free device is used or not) impair driving *more* than a blood alcohol level of .12.
It takes a pretty clueless person to not notice how much of a hazard cell phone users are on the road in Albuquerque. Anyone who claims otherwise is probably one of those people too busy talking to notice that the rest of us are having to dodge your random lane changes and other idiotic behavior.
Priorities... It will all be based on money at some point and each "door knocker" will eventually have to pay a fee of some sort to go door knocking. If not they'll face a fine, mo money, mo money...
As for the DUI laws and sensationalism. The arrests do nothing if the courts let them go... As for taking the cars and trucks away, ha, they borrow...
As for cellphone ban, just another way to make mo money... How many real working citizens with brains are going to court to fight these citations, they pay...
As for illegals, its always been a problem and I feel bad for them cause without becoming a legal US citizen they work for half the pay with no benefits, they're stupid cause they hurt themselves...
As for the panhandlers, heh, wonder why I don't go downtown anymore? LoL... They'll leave here purty soon, time to migrate to Vegas before the winter comes just like birds...
Just another law so he can have a news conference!! Poor little man MArty!
BRING IN THAT FAT SLOB JOURNAL GUY T.J. TO WRITE SOME JOURNALISTIC SLOP. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO HIM. HE USED TO HAVE INTEGRITY AND WOULD EXPOSE THE DIRT HERE. IS EVRYONE A WHORE NOW?
You just do not answer your door? So people should hide behind their doors in this city instead of stopping this intrusion, and allowing solicitation to be used as a front for determining where older people live, single moms, children. People can knock under the guise of solicitation to determine who is not at home during the day? No wonder Albuquerque is such a cesspool of crime - no one gives a damn about anyone over 20 something slacker. What about the right of the peace and tranquility of one's home not being disturbed. It would be similar to the do not call law and it is just practical. Look at the Albuquerque crime statistics - those poor murdered folks seem to be receiving no sympathy from you.
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