Did you know that New Mexico is one of only eight states in the entire country that has its Public Defender Department (PDD) under direct control of the governor? This is a huge problem. This antiquated system creates a critical imbalance in New Mexico's justice system and puts politics where they don't belong: in the courtroom.
You can help fix this imbalance on November 6 by pledging to vote YES on Constitutional Amendment #5, an amendment to the state constitution that would establish the fully funded, independent PDD New Mexico so desperately needs.
Our Constitution guarantees that everyone – even those who can't afford to hire a lawyer – has the right to quality legal representation when they are accused of a crime. We guarantee this right by maintaining a public defender department.
But unlike prosecutors and judges working independently in the judicial branch, public defenders are beholden to the political system. This creates a dangerous imbalance in New Mexico's justice system and endangers the rights of the accused.
Because the PDD is currently under the control of the executive branch, the governor can initiate and prioritize policy approaches that encourage harsh prosecutions of criminal defendants while simultaneously retaining oversight authority and budgetary control over the PDD – a clear conflict of interest.
Our justice system is too precious to place at the whim of politicians. Sign our pledge of support for a fully independent Public Defender System and spread the word to vote YES on Constitutional Amendment #5 in November.
 
 

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico debunks Governor Martinez’s Real ID Scare Tactic

 
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Today, Governor Martinez released a statement informing the public that the state practice of issuing drivers’ licenses to undocumented residents could prevent New Mexico licenses from complying with REAL ID standards by the deadline of January, 2013. This statement is misleading at best.
 
REAL ID is dead. Americans have already rejected large parts of this ill-conceived attempt to unite state drivers’ licenses into a national ID card. Thirty-six states—including New Mexico—currently do not fully comply with this unpopular, unfunded mandate. In fact, twenty-five states have passed resolutions rejecting REAL ID, and in fifteen states (more than 20% of the U.S. population), it is illegal for state officials to comply with the law.
 
Just as we saw in 2008, 2009, and then 2011—all previous deadlines for compliance—the Department of Homeland Security will almost surely kick the can further down the road and extend the deadline again. The government cannot afford to ban 20 percent of the total population from entering a  federal building or boarding a plane back home from winter holidays.
 
Today’s statement from the Governor is a scare tactic meant to advance her agenda of dismantling New Mexico’s drivers’ license law. The Governor should not use the practically defunct REAL ID law to make baseless accusations about a drivers’ license law our legislature passed to improve public safety.
 
This statement may be attributed to Peter Simonson, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Mexico.
 

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On Wednesday, September 26^th, the Albuquerque Journal published an opinion piece by Doug Mainwaring, a cofounder of the National Capital Tea Party Patriots, supporting the petition effort to repeal the law passed in Maryland that gives gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry. Mainwaring asserts that gay and lesbian people should accept the ‘separate but equal’ status of civil unions. Although he  is a gay man, I can assure you that Mainwaring’s  views do not represent the majority of same-sex couples here in New Mexico. He also does not represent the views of the majority of Americans who support fairness in marriage. Carving out a separate legal status for a group of people, solely because of who they love, is wrong for Maryland, wrong for New Mexico and wrong for America.
 
The fact is, most gay and lesbian people treasure marriage for the same reasons any person does. They want to establish and protect a family, make a lifetime commitment in the same way other couples are able to, and to have that special commitment recognized and respected by their government.
 
During my 39 years as an ordained minister, I officiated countless marriage ceremonies for parishioners, friends and family members. I believe that there is something intrinsically honorable and good about marriage. Two human beings making a lifelong commitment to love and care for one another, through good times and bad, in front of friends, family and community—it’s something special. For me, no other event can replace marriage on that level. Marriage says “we are family” in a way no other word does.
 
Family is something we know a lot about here in New Mexico. It’s important to us; it’s part of who we are. So let us not forget that every gay or lesbian person is a member of someone’s family—a son or a daughter, a brother or sister, a cousin, aunt or uncle. No member of anyone’s family, gay or straight, should have to face discrimination because of who they are or who they love.
 
Sadly, because discrimination still exists, I cannot marry the person I love. My partner and I have shared many wonderful years together and, like other gay and lesbian couples, we are already doing the hard work of marriage in our daily lives. We share hopes and dreams, care for our families, worry about making ends meet or the possibility of losing a job, plan for retirement and growing old together—all without the recognition, respect and protection that marriage provides.
 
My partner and I are already committed to one another in our hearts, but like I said, marriage is special. We want to get married and make that public, lifelong commitment here in New Mexico, our home.
 
It really just comes down to the Golden Rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. Most straight people wouldn’t like anyone telling them they couldn’t marry the person they love, and when they think about it, many say they wouldn’t want to deny it for anyone else. It is time to stop turning our backs on our gay and lesbian family and friends, and invite them to become full partners in the joys of marriage.
 
Rev. Dr. Lee Albertson
Retired United Church of Christ minister,
Albuquerque, NM