Candidate’s Name: Mark Holden

Political Party: Libertarian

Office you are running for: Colorado House of Representatives, District 38

State:  Colorado

County:  Arapahoe

District:  US House 6

 

1.)  Do you believe that the Second Amendment confirms the individual right of every American citizen to possess and use (update of keep and bear) militia/military weapons for individual self-defense, as well as for the defense of the State/National defense?

 

Yes. But I do draw the line at weapons of mass destruction being in the hands of the citizenry. Such weapons should never be used on our own soil, against our own neighbors.

 

2.)  If elected would you support legislation for the removal of firearm laws and regulations?  If your answer is yes, and if you are elected, what specific legislation would you propose/support to ensure that this individual right is protected?  Which current laws which infringe upon this individual right would you seek to repeal?

 

Yes. I support the repeal of all unconstitutional laws. It used to be that legislators were very cognizant of the constitution in their deliberations, but now it seems that they view the constitution as something to be circumvented, if they view it at all. Currently, the legislators pass unconstitutional laws that sit on the books and causes trouble for a great mass of people until someone with enough guts and money to take on the government challenges its constitutionality to the Supreme Court.  This is wasteful and costly to our society on so many levels. I would propose a mechanism by which all laws must pass “Constitutional Muster” before they are even voted upon.

 

3.)  What do you consider are “legitimate” reasons to own a firearm?

__ Personal defense

__ Home defense

__ Defense of you country (unorganized Militia)

__ Hunting

__ Farm use

__ Competitive shooting

__ Informal sport shooting

__ Informal target practice and/or plinking

__ Collecting

__ Constitutional rights

__ Other _____

X   All of the above

__ None of the above

 

4.)  Would you support the banning of some firearms or ammunition? (i.e. Saturday night specials, “assault weapons,” Hollow points, and “Safety Slugs”) Why and to what extent?

 

Personally, I believe that if it is just not possible to use a weapon in self defense without causing indiscriminant and irreparable harm to unintentional persons or property (i.e. weapons of mass destruction), then access should be restricted to the military and prohibited to both police and citizens. If a weapon can be used to defend yourself without causing indiscriminant and irreparable harm to unintended persons or property then access should be unrestricted. For example, mace and tear gas are OK, but nerve gas isn't. Also for example, its just not possible to use an atomic bomb to defend yourself without causing damage or harm to property or to people that are not the target.

 

5.)  Do you believe that firearms and/or firearm owners should be registered? Which ones and why?

 

No. Ninety five percent of armed criminals get their guns illegally anyway. And criminals don’t care if law abiding citizens or their guns are registered or not. Every individual (the criminal and the law abiding) needs to be held accountable and responsible for their use of any personal defense weapon. Accountability and responsibility will be the mechanism that ensures safe gun use, not registration.

 

6.)  Do you support equal rights for all citizens of the United States regardless of the person’s sexuality/orientation and/or gender identity/expression?

 

Yes. Absolutely and without equivocation. The Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights and all subsequent Amendments establishes equal rights for all citizens and makes no exception concerning these matters.

 

7.)  Which of the following would you be willing to support in regards to same-gender and/or polyamorous marriages and/or civil unions?

__ Domestic partnerships for same-sex couples

__ Domestic partnerships for opposite-sex couples

__ Domestic partnerships for polyamorous (more than two consenting adults)

__ Same-sex marriages

__ Opposite-sex marriages (What we have now)

__ Polyamorous marriages (between more than two consenting adults)

X  All of the above. Everyone should have equal rights under the law.

X  None of the above. Government has no role in defining a marriage.

__ Leave it to the church.

__ Other ________

 

All of the above and None of the above. Everyone should have equal rights under the law (no question), and the Government should have no role in defining a marriage (that is for the individuals involved to decide for themselves).

 

8.)  Do you support the right for people to act as they wish in a private setting, with other consenting adults?

 

Absolutely.  Adults acting with “free will” or “free choice” should not be enjoined or protected from accepting the consequences or responsibilities of their choices (good or bad).  We, not the government, have sovereignty over our own bodies.

 

9.)  In July 2000 the Police Dept. of Attleboro Massachusetts entered a private party without a search warrant.  The party was not open to the public or in the business to make a profit.  Any donations given were used to pay rent.  When the police entered, they arrested two people.  The first person who was arrested organized the event.  The second person arrested was arrested because she spanked her consenting adult partner with a wooden spoon.  Do you support the actions of the Attleboro police as given in this example? Why?

 

No, I don’t agree with their actions as you describe them.  What the Attleboro police did in this case was just plain wrong. There was no search warrant, it was a private party, there was no harm committed against anyone, and they were consenting adults. Just what did the police think was harmful to the general public about such a gathering anyway?

 

10.)  Do you support equal immigration rights for partners of US residents, regardless of their sexuality/orientation and/or gender identity/expression?

 

Yes. None of these issues are accurate indicators of an individual’s good character.  A good person is one who is law abiding and hard working, whose goal is to contribute to the economy and society of our nation.