Pearce: Morality, not guns, is the issue

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce responded Friday to the president's proposals to curb gun violence saying "guns are not the real problem, people are the real problem."

In a one-on-one interview with KRQE News 13 Pearce said he is opposed to President Obama's proposal to ban high-powered assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. 

New Mexico Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, along with Rep. Ben Ray Luján have all said they would consider the ban. Rep.  Michelle Lujan-Grisham has said she supports it.

All four are Democrats.  Pearce is the lone Republican in New Mexico's congressional delegation.

We also asked Pearce if he supported closing the background check loophole and requiring people who buy guns at gun shows and from private individuals to be checked.

"If the administration is serious about background checks then they should hold (Attorney General) Eric Holder accountable for the fact that the Fast and Furious, their own agency itself, gave guns to illegal people," Pearce said.  "So get serious within your own department, sir, is my point."

Pearce says he doesn't believe passing more laws is the answer. He believes the morality of America is the true problem.

He points to what he calls the breakdown of the American family.  He says parents need to spend more time with their kids instead of using TV and video games as a babysitter.

While Pearce believes violent video games are a huge problem, he says regulations on these games would never happen. Pearce says the answer is making Americans wake up and really seeing what our society has become.

"People have decided they don't want religion in their lives. They don't want schools teaching values in kids. They don't want visual reminders, but our founding fathers were very clear that, the government they were giving us is only going to work with a moral people." says Pearce