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LONG OVERDUE
The New Mexico Conference of Churches supports the nationwide movement for the living wage [Cover story, Oct. 19: "
"]. We recognize it as a moral issue of economic justice, long overdue. Recent statistics regarding poverty in this country are unconscionable. It is estimated that 34 million Americans (the population of Canada) live in poverty. Many are children and the elderly. In Santa Fe we have begun to wage our own effort to reduce poverty by passing the Living Wage ordinance. It is an important beginning. At $8.50 per hour workers bring home a paltry $1,100 per month. Enforcement continues to be an ongoing problem. According to the timeline approved by the City Council the hourly rate is scheduled to increase from $8.50 per hour to $9.50 on Jan. 1, 2006. Statistics show that 40 percent of the workers who earn the living wage are single mothers. Their children will be the ones who pay the price if the implementation of the $9.50/hour living wage is delayed. There are few times in our public life when the distinction between right and wrong is so startlingly clear. We are proud of our City Council for the vision they have demonstrated by supporting the living wage and trust that they will have the courage to fulfill that vision. Santa Fe has captured nationwide attention as this fine city leads the way toward making economic justice a reality.
The Reverend Dr. Holly A. Beaumont
Legislative Advocate
,New Mexico Conference of Churches
Santa Fe
AGREE TO AGREE
I quite agree with Richard Welker's letter [Letters, Oct. 26: "
"] about voting machines that have "undermined the public's right to vote." At least in those states that have purchased machines that leave no paper trail, the systems now in place are very suspect, and I wouldn't be surprised that they contributed to last year's national results favoring the incumbents.
So, what's being done? As far as I know, very little. Can't the voting overseers in those states see to it that machines are replaced with ones that will measure up to stricter standards? Why not also require a printed receipt for each voter after his vote is cast for immediate verification?
The system may never be perfect, but we do need to improve it and eliminate (as Richard wrote) "a virtual electronic WMD," and restore our faith in future elections.
And, while the machines are being upgraded, more steps must be taken to assure that disenfranchised voters are more fairly scrutinized and returned to the rolls as they qualify.
All of which should help to restore our faith in a true democracy and put an end to election doubts.
Larry Kerbs
Santa Fe
BLEAT BEAT
Zane Fischer uses the rather ovine word "bleat" three times in a 400-word essay about the art world at SITE [Zane's World, Oct. 26: "
"]. Fischer also "begs the question" at least once, which begs the question why do you let this kind of writing in your publication. Agreed it's free, but really.
As a newly arrived 40-something single Jew, I naturally grabbed the Reporter; after all, it is free, and thought I'd get in on the local scene. But if the scene is illiterate, I'd just as soon abstain.
I'd so hoped....
Rico Gorshky
Santa Fe
LESSON PLAN
I am very curious where the Blah-blah-stans are. Ms. Dolan [Total Pig, Oct. 26: "
"] refers to these places-regarding rugs-in the same breath as Persia, so it can't be close to Blah-blah-Fe!
Perhaps a geography lesson would be appropriate here, or perhaps a history lesson. Like one that goes back before the war-this war.
Erin Sullivan
Santa Fe
OVERRUN
It seems your cup of opinionated reporters runneth over. The review [J Spot, Oct. 26: "
"] probably was to be about Aimee Mann but most of the column attacked both the venue, James A Little Theater, and the audience. Was all that hostility and put-down really necessary? I suggest the writer take a hot bath, wash her pen (and mouth) out with soap and meditate on what is really needed in our community. We certainly don't need more "I'm Rights" and all the other various intolerances. We do need more real tolerance and loving acceptance of what is-if that was the venue available, be glad it was there and stop complaining. The comments were disgraceful and could only be hurtful. This kind of attitude is exactly what creates more separateness and hostility when what we need is respectful viewing and a mind focused on the task rather than his/her own idiosyncrasies.
Ashley Hodgell
Santa Fe
QUEERING THE ISSUE
In a recent J Spot column Jonanna Widner writes about the planned opening of Santa Fe's "newest" queer bar, Bar Noir.
That makes it sound as if Santa Fe has dozens of queer bars scattered all over town. While I wish that were true, if Bar Noir does open in December, it will be Santa Fe's ONE AND ONLY queer bar. I hope that Bar Noir's appearance will start a trend. While I am very thankful for the many, many gay- and lesbian-friendly businesses in town, the growing queer community here needs a few places of its own to call "home." I'll keep my fingers crossed for the queer coffee shop and the queer bookstore.
Vilma Ruiz
Santa Fe
DEMETRIA DISGUST
Why does the Reporter do a feature on someone who hates the United States [Cover story, Oct. 26: "
"] and would rather be in Mexico (Demetria Martinez)? Since 1848, we're all immigrants. We should all be Americans. These militant Hispanics who call this "occupied Mexico" disgust me. I welcome all legal immigrants that want to become Americans but these kind of people don't deserve to be here.
MW Peary
Santa Fe
GRUNTING ALLOWED
Hello, I just read Akira Watts' letter to the editor [Letters. Oct. 19: "
"], and I appreciate her lament. Santa Fe does have a music venue that "nourishes something deeper and fills them (dancers) with a rare joy." That wonderful thing that is available to us all is called EMBODYDANCE, and the humble yet enormous venue is the Railyard Performance Space. Embodydance is a two-hour dance experience that follows five rhythms, or a wave, of sound and movement. During the dance itself, there is no speaking, as the focus is BODY AWARENESS and movement. Getting out of our heads, so to speak. Spontaneous yells, grunts, cheers, cries, and other eruptions are welcomed.
I invite Akira to come give us a try; first time dancers are always welcome.
Elaine Patricia Bell
Santa Fe
The Reporter welcomes original, signed letters to the editor. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. They may be edited for clarity and space. Please include address and phone number for verification purposes; these will not be published.
