Mail letters to Letters, Santa Fe Reporter, PO Box 2306, Santa Fe NM 87504, deliver them to 132 E. Marcy St., fax them to 988-5348, e-mail them to editor@sfreporter.com, or use our online form.
PRO-ENVIRONMENT
Thank you for the article "
" [Cover story, Dec. 6], which concluded that environmental issues mattered in this year's national election. However, the article missed the local story of the election of new pro-environment candidates in the 2006 New Mexico elections. The great news for New Mexico's environment is that we're well on our way to building a pro-conservation majority at the Roundhouse.
Conservation Voters New Mexico is pleased to share with your readers that 91 percent of our endorsed legislative candidates got elected or re-elected. We converted three legislative seats-that had previously been held by anti-conservation opponents-into pro-conservation seats. For example, Nate Cote, a tireless environmentalist and outdoors enthusiast, defeated the anti-conservation incumbent, Terry Marquardt, down in Alamogordo. Jeff Steinborn, a wilderness advocate, won an open seat down in Las Cruces. And Elias Barela, an advocate for protecting rural open spaces in Belen, picked up the seat previously held for more than three decades by an anti-environment legislator.
While the environmental community is certainly dejected by the loss of Jim Baca to the oil and gas industry's million-dollar incumbent for land commissioner, we can be proud that voters are starting to reward pro-conservation candidates. As the next legislative session approaches, we are confident that our colleagues will find a few more pro-conservation allies at the Roundhouse. Ultimately, this means that the environmental community has a better shot at passing strong environmental policies to protect New Mexico.
To learn more about how you can help build the political voice of New Mexico's conservation community and to check out how your legislators are voting on key environmental bills, please visit our Web site at
.
Sandy Buffett
Executive Director
Conservation Voters New Mexico
Santa Fe
FENCES WON'T HELP
I am deeply saddened by the anti-immigrant letters that have recently appeared in SFR [Nov. 22: "
" and Nov. 29: "
"]. These immigrants are human beings. Most of them are forced to come here out of economic necessity, or for the safety of themselves and their families. It is virtually impossible for them to come here legally. Nobody wants to leave their home and risk a life-threatening border crossing, unless they truly have no other choice.
It's important to remember that our government, our economy and our way of life are deeply connected to the socioeconomic conditions that drive people here (NAFTA being one of the clearer examples). It is always wrong to turn a blind eye to someone in need; more so when we are partly responsible.
We must feel compassion for these people and act accordingly. Not by building a fence, nor by ignoring the problem, but by working, on both sides of the border, against the systemic poverty and violence that makes this kind of immigration necessary.
Jesse Olsen
Santa Fe
STOP THE WASTE
While I agree with Colleen Massari [Letters, Dec. 6: "
"] that these people have nothing, I believe that we can do something to help them and everyone else living in poverty.
Thirty-seven percent of all people living in the United States are officially classified as living in poverty at least two months out of the year, and 15.6 million live in severe poverty (incomes below half of the poverty line). And, according to the US Census Bureau, this number is growing.
While millions of children in this wealthy nation go to bed hungry, we talk about spending billions of dollars to build a wall. Half a trillion dollars spent so far on another stupid war. Tax cuts for the wealthy. Government pork at an all-time high.
Stop the waste and we can end poverty by guaranteeing everyone a job with a living wage. If we end poverty here and in Mexico, we will end illegal immigration.
Our founding fathers spoke of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How do you pursue happiness when your stomach is empty and you don't know where your next meal is coming from?
Lenny Krosinsky
Chair
End Poverty Action Group
Network of Spiritual Progressives
Albuquerque
NOVEL NEGLECT
Having read
The Road
with considerable interest because I was writing a novel on a similar theme, I decided to send Mr. McCarthy an e-mail of congratulations by way of his New York agent, thanking him for his work [Books, Dec. 6: "
"]. I also asked if he might have the time to take a look at my novel, insofar as I was having no luck with agents on either coast. Anyone even remotely familiar with publishing today knows what a daunting task it is for a new author to get read, let alone published-particularly in fiction-without connections, like a nod from a celebrity author like himself. And while I was prepared for a polite brush-off, I was not prepared for being blown off altogether, leading me to wonder if Mr. McCarthy's dark view of humanity isn't more a product of his personal alienation than any strain of prophetic genius on his part?
Robert Samson
Santa Fe
UNPLEASANT EATER
In response to Ms. Brodie's letter [Nov. 29: "
"]:
As the host that busy evening, I paid deliberate attention to Ms. Brodie while she anxiously waited in line. I also took notice of her peering at our reservations book. Within a short time, Ms. Brodie was gone. The telephone rang and a woman inquired, "How long would a reservation for two be tonight?" I said, "Given the line of waiting customers, it would be approximately an hour."
"What are you talking about?!?" she asked. "I was just in your restaurant and saw your reservation book. And I didn't see any reservations!"
At that moment, I looked outside our window and noticed Ms. Brodie on her cell phone. I said, "Just as I already said, it'll be a one-hour wait." Abrupt silence, hangup. Moments later, she reappeared in line. Twenty minutes of visible agitation later, I asked if I could "accommodate" the two of them with two other agreeable patrons (already seated) at a table of four. She reluctantly agreed. I, rather relieved, sat them. I informed the server of the situation and to prioritize the couple, and I know he did. Twenty-five minutes later…
Ms. Brodie and friend abruptly left their table and loudly stated for all to hear, "I'm never coming back here again!" Meanwhile, the waiter with her calzone and other entrée were expeditiously ready. What was behind this reckless incident and subsequent letter, one can only surmise.
Peter Kaufman
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.
