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LETTERS
BIKE SHARE RIGHT
I've witnessed many bike sharing programs in cities in other countries: Oslo, Copenhagen, Paris, and Nice in Europe, but Montreal's outshines them all [News, April 7: "Share & Share A Bike"]. Boston, Quebec City and London have all signed contracts to emulate the Montreal method, which retains ownership with the city, keeps the bike and the user arrangements simple, and offers docking stations in many, many sensible locations. The only extra I'd advocate would be electric bikes; then you could zoom up to Museum Hill.
KEN HUGHES SANTA FE
INDEPENDENT MIND
Thanks to Zane Fischer for noting the presence of "Republicants" in "Santa Fe's bizarre political bubble" [Zane's World, March 31: "Republicants"]. There is a new kind of conservative in town, and even Republicans that dissented during the Bush years. Using a broad brush to lump us in with neoconservatives just isn't fair.
US Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-NM, has voted with Nancy Pelosi about 99 percent of the time. Don't we deserve someone who will vote with an independent mind to represent the people and can stand up to out-of-touch politicians?
Luján voted to confiscate 2 percent of the income of those who cannot afford government sanctioned private health care. While the individual mandate was originally a GOP idea (there is plenty of hypocrisy in the 2,047page monstrosity to go around), there are those of us who have taken consistent, principled stands for freedom and community empowerment.
With the "Corn Husker Kickback," "Louisiana Purchase" handouts to insurance companies and all the bribes necessary to pass the bill, the Democrats are scrambling to "fix the bad parts." When will we learn it is better to not pass anything than to pass criminally bad bills that serve special interests at our expense?
ADAM KOKESH SANTA FE
WONDERFUL TANGO
I am the Keren that was quoted in Alex's very negative article [A Sharp, March 17: "Too Weirded Out To Tango"]. I spoke to Alex since it printed; he says that he reported his honest experience. I as well spoke to Alex at length during the milonga he reviewed. My experience was welcoming him fully and engaging with him about the wonderful community I have found as a recent addition there. Alex took many notes as I shared my joy and spoke of the wonders of such artful intimate social connection, rare and valuable these days. "Mmm, that's good!" Alex said numerous times as he jotted notes. I feel greatly diminished in how he recalls (or doesn't) me; I was surprised and saddened to see our whole conversation reduced to one quote supporting his "disheartened" feelings.
While I did agree that milonga is not the place to jump right in to dancing, I also shared that there are regular classes elsewhere, and simply watching milonga can be a delight! His article was more full of himself than it was of anything else actually occurring there. Still, I called to invite him to try us out again and see who we really are!
I extend that invite to the community as well. Milongas, classes, privates—there are many joy filled opportunities! I also teach improvisational and meditative dance/ movement forms, and welcome you all to adventure with me in those as well (ritualartist.net).
KEREN ABRAMS GLORIETA
SICKENING TANGO
Kudos to Alex De Vore for capturing the true essence of the El Meson tango scene.
I have visited El Meson several times for tango, and each experience has been almost comical.
To watch the people argue over such things as seating makes me feel sorry for some of them.
The uppity and cliquish attitude is also sickening. And their gossipy nature can be detrimental to healthy relationships.
Even if you are an experienced dancer, you may be shunned just because you are not part of the "in" crowd.
Thank you for the courage to write about your experiences there.
I will follow Meg and Richard Meltz' advice [Letters, April 7: "Too-Serious Tango"] and go to Odd Fellows Hall for some friendly swing dancing.
SUE MARTIN ALBUQUERQUE
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