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Sunday, August 23, 2009

Letters To the Editor



          We're Paying For The Special Sessions
        Have you noticed that we've had to pay for a special session almost every year, recently? Rather than having a special session, and contributing to the professionalization of our politicians, they should take a two-year hiatus and save us strapped taxpayers money.
        J. Emilio Aragon
        Las Vegas, N.M.
        Ethnic Group Not A Factor in Education
        Re: "Social Costs of Unschooled Stagger State," published on June 19, and "An Education Renaissance," published Aug. 6:
        Gov. Richardson's educational reforms focus on votes, not education. California "improved" education through social engineering, taking its schools from top to bottom in the nation. State proposals have a public accountability component — an annual report card to track parameters for each "ethnic group." This endgame will waste $8.9 million of federal taxpayer money and advance and graduate Hispanic children to improve government statistics, but without the commensurate education they need to succeed.
        To alleviate any Hispanic "achievement gap," start by eliminating "Latino/Hispano" from the Latino/Hispano Education Improvement Task Force, Latino/Hispano Chamber of Commerce, and Office of Latino/Hispano Education. How can Hispanic children succeed in schools and in private and public sectors if their parents and elected officials do not believe as did our forefathers: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness?" These truths are protected by law, but the obtainment of happiness requires individual responsibility and usually hard work, not government largesse.
        We need a state government that supports all New Mexicans, regardless of heritage. I taught for four years and never saw race in my classroom, only responsible or irresponsible students from responsible or irresponsible parents. Don't blame teachers. Faith and family has always been the strength of the Hispanic culture, and this alone can eliminate any "achievement gap." Use that $9 million for incentives to recruit and keep excellent teachers and update school classrooms.
        Jeff Knapp
        Los Alamos
        Senate Should Step Up on Environment
        America is at a crossroads on energy and the environment. Down one path are the discredited policies of the past — continued dependence on foreign oil and growing pollution that threatens our planet and our way of life.
        The other path includes development of renewable energy resources which New Mexico has in abundance and cuts in the greenhouse gases that are causing global warming. The scientific evidence is clear that climate change is here now, threatening our environment and our health. If it continues, water in New Mexico will become increasingly scarce and forest fires and insect outbreaks will become more frequent.
        Recently, the House of Representatives voted to put us on the clean energy road to jump-starting our economy and creating new jobs. They passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES), the first-ever bill to stop global warming and establish national standards for renewable energy production and building efficiency.
        Now it's the Senate's turn to act. Please join us in calling on Sens. Bingaman and Udall to support the clean energy path to a strong economy and improved national security. It's time for the Senate to pass legislation to stop global warming.
        Katherine Campbell
        Los Alamos
        Comments Offends All Other Veterans
        Re: Your Aug. 13 article about Vietnam veterans educating today's soldiers:
        Having served as an infantry platoon leader during the Tet offensive in Vietnam, I was appalled of what statements were made by this Sgt. Brandi about my fellow Vietnam veterans. Sounds like Mr. Brandi had some psychological problems prior to Vietnam if in fact he was there killing children and watching "all" his friends die. Come on!
        My platoon served bravely and honorably, as did most Vietnam combat vets. We tolerated no atrocities in spite of intense combat actions. Mr. Brandi disgraces and dishonors we Vietnam veterans by making us sound like a bunch of homicidal maniacs. Perhaps someone should check Mr. Brandi's military records. If what he says is true, I apologize. It sounds to me as if Mr. Brandi is another wannabe who has seen too many Rambo movies.
        Sonny Martinez
        Santa Fe
        Death Panels: One Of the Many Lies
        "There will be a government 'death panel' that will decide if a person is too old, too sick, or too damaged to be kept alive." That is essentially what people are being told by a small and self-serving group of political thugs.
        It is not surprising that many Americans have bought into this outright lie. In the last eight years they have gone through an unprecedented attack on home soil, two costly and unwinnable wars and an economic near-crash. Now they are faced with proposed changes in the very thing that keeps them alive and functioning — health care. They are not to be blamed for seeking what seems to be solid ground.
        The perpetrators, on the other hand, know exactly what they are doing. Industries that make hundreds of billions of dollars a year under the current system have bought the voices of a handful of influential people and hired hundreds of others to spread their lies.
        Some elected officials are betraying their constituents and their country for bribes from health insurance and drug industries. Their treachery must be exposed and their lies refuted by President Obama and congressional leaders before a full-fledged stampede tramples vital health care reform.
        Adele E. Zimmermann
        Embudo
       

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