OPINION: Speak Up!

The night of the UNM DORM SHOOTING, our young family friend and incoming freshman participated in the dorm overnight orientation. Her dorm resident adviser/UNM employee kept the freshman group wandering around UNM campus until 1:30 a.m. Late night wanderings and nonstudents with guns in dorms mean the orientation program needs serious reform. PW

Trump says Republicans are “entitled” to pick up five more TEXAS HOUSE SEATS because he received so many votes. I think I’ll run for president of my local bowling league and be “entitled” to have five more pins added to my nightly game scores if I receive the most votes. DD

President Trump said he got more votes in Texas than anybody else ever did, so he deserves five more seats in Congress. Actually, that’s not how CONGRESSIONAL SEATS are allocated. EG

In a prime example of “killing the messenger,” Trump fired the director of the BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS because she dared to present the truth about a slowdown in jobs hiring. This is how this administration deals with bad news. Fire people or direct them not to talk to the media. CT

The healthy, shade-giving trees didn’t need to go. ZOZOBRA could have moved to another site or had better crowd control so trees and the bridge weren’t problems. Instead, they destroy mature trees for one night of drunken fun. Selfish! Boycott Zozobra, Kiwanis, Santa Fe. Removing the elm trees was not “unavoidable.” BG

Funny, I don’t remember the same outrage when Democrats were GERRYMANDERING NM congressional districts. FM

HEALTH CARE cannot be for profit because the patient always loses. For the past 50 years private health insurance companies, supported by “bought” politicians in Congress, have been fighting a single-payer, government-run health care like the Affordable Care Act. Greed is the motive for private health care. EN

CYFD’S failure to protect children in the state confirms the fact that government is totally inefficient in solving problems. There is no profit motivation and for the most part, employees are protected from legal action against them. Add this to the list of many failures present within our government. GH

Our Constitution calls for a census that counts all residents, but Trump has ordered a new CENSUS which does not count noncitizens. Besides going against the Constitution, this could harm red states like Texas and Florida. Or will the counting be done so only blue states lose representation? JH

Every school year with APS starts the same way: hot classrooms. Here’s the solution: Put those students from HOT CLASSROOMS at APS headquarters and the administrators in the hot classrooms. Guarantee you that the AC will be fixed promptly. KL

Once again, by unilaterally DISCHARGING TRANSGENDER MEMBERS of the military without early separation retirement benefits, Trump has shown his utter disregard and disrespect of our nation’s service members. As a veteran, I find his pro-military rhetoric a bunch of gibberish. His pants are on fire. JP

Another school year begins with classrooms not suitable for learning due to the heat. How about not starting the SCHOOL YEAR in August. When I went to school we started after Labor Day and went until Memorial Day. How about returning to that schedule. Common sense. SS

I wish someone would tell APS that you will never consistently improve Yazzie-Martinez READING PROFICIENCY unless you first get the whole family involved with reading. Reading is a joyful discipline and its accomplishment in all levels will not happen only in the school. It must become cultural. MW

Trump’s move to take over the DC POLICE is less of a move to end the current crimes but a move to stop what he thinks might be coming when he starts to fully implement his true agenda of scrapping out parts of the Constitution and his third term. JMR

Trump not inviting Zelenskyy to the RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS in Alaska is like not inviting a groom to his wedding. To not include Ukraine when determining their future due to an unprovoked war brought on by Russia is absurd. Zelenskyy should cede land to Russia, but in exchange for Florida.

Lots of space has been taken up with reporting kids playing in water, no more free parking in Taos, BioPark gorilla expansion, new Georgia O’Keeffe digs, dogs swimming in city pools, etc. Enjoy the LOCAL NEWS, but it seems to be missing in-depth, nonbiased important national news reporting. RKBC

Albuquerque’s MAYORAL ELECTION is less than 90 days from now. Yet all we citizens seem to be hearing are crickets. No polls. No debates. Seemingly no candidate rallies. Why such apathy for such a critical elected office? DM

The Legislature doesn’t want to admonish SEN. MIMI STEWART. In my opinion her actions created a hostile work environment. I am sure the trial attorneys are contacting the victim to sue the Legislature. Oh no, they will not because they need her vote to sue the doctors. BR