Letters to the Editor

Cover, April 20: “Top 10 Water Guzzlers”

Come On, Dish

Good story, but why so tame? Thanks to the "smart" water meters, it is now a matter of public record which local celebrities need to flush in the middle of the night and who waters their garden every day instead of every other. C'mon and dish! Now that privacy is dead, we may as well enjoy this kind of dirt. Can't wait for PNM's proposed "smart" meters that will talk to our appliances as well.

William J Bruno
SFReporter.com

Clearing up the Class

The Siringo Senior Housing Program at St. Elizabeth Shelter was listed as the ninth largest user in the residential category. Surprised to see that the apartment complex housing eight formerly homeless seniors who are pretty conscientious about their usage was on the list, we looked into it. Turns out that this program consumes only 7.5 percent of the total water usage of St. Elizabeth's five facilities—two emergency shelters and three supportive housing programs—that together house more than 100 people every day. But the difference is that Siringo is somehow listed by the city as residential instead of as commercial, where it wouldn't even be on the radar.

Deborah Tang
Executive Director, St. Elizabeth Shelter

Opinion, April 20: “Gutsy Move”

Need More Compassion

As a young adult in the Jewish community, I was shocked and saddened by Lena Griffith's letter comparing Zionist Jews to Hitler and the Nazis. I have myself struggled with my own stance on the matter at hand. I value all lives, Palestinians included. I can't act as if I know the hardships occuring in Israel and the surrounding areas. That being said, I do not agree with Ms. Griffith in her comparison. I think if we all had a little more compassion for everyone around us, life might be a little happier, for everyone needs it so much.

Anna Isenberg
Santa Fe

Four Rabbis Weigh In

Lena Griffith's letter accused today's Jews of not putting tribalism aside and alleviating the suffering of Palestinians. In fact, Jewish communities worldwide, including in Santa Fe, work with Israelis and Palestinians together, such as through organizations like Creativity For Peace. We work for peace because we know that vilification achieves nothing but more distrust.

In a classic example of Holocaust revisionism, she says that "Jews suffered under WWII Nazis." This is an outrageous understatement. Millions of European Jews were systematically slaughtered to create a state purged entirely of Jews. They did not just "suffer." It was official governmental policy to wipe them all out. To compare that to current Israeli policy is a disgraceful slander that demonstrates a total ignorance of history and of current Middle East politics.

Informed and balanced debate is always welcome, but it is outrageous to clearly imply that Jews worldwide and in Israel want Palestinians to be murdered, as she does by stating that "Jewish Zionists and Jewish Israelis are the new Nazis." The predominant reason for the increase in global hatred of Jews that she mentions is because of ignorant and outrageous accusations such as those she made. The majority of Jews want and work for peace, and the majority of Israelis want and work for a two-state solution where both sides live together in peace. Letters like hers grossly oversimplify the issues involved and create division and hatred, and therefore make our work—the work of peace—much harder.

Rabbi Neil Amswych, Temple Beth Shalom;
Rabbi Martin Levy, Congregation Beit Tika;
Rabbi Ron Wittenstein, Kol BeRamah;
Rabbi Malka Drucker, HaMakom

Not Protected

Shame on the Reporter for allowing a racist, bigoted letter to be published in the paper.

"Blacks are the new Nazis" is not protected under Freedom of Speech. Neither should "Jews are the new Nazis" be. Spewing hate is not "dialog." Let's promote tolerance and peace, in a time the world needs it so much.

Happy Passover to all.

Rabbi Berel Levertov
Santa Fe Jewish Center, Chabad

Blame On

Ms. Griffith needs to study her history better. Long before Israel gained its independence, the Palestinians were shooting, blowing up and killing Jews! Before Israel's war of independence, the Palestinian leadership told their people to leave Israel because the Jews would be wiped out and driven into the sea and that they could then return and have all the spoils. So many of them left and were not allowed to return. I'm not saying the Israelis are totally right in what they do now, but look fairly at how this whole issue has simmered.

There is much more to this story than there is space. Please research your history better. The Palestinians are not as innocent as you may think, and I'm talking about the leadership.

Everyone seems to blame all Jews for Israel's misdeeds.

Martini Rossini
Santa Fe

Hateful Expressions

The Anti-Defamation League ("ADL") is a 103-year-old civil rights agency dedicated to stopping the defamation of the Jewish people and securing justice and fair treatment to all. We were shocked and dismayed to read the letter published on April 20, which expresses virulent anti-Semitism, hate and bigotry in the context of a protest against Israel. Political protest is protected by the First Amendment, and in the United States, even hate speech is constitutionally protected. For this reason, it is imperative to call out and condemn bigotry of all kinds when freedom of speech is used to advocate for hate.

The letter holds all Jewish people responsible for alleged "crimes done in the Jewish name," describes "Jewish Zionists" and "Jewish Israelis" as "Nazis," and implies that "Jews" are responsible for an increase in "global hatred for Jews." Such unabashed bigotry is not a political protest against Israel. ... These are all hateful expressions of unbridled anti-Semitism.

Legitimate criticism of Israel or any country is fair; hate speech against Jews or any group of people is dangerous. To use political protest as a vehicle for bigotry, anti-Semitism and hate undermines the efforts of all who support peace in the Middle East.

Suki Halevi
Regional Director, ADL New Mexico

Not Vigorous Debate

The Jewish community of New Mexico is deeply disturbed by Lena Griffith's letter to the editor. While we welcome vigorous and respectful debate on Israel, her words amount to unfettered anti-Semitism—a vicious prejudice that has no place in our state. Studies, including one released by Pew Research last year, have confirmed that over half of hate crimes against a single religion committed in North America and Europe are perpetrated against Jewish communities. To say that "this time, the Jews are doing it to themselves," is to address all Jews, not just those in the Israeli government or those living in disputed territories with whose politics Ms. Griffith may disagree. To equate Naziism with Judaism is an outrageous affront to civil discourse and a shameful display of hate speech. The Jewish Federation of New Mexico condemns Ms. Griffith's hateful statements in the strongest possible terms and calls on the Santa Fe Reporter to condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms.

Zachary Benjamin, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of New Mexico
Sabra Minkus, President, Jewish Federation of New Mexico
Marvin Gottlieb, President-Elect, Jewish Federation of New Mexico

Ready to Back it Up

Yes, there are problems in Israel and Palestine, and I have seen the sign on Old Pecos Trail. I am, however, astounded that the Reporter chose to print a letter that essentially blames the world's 14.2 million Jews themselves for being increasingly hated. Frankly, the letter was ill-informed and insulting to the vast majority of Jews in the United States, and around the world, and I believe it comes close to hate speech that no other people in pluralistic Santa Fe would tolerate. We Jews are proud to be a tribal people that has maintained its moral compass and given Western civilization many of its most treasured attributes.

Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people who for over two thousand years suffered aplenty at the hands of people who blamed them for anything and everything. In 1948, the Palestinians could have also chosen to establish a state. Israel is not perfect, but it is light-years beyond much of the world and particularly its Middle Eastern neighbors who have absolutely no track record to talk about human rights.

Last week, at the Passover Seder, we again read that in every generation, Jews must face the challenge of the anti-Semites and choose to live our lives. Thanks for the timely reminder that these words continue to ring true. I will now make sizable contributions to Israeli (aka Jewish and Zionist) causes to celebrate. LeChaim!

Dan Pava
Santa Fe

Pop Quiz, April 20: “US Representative D3”

Failed

Michael Lucero's Pop Quiz was a joke, right?

(No wonder we're number 49.)

Michael Motley
Santa Fe

News, April 13: “State of Waste”

What Planet is Gov On?

The article about the millions of lost royalties from flaring and leaking of methane gas reminded me of another kind of "waste," and that is Gov. Martinez and her untenable attitude toward developing alternative energy in our state. She has essentially put all her eggs in one basket, supporting oil-and-gas development ad nauseam, in the cynical belief that it will be an ongoing remedy for our budget woes.

Meanwhile, the governor has actively discouraged New Mexico's burgeoning solar industry. A record number of solar panels were installed in 2015, with an accompanying job growth in that industry of more than 18 percent. ...

Her relentless support of oil and gas makes me wonder what planet she lives on.

I live on a planet begging for educated, forward-thinking politicians who understand we are at a crossroads, both economically and environmentally, and must now transition off fossil fuels and move toward an alternative energy future in the state.

Barbara Turner
El Rito

Small Bites, April 20: “Jambo Café”

Thanks

I always wonder what I should order there. Thanks for the suggestion.

George Prothro
via Facebook

Santa Fe Reporter