Letters to the Editor

News, March 1: “Going Greener”

Yeah, Right

Do you really think this is progress for our city? People are inherently lazy. The majority of people in this city will not lug heavy glass containers to a drop-off point. You're fooling yourselves if you think they will. In addition, the elderly and disabled will not be able to lift heavy glass containers to get them to the drop-off points, even if they want to. With this decision, the city of Santa Fe will be recycling less, not more. You think this is progress? You're going backwards. Cleary this was not well thought out.

Alison Jayne
SFReporter.com

Big Brother

A driver is going to use an iPhone to take a picture of my bins? This is madness.

Jen Pearson
SFReporter.com

Day of the Tentacle

Great big recycling containers with microchips that don't accept glass will encourage the use of plastic packaging, discourage the use of safe, sustainable glass, and further extend the tentacles of surveillance. Not "greener."

I purchase no cans and almost no plastic. I do not have a car and will no longer be able to recycle glass. This is a huge step backwards.

Arthur Firstenberg
Santa Fe

News, March 1: “Killing Wily”

Do Some Homework

The rancher's comment that "any tool that allows you to manage that population is a tool that's needed" shows an unfortunate lack of discretion between good tools and bad.

Scott Slocum
SFReporter.com

More Rodents

Is anyone going to address the fact that the elimination/population reduction of coyotes results in massive increases in the rodent population—adversely affecting farmers? Disciplined thinning of coyotes is management. These contests are barbaric.

Elizabeth Pidgeon
via Facebook

Love It/Leave It

Slaughtering wildlife is brutal and cruel. Doing so for fun is sick. Doing so for profit is greedy. If you can't coexist, go exist somewhere else.

Mark Justice Hinton
SFReporter.com

News, February 22: “To Protect and Troll”

Fire Pit Circlejerk

As a former cop and federal agent in El Paso with very progressive views (yes, we actually exist), I can't help but voice my disgust with Troy Baker. The rationalization of his beliefs and off-duty behavior by asserting that he doesn't "bring it to the streets" doesn't matter. You are not fit to be a public servant, period. Per your rationale, it's okay to help a transgender person on the street while you mock them behind their backs, or to offer your assistance to a black person while posting openly racist remarks on Facebook. Go join a white militia somewhere where you can openly discriminate together with your fellow haters while you all circlejerk your ignorance into the fire pit.

Frank Fledman
SFReporter.com

Cover, February 22: “Beyond the Ban”

Eternally Hostile

Santa Fe is one of the most racist towns I've ever seen. ... I understand where the Muslims interviewed are coming from. However, they each appear to have become quite adept at sheltering themselves from a seemingly eternally hostile society. While they claim to have experienced minimal bigotry, one of them even went so far as to conceal their surname. Odd, for people who claim they feel so welcome. I've personally heard [racial slurs] used ... in the "City Different," I'm willing to bet, at the very least, a hundred times. Still, I'm not portraying them as liars; they're undoubtedly simply being cautious.

All that being said, I firmly believe law enforcement officers of SFPD are patient and very just. This comes from plenty of personal experience, rest assured. I'm certain that Troy Baker's views (Feb. 22, "To Protect and Troll") don't represent the will or intent of the entire agency. Never thought I'd say this, but it looks I'll be using the old cliché, "Don't let one bad apple spoil the bunch." In fact, I'd even go so far as to say they should be the shining example for all other law enforcement agencies to follow.

Naji Shakur
Santa Fe

Web Extra, February 22: “Sanctuary Strengthened”

Who is Driving?

I am a relative newcomer to New Mexico and more specifically, Santa Fe, having lived here only for 15 years. However, in this period of time, in addition to all that is great about our town, I am appalled how cavalierly so much of our citizenry disrespects laws of any kind—local, state or federal. Adherence to any law seems to be selectively optional so It is no wonder that we have, without regard to law, considered ourselves "a sanctuary city."

I am wondering how our city government and even our state government would react to both selective and individual interpretation of its own laws? I particularly find the apparent attitude of our city government being one of tax as we wish and spend as we wish, without regard or accountability for distribution, to be shocking. Then to be followed up with new, improved and costly programs going in search for funding on a willy-nilly basis, e.g. unjust taxing of unidentified "sugary beverages" under a unknown health pretext of protection from self would have to fail to loosely underwrite pre-K education.

Hello, is there a driver on this bus?

Ray Freeman
Santa Fe

Cover, March 1:“Seed Memory”

We Needed That

Thank you for Maria Egolf-Romero's article on seed saving. Although it had some depressing facts, it was inspiring to learn that we have two such heroes in Northern New Mexico helping to tell these ancient stories in our present time. It is especially encouraging to know that 23-year-old Emily Arasim has taken on this work. We need these stories of connection with the earth and with each other to get through these challenging times.

Dena Aquilina
Santa Fe

Santa Fe Reporter