Letters to the Editor

Mail letters to Letters, Santa Fe Reporter, PO Box 2306, Santa Fe NM 87504, deliver them to 132 E. Marcy St., fax them to 988-5348, e-mail them to editor@sfreporter.com, or use our online form.


   SCIENCE NOT WAR  

Los Alamos is a unique place. It is here that we have followed orders for over 60 years to make "better" atomic armaments [Cover story, Aug. 8: "

"]. The armaments could be used by accident or evil intent to destroy humanity. This is a fate people on our planet should not entertain. Los Alamos is primarily responsible for creating this mess and it is, in my judgment, our responsibility to clean up the mess we made.

It was first demonstrated here that mass could be turned into energy. That accomplishment is to be feared. Los Alamos should not remain aloof and heartless. Mankind deserves a longer time on this planet than a few more years before something truly dreadful happens. This is a challenge greater than the original creativity.

For most of 20 years-from '49 to '69-I was personally involved in "improving" the nuclear gadgetry. We decreased the physical size of the nuclear gadget by 30 times while increasing the energy yield by 30 times. Since the secret for making weapons of mass destruction is no secret, many other nations have developed nuclear armaments. Other nations work to make WMDs to protect themselves from our nuclear threats. The world is ever less secure.

There is no sense in continuing the present mission of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The production of "pits," the work to make a new nuclear bomb and the program to certify the reliability of older nuclear bombs adds nothing to the welfare of the people on this planet.

There is a scientific mission. The lab administrators and the politicians must wean themselves from sucking the sweet nectar from the flowers in the gardens of the war house. There are so very many scientific unknowns. Scientific ponderables need exploration and development. Can the Los Alamos National Laboratory entertain the idea that it should become a World Science Center? Can the lab staff become the "good guys"? One Nobel prize in over 60 years is, or should be, an embarrassment. Scientists should be doing science. They should be going where no man has gone before.

Humanity will survive on this planet only if we learn to go with the sun. Site, duration and power distribution make the sun the only really good nuclear power plant and there are no wastes with which to contend. Change the mission of the Lab. Pax vobiscum.

Peace and love.


EDWARD B GROTHUS

LOS ALAMOS


   BETTER BUS DRIVERS      

The Department of Transportation should have second thoughts about sharing a bus station with the Santa Fe Trails. They have a track record of abuse to passengers of all types, including disabled people and their aides.

Some bus drivers feel they're immune to complaints since they're senior drivers and their superiors will always swing for them, even though a majority of complaints could easily go to court at the drop of a hat.

City Hall is reluctant to make any effort to hear the complaints-after all, they're about poor people's plights and that's not their agenda, even though the mayor claims he'd help the poor; a real vote getter.

The city needs to fix this problem. Senior drivers have no more of a vote of confidence than do brand-new bus drives. This is irresponsible, yet we have four bus managers who don't seem to be interested in being a decent outfit. We need good public transportation, not shabbiness nor out-of-towners who don't know their way around town yet.

DENNIS S PEREA
SANTA FE


   NATIVE RIGHTS?     

After reading your article [Cover story, July 18: "

"], the overriding message is that those illegally in this country should be treated the same or better than native-born or legal immigrants. The rule of law, an essential foundation of a civilized society, was never enforced after the 1986 and 1996 Immigration Acts and is apparently to be further ridiculed and ignored by those who subscribe to an open borders agenda. What I am looking for is an honest debate on immigration (numbers, skill sets, etc.) and hopefully a realistic and sustainable policy, instead of these disingenuous interagency arguments and finger-pointing.

DAVID BROWN
SANTA FE

The Reporter welcomes original, signed letters to the editor. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. They may be edited for clarity and space. Please include address and phone number for verification purposes; these will not be published.

Letters to the Editor

Mail letters to PO Box 4910 Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email them to editor[at]sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.

We also welcome you to follow SFR on social media (on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and comment there. You can also email specific staff members from our contact page.