Letters to the Editor

Food Feb. 12: “Crepes Compete”

Her fave missed list

Did you not go to Clafoutis? They are the best around!!!

Liz Ciaccio
via Facebook

Online, Feb 24: “Candidate Quits Amid Investigation”

Hated It

Shame on the Santa Fe Reporter for sloppy journalism in the form of misleading and inflammatory headline writing. …[Lyla June Johnston] put out a clear statement explaining the reason for this pivot. On the same day, the SFR published an article with the headline, "Candidate Quits Amid Investigation."…The "theft" amounted to a laptop, office furniture and a set of keys, which were soon returned to [a former employee]. Johnston says those items were being held for the woman until they could meet to return them—which happened…. There were other ways that SFR could have reported on this non-story. They could have fronted with Johnston's decision to withdraw and her statement about it, and noted that "in an apparently unrelated development, a police report has been filed…" or some other approach that gave this allegation the weight it deserves—almost nothing.

It's noteworthy that…the former campaign manager asked not to be named "out of concern for her work on future and current campaigns." Yet Johnston's name is fronted in this story and hers is the reputation that has the most to lose.

Maia Duerr
SFReporter.com

Editor's note: SFR stands by its reporting. Police documents name Johnston as a suspect in what a department spokesman told SFR is a case that's been referred to the Criminal Investigations Division. We will follow up if police explain the outcome of the investigation. 

Cover, Feb. 26: “2020 Photo Contest”

‘Best Picture, My Ass’

How disrespectful is this. People cry for respect then this…WTF is wrong with the Reporter allowing such crap? Best picture, my ass. The Cross of the Martyrs is a religious symbol not a war symbol!!

Gilbert Romero
Santa Fe

Respect the Other

We can grow together stronger then apart. "1680," a photo by Hunter Wahpepah, unity or power. The image displays a Native American man in between the cross, and the staff of his beliefs from his people. I can see the beauty in the image of unity. The man is not displaying dominance over the cross, but rather showing empathy, using the cross to lean on.

He shows respect to the cross by showing his touch on the top, but also signifies that his beliefs are important as well. He does not dominate the cross, but rather shows they are one, and will be able to grow together in peace, like there was so many years ago. The history of the Native Americans and Spanish missionaries was a blood-filled time, and this may signify the end of an era, with growth and prosperity together, as long as all people and religions respect the other. We can grow stronger as one.

Ziamara Metcalf-Escovedo
Student, Academy for Technology and the Classics

Cool, Cool

I really liked [Hunter Wapepah's "1680" photograph] on that cross because, in my opinion, it was very symbolic to unity. If you know the history, it can be very offensive to some people, but to me, it was really cool and you could tell the point of the picture was not to assert dominance of who is better than who but to kind of show the unity between the two and how it was set up really good because with one little move it could have been very offensive if he would, let's say, hold it with two hands, that could have been offensive. But in this picture, it was very cool and meant no harm for anyone.

Donavan Sanmiguel
Student, ATC

Extreme Power

I thought that the photograph "1680" by Hunter Wahpepah was extremely powerful and had a strong message. To me it symbolized growing together throughout oppression and worse.

Ukko Torres
Student, ATC

Represent

The photograph "1680" by Hunter Wahpepah is a powerful capture of pride as well as religious unity. The Native American man that proudly stands on top of the cross with the Native American tribal stick rises above a Catholic symbol and rises above the city of Santa Fe.

The purpose seems as if the photographer is trying to represent all the Native Americans who were killed or lost their homes because of white Catholic settlers in America. The fact that he holds the cross for support as he raises the spiritual item demonstrates forgiveness and unity, that he is willing to rise above the past.

Charli Koseglu
Student, ATC

Could be Insulting

I think this image…of the Cross of the Martyrs could be disturbing to a few people because of religion. This is insulting to people because some may not know the history of Santa Fe and this may disturb them because the man is standing on a cross, which may not be…respectful to be standing on something too sacred for people.

Killey Gender
Student, ATC

Way Too Far

This is one of the most disrespectful pictures I have ever seen. How the Reporter has allowed this is beyond me. The Cross of the Martyrs is a religious symbol and should be respected! This has definitely taken things way too far.

Respect is what is lacking and as long as there is none, there will not be peace.

If any of us were to go and stand on top of something that was sacred to someone else's culture, we would be arrested and thrown in jail, but for this person he gets it entered into a photo contest and gets it on the front page!

It's unfortunate, but things like this will continue to divide us.

I feel that the Santa Fe Reporter owes the people of Santa Fe an apology. They have a big hand in this division that they are causing. They should change their name to the Dividing Reporter! Such disrespect. Santa Fe is not what it used to be.

This is definitely not showing love, respect and unity to one another.

Thomas Baca Guiterrez
via Facebook

Know the History

I feel like this picture would be absolutely inspiring to the people who know the history behind it, while other kinds would dislike it as they get the wrong message about it and thinking it's an insult to a religion. I like it though!

Noel McCoy
Student, ATC

Not Happy, Don’t Agree

I'm not happy with this photo. I know it's art, but there is definitely a story that goes alongside this photo.

The Cross of the Martyrs is a monument dedicated to the memory of those Franciscan Priests that were killed during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. Now I and everyone knows that New Mexico history cannot be changed but should be learned from so that history does not repeat itself….

When I see a photo like this I know that there is still a lot of healing, educating and dialogue that must continue in order that someday peace will reign once again here in Santa Fe. Then hopefully the wrongs of the past will finally be put to rest and all cultures will thrive here in Santa Fe.

Imagine a Hispanic standing over a sacred Native American site with a sword drawn. Not a good picture and not a picture I want to see. For years and years there has tried to be dialogue so that each side is heard and respected and hopefully appeased by the solutions agreed upon.

I don't agree that this photo should be the front page of the Santa Fe Reporter but again this is the First Amendment, freedom of speech and the SFR is entitled to run whichever picture they deem worthy of the cover.

Ronald S. Trujillo
Via Facebook 

Kept Going

The winner of the art piece was beautiful. I think it shows the powers of history and how they both need each other. It shows the power of both of these things and how they could have been together and fought together instead of fighting each other.

…Both had to go through the losses that happened that day. And how they've gotten stronger over time, how the Indians were finally able to stay somewhere and not be bothered…how Natives recovered after their friends, family killed and homes destroyed. It's amazing how they still kept going and restarted everything to move on in their life and suffer and get stronger.

Brian Aldana
Student, ATC