Letters to the editor

Dear Editor,

The reasons many of us don’t want to protest are the reasons we need to now more than ever.

Everyday comes Executive Orders bringing fast, often illegal and unpopular change. The economy is unsteady. We hear stories of disturbing rights violations by our government. If it feels like there is no stability right now there isn’t and, astoundingly, those in charge are doing this on purpose. No matter how you voted, nobody voted for chaos.

They want us to feel like we don’t have a say in how our country works. If “we, the people” feel that, then we stop trying to hold those in charge accountable and stop working toward a more free and equal society. When we don’t push back, those with the most money and power get to be “the winners” and make America what THEY want it to be: a country that caters only to THEM.

Protesting is guaranteed under the First Amendment. It is a way to use your presence to gather with others to demonstrate that we know we are being steamrolled and this is not normal or okay.

Many of us were raised being taught not to speak out or resist unfair authority. These are the reasons that we need to protest while we still can. Speaking up with a group is SO MUCH easier than doing it alone and can inspire others who might be nervous to participate. If we want to get our country on track before it disintegrates for good, we need people to be out there demanding change. One last reason to attend a protest is that it gives you the opportunity to be off your phone or TV passively watching the things happening and be actively participating with other people who care about our community.

Sara Demorest, Indivisible Socorro County

Socorro

Dear Editor,

Recently, the Catron County Commission had a meeting to decry the presence of Mexican wolves and declare wolves a disaster emergency for the county. But this is just the latest anti-wolf “emergency” that goes back over twenty years when wolves were reintroduced. We live in the Mexican wolf recovery area. I’ve been lucky enough to have seen wolves and heard their unforgettable howls. They are beautiful and I would not trade those experiences for anything. I do not feel frightened and we keep our domestic animals safe.

Lobos are not a threat to humans. Remember those wolf proof bus shelters that were also built out of unreasonable fear in Catron County? The bus shelters have fallen into disrepair and the county is on to the next fright. There are still no records of a lobo ever attacking a human; not an adult, not a child, not an infant. But despite the wolf population rising gradually over the years, depredations on cattle are going down. Ranchers have options to mitigate the potential harm wolves may pose to domestic animals. Make no mistake, there are many ways for a cow to die on the open range- predation by any carnivore including wolves is among the least likely of them.

Should we not take this latest “emergency” declaration from Catron County against wolves as just a continuation of fear mongering and government bashing for which the County is famous? I feel for ranchers who face real hardships right now: severe and unrelenting drought, erratic markets, and increasing costs. Those are true emergencies. Nothing about wolves will fix them.

Mary Katherine Ray

Winston

Dear Editor,

An Albatross in Wolf’s Clothing: As we enter into another year of drought, it’s probably time we all take a look at making some changes to our lives. With the Rio Grande water supply down 35% to our valley farmers and no forage for ranchers to graze their cattle on, the albatross that confronts us is lack of rain rather than the reintroduction of the wolf.

Ranchers are experiencing high costs to feed cattle since the drought holds on. As the wolf tries to survive fear sets in on all levels. The drought is affecting all animals great and small and all economics operations.

If we as humans try to evolve and adapt to our ever changing weather, we might be able to thrive. Economics plays a big role in all of this, so does getting along with your neighbors or folks you don’t consider your neighbors including the wolf.

I was awe struck while witnessing a wolf within their rangeland of New Mexico. Many other folks would also like to feel that way. Isn’t it time we think outside the box and make changes due to drought? Viewing wild wolves is Ecotourism and its big business! Praying for rain takes all of us. So, let’s come together for all humans and species alike.

Katherine Reuben

Monticello

Dear Editor,

Kudos to Representative Gail Armstrong for her leadership and persistence in championing urgently needed legislation to address the crisis of New Mexico’s health care provider shortage.

Representative Armstrong co-sponsored nine bills to bring New Mexico into nine interstate compacts for health care workers. These bills would make it easier for physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, counselors, dentists and dental hygienists, emergency medical personnel, audiologists and speech therapists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists licensed by other states to care for New Mexico patients, including via telehealth. At least 31 other states are already a part of these compacts, and New Mexico’s failure to participate puts our state at a serious competitive disadvantage in attracting doctors and other health care workers.

Representative Armstrong also championed reforms to New Mexico’s medical malpractice law, which is one of the main factors causing doctors and other health care professionals to leave the state or retire early.

Although these bills unfortunately failed to pass this year, they gained important momentum and are well-positioned to pass in a future legislative session. We commend Representative Armstrong for her commitment to championing reforms that will improve access to health care for her constituents and all New Mexicans.

Fred Nathan, Jr. Founder & Executive Director Think New Mexico

Albuquerque