Letters to the editor, July 3

Big (carbon) footprints lead to ANWR

None | The New Mexican

7/3/2008 - 7/3/08

Regarding the June 25 letter, "ANWR's a treasure, not a wasteland":

I have a question about Santa Fe resident, Dick Lang's trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. How much fossil fuel was used to take him from Santa Fe to ANWR and back?

If he is so concerned about drilling, perhaps he would be a better environmentalist by just staying home and leaving a smaller carbon footprint.


Fuhgetaboutit!

One trouble with getting older is short-term memory loss. I can't recall anything good having being done by the Bush administration. Granted, they did start an immoral war in Iraq, which increased profits for defense contractors, which some view as good. Lower taxes were good for oil companies, which experienced record profits.

It took President Bush seven years to recognize that global warming exists. Fortunately, he has done nothing about it because doing something would "hurt the economy" and would probably require more tax cuts for the wealthy; no sense overdoing a good thing.

Not "hurting the economy" has led to a 16-year low in consumer confidence, record low evaluation of the U.S. dollar, and a 10- to 15-year low for certain stocks.

Maybe short-term memory loss is not so bad, especially if John McCain gets elected.


Build peace, not missiles

In his June 26 letter, "Palestinian missiles aimed at abusers," John Mclure states that there is good reason for the Palestinians to fire missiles at civilians in Israel. He bases his argument on the "fact" that Israel regularly bulldozes Palestinian homes. The headline above his letter calls the victims of the missile attacks "abusers." They are in fact innocent men, women and children.

I remind Mr. McClure that Gaza is now totally "Jew Free." There are hundreds of millions of dollars flowing into Gaza from the international community, with the hope of propping up a country.

With all that money, there has not been a single school, clinic or hospital being built. Only missiles.

There will be peace when the residents of Gaza decide to build a country, rather than destroy Israel.


Ya think?

Regarding the June 25 headline, "U.N.: Fair vote can't happen in Zimbabwe": I wonder how long it took those geniuses to come up with that assessment?


Finite resource

Regarding "City's water plan is built on renewable resources" (June 22):

In his "My View" on the Buckman Direct Diversion Project, County Commissioner Harry Montoya disregarded the fact that the U.S. Senate is on the fast track to fund the Aamodt settlement and the Pojoaque Diversion at San Ildefonso Pueblo. He failed to mention that the terms of that settlement could deplete Río Grande flows needed for the BDD project.

Millions of gallons of water would continue to flow to the BDD, if the proposed Aamodt settlement would not obligate defendants to "tie into" a valley-wide water system. More than 850 residents recently signed a petition against doing that.

Montoya is concerned about protecting our aquifer for times of need. If that's the case, he should support a pueblo-only water system instead of the regional system that most people are opposed to, is extremely costly, and would burden county taxpayers and their children for generations to come.


Return to paradise

In her June 22 My view, "Santa Fe disappoints on so many levels," Valerie Dryka wonders if her letter is just a complaint letter or a letter to point out the general stupidity in New Mexico. I think it is just a mean-spirited letter.

I don't know about anyone else, but I resent letters like Ms. Dryka's criticizing a whole state. New Mexico, including Santa Fe, has many smart, talented and hard-working people. Too bad Ms. Dryka hasn't met many of us.

She is frustrated with the local utilities, the hospital, our school system and our work force. Of course there is always room for improvement. What is she doing to make things better? I suggest she go have another adventure elsewhere or go back to where she came from. Obviously, all was perfect there.


Loss for words