Opinion
Snow Days Bring Worries for Adults

What Is Real Purpose of Animal Law?

Let's Get State Police Out on the Road Again

It's Time To Fork Over All that Unspent Pork

Kudos and Thanks for Quick Response

Edgewood Parade Turned Out Nicely

AYP Status Doesn't Tell Whole Story

Letters to the Editor

Editorial: Hibbs Has Done Job of 2 Mayors

Editorial: Law Revised for Problem Animals

More
Opinion

HOME	CLASSIFIEDS	OBITUARIES	SPORTS	OPINION

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Letters to the Editor



      Accept Realities Of Nation's History
MR. MCCLANNAHAN, I READ WITH INTEREST YOUR JULY 3 (column), "The Best Is Brought On The Fourth." I heartily agree that this country was founded with some wonderful high ideals in mind, and I'm all for puppy butt, young love and fireworks. Heck, throw in Mom and apple pie, too. I love this country and choose to make my home here. But I have to take issue with some of your statements.
    Leaving aside the irony of a bunch of slave owners saying that "all men are created equal," I was most bothered by your assertion that "we all came from somewhere else." This is an incredibly myopic statement for a resident of New Mexico where a substantial portion of our population is Native American. Admittedly, their ancestors came here too, from Asia. But they had at least a 10,000-year head start on the rest of us … Credible estimates for the population of the New World before Columbus cooked up his hare-brained scheme to sail west to India and accidentally brought smallpox and other Old World diseases to the Caribbean range into the hundreds of millions. And after the native populations were decimated by disease, Europeans proceeded to enslave them, make war on them, break treaties, replace their laborers with enslaved Africans and otherwise call into question the idea that they really believed ALL men are created equal…
    So I hope you had a good burger and some firecrackers. And old Ben would have approved with even more gusto if you washed it all down with a beer. But let's also follow his statement that "Honesty is the best policy." Let's love this country, but not blindly. Let's recognize the realities of our history, both good and bad, let's be inspired by the struggles for equality. Let's let the past be a guide as we try to rise to the challenge of extending the promises of the Declaration of Independence to everyone.
    F. SCOTT WORMAN
    Albuquerque
   
    Kudos To Moriarty Fire Department
A BIG "THANK YOU" TO MORIARTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
    On behalf of the staff at Hospice of New Mexico in Albuquerque, we would like to thank the Moriarty Fire Department for their assistance on June 30, 2008. A medical situation had developed when one of our patients was coming home from the hospital by ambulance and the oxygen equipment had not been delivered. Had it not been for the Moriarty Fire Department supplying the oxygen needed, the patient would have had to be transported back to a hospital in Albuquerque instead of being at home. So our appreciation goes out to the Fire Department in Moriarty. We thank you for your kindness for supplying the much needed oxygen for our patient!
    STAFF AT HOSPICE OF NEW MEXICO IN ALBUQUERQUE
   
    So Much for Cops, State DWI Hot Line
ON FRIDAY, MAY 24 AROUND 5:45 P.M., WE WERE DRIVING WESTBOUND on Old Route 66 in Tijeras when an old pickup pulled out of the car wash.
    We had to slow down because he cut us off. I knew right off that he was probably intoxicated. A sheriff's car was coming toward us and the pickup went into his lane. Nothing happened there.
    I immediately called the DWI hot line and gave them the description of the truck and the license plate number. At his point the truck was getting on to Interstate 40 westbound. We followed the truck a few miles wondering if he was going to hurt somebody because of the way he was weaving in and out of his lane. Twice he came close to hitting the cement barrier. By this time I was on the phone with BCSO, once again I gave them the same information I gave the DWI hot line. Still nobody around to pull this guy over.
    We proceeded to follow him to Eubank and I-40. Now I was on the phone with APD. Once again the same information was given to them. In the meantime, this truck is traveling southbound on Eubank barely missing cars and curbs. We managed to follow him all the way to his home off Wyoming and Central. STILL, no law enforcement seen anywhere.
    The man drove up on the sidewalk in front of his house and staggered out of the vehicle while his wife met him half-way up the driveway and helped him inside.
    This is outrageous! I gave all these people my number to see if they would keep me on the phone to track this vehicle, but nobody bothered to call back to see if this truck was still on the road or had crashed somewhere, or even worse, hurt or killed somebody. I cannot believe we followed this vehicle for over 15 miles and not a single law enforcement officer was seen!
    This isn't the first time that the DWI hot line has let us down. Next time I see a suspected drunk driver, I will think twice about wasting my time calling any of our law enforcement divisions, they could be busy elsewhere tending to something more important!
    I have been on plenty of ride-alongs with APD officers to have an idea how much time they spend on routine calls. And New Mexico wants to be taken seriously about stopping drunk driving?
    I am beginning to wonder.
    PAT SAIZ
    Tijeras
   

---