Mayor's pride in his roots doesn't make him a racist

Editor,

Elliot Kaufman made a pretty big jump in his letter published in the Daily Lobo on Nov. 29 in which he accused Mayor Martin Chavez of racism. He believes that under slightly different circumstances, Chavez saying that Rep. Tom Udall is Sens. Harry Reid's and Charles Schumer's "fair-haired boy" would be an outside jab.

But because Chavez has talked about his Hispanic heritage - supposedly sometime, somewhere, on which the writer doesn't elaborate - the immediate conclusion is that Chavez is a racist.

Kaufman, that sure is a far-stretched argument, especially when Chavez has not echoed one word about being Hispanic. Yet, he has talked about his roots, his heritage and the cultural history of his family, of which he has a lot to be proud of.

I'm aware that this state, thankfully, has a long history of Hispanics and Anglos working together in our daily lives and in the political realm. I've lived in this state for a number of years and have rarely heard Chavez emphasize his Hispanic heritage, as Kaufman asserts. I'd imagine Chavez is proud of his Hispanic heritage, as we all should be of our cultural background. But I really don't get the sense that he was engaging in the kind of race baiting Kaufman implied in his letter.

One last thing, Kaufman. Chavez has a long list of accomplishments, such as helping Albuquerque become the greenest and fittest city in the nation.

Faye Gibson

UNM student