Editor, Albuquerque's Climate March was full of strong opinions and even stronger hope, but not full of youth. That's why I showed up. It was not because I have a particular love and affection for all things green or can be found hugging trees in my free time. Truth be told, I am not an environmentalist. I am simply an activist. I showed up because I was called on to spread a message and to act for love and justice.
Editor, I would not trade speaking, writing and living my conscience for any high-paying job pressing me to shut up my convictions. I would not trade living below the federal income tax level to refuse to pay for war — for all the money in the world. I would not trade mostly walking, sometimes riding the bus — for owning a luxury car.
Editor, The Washington Post reports that U.S. President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) "have agreed to pursue a deal that would permanently remove the requirement that Congress repeatedly raise the debt ceiling." That must be a bitter pill to swallow for those who thought they were electing an "anti-establishment" president to "drain the swamp" in Washington, but it should be no surprise. After all, Trump built his business career on going into debt up to his neck, taking a profit when things worked out, and leaving his partners holding the bankruptcy bag when they didn't.
Editor, A diplomatic fallout is currently taking place between the nations of Turkey and Iraq, but it is only a small symptom of a much larger problem. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has long been accused by regional leaders and political analysts of being one of ISIS' biggest supporters; his recent comments seem to cement these accusations. Speaking about the volunteer militias in Iraq,
Editor, Worse for your health than any chronic health disease you could name. The Washington bureaucrats have devised a plan which will make you sick! Yes, that’s right: they are pushing their “American Healthcare Plan” again. Only this time, it really will make you sick. The plan will slash Medicaid, leaving 180,000 New Mexicans without health insurance. Quite possibly, at least one of your family members, friends or acquaintances will lose health coverage under this bill.
Editor, Nutritionist Roger Williams in the 1950s proved that not enough nutrients causes alcoholism. In his experiments with rats, only 10 percent of those with full nutrition became alcoholic. When nutrients were cut by one-third, about 33 percent became alcoholic. When nutrients were tripled for super nutrition, only one percent became alcoholic. In a study on people who boozed and smoked, an amazing 80 percent stopped without even trying when they received super nutrition.
Editor, Is it just me or did Donald Trump swear up and down during the election that he would not militarily escalate the U.S. presence in Syria? In fact, if I remember the debates correctly, he took more than one pot shot at Hillary Clinton for supporting unnecessary wars in the Middle East that, at the end of the day, did not benefit the people of the United States.
Dear President Abdallah and the Board of Regents, I support your efforts to deal with one of the worst economic crises our University has ever suffered. However, I am very concerned about the draconian cuts now occurring to core academic programs at a time when the Athletic Department is hemorrhaging millions of dollars, and consistently running deficits year after year that must be made up by legislative funds, student fees and cuts to other University programs. I believe that no public employee in a state like New Mexico should earn multi-million dollar salaries and contract buyouts.
Editor, Recently, I found myself in a predicament that many students at UNM face during their academic tenure. A financial hold had been placed on my account, and I needed to make a payment to the Bursar's Office in order to have it removed. This seemed like a relatively simple task; I needed only to log on to their website and pay through my debit card, and all would be well. Little did I know, this was not the case.
Editor, It is difficult for me to believe what just took place over the last week. On Tuesday, March 28th, (acting) President Abdallah held a town hall where he informed us that furloughs are on the table.
Editor, As the University loses another sport coach, talk has started about who to hire to replace him. I find this disgraceful. The sports department has been losing money and cannot support themselves, so it should have to make the same sacrifices that the rest of the University is (being) asked to make.
Editor, In all my years at UNM, acting President Abdallah is the only head of the school that I have seen who openly encourages community debate and discussion on controversial issues. This is the kind of openness and thinking that UNM and our state needs if we are to solve some of our social and economic crisis that seem to come rolling in like waves of low pressure weather off the Pacific coast. On the issue of the UNM budget problem, we have to face the unspeakable fact that the modern university is a business corporation with education as a side product and not a main mission.
Editor, The Republicans' failed American Health Care Act would have effectively dismantled all insurance coverage for abortion; eliminated requirements of essential services to be covered under Medicaid; and defunded Planned Parenthood, a move opposed by 75 percent of Americans. It was reported in January that the U.S. abortion rate is now at the lowest level it’s been Since Roe v. Wade. That is probably due to both expanding contraception coverage, and also the GOP's War on Women. In Israel, abortions are both legal and free? They are covered under insurance. So, why make it harder here especially since we're buddies with Israel and give them tons of money?
Editor, Your report “UNMH residents face 24-hour shifts” (Daily Lobo, 3/27/17) does not mention a big reason for resident stress: the shortage of residents at any given hour in a hospital. This makes many residents overloaded, and likely to cause medical errors. One way hospitals are trying to increase the number of residents on hand is by extending the shift length. This is going to result in greater fatigue, and therefore more medical errors.
Editor, Any faith worth having is worth examining deeply. Many people fear if they knew more they would believe less. Did Jesus of Nazareth actually live in human history? If he did, did the writers of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible accurately tell Jesus' teachings and actions? In centuries since, did those people who copied and translated the original writings do a good job and make no important mistakes? Huge questions! Who knows the answers for sure?
Editor, President Trump's second travel ban is on the back-burner and students are returning from Spring Break festivities. With the campus refreshed and political climate cooled for the moment, I feel now is a good time to broach an uncomfortable-but-important topic amid our racialized political atmosphere: Whites as disproportionate targets in interracial crime. I was hesitant to report the shocking facts on interracial crime and white victimization when I first learned about them from a Department of Justice report two years ago. Reporting anything that challenges the conspiracy of white privilege could implicate me as a hater - or worse.
Editor, Booze, junk food, cocaine, meth, sugar, heroine, sodas, cigarettes are all awful addictions, but no addiction is more harmful than craving much more money, more stuff than we need. I enjoy having enough -- healthy food, one sunny room to live in, a garden for food and flowers. I lived well all of 2016 on $4,946.00 for my total expenses -- rent, food, etc. -- less than half the U.S. poverty level for me as a single person.
Editor, The Republicans' 30-year lock on the Supreme Court has made them extremely reactionary and unwilling to legislate. “Ethnic cleansing” has been defined as the attempt to get rid of (through deportation, displacement or even mass killing) members of an unwanted ethnic group in order to establish an ethnically homogenous geographic area.
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