Opinion - The Daily Lobo

Opinion

Column: Judiciary can't work without proper funding

Chief Justice Barbara J. Vigil | February 13

Our courts require additional resources to meet the justice needs of New Mexico’s citizens. Each day, courts address the aftermath of strained social and economic conditions including crime, child and domestic abuse, and broken family and business relationships. Our independent court system also supports economic growth and investment by enforcing contracts and resolving business and property disputes. And it does all of this with less than 3 percent of the state’s overall budget. Inadequately funding the Judiciary undermines our ability to serve the public and fulfill our constitutional responsibility to provide fair, timely and impartial justice to all New Mexicans.

Opinion

Letter: ASUNM license resolution disregards one side of story

February 12

The UNM Conservative Republicans are disappointed to find that ASUNM recently passed a resolution supporting the issuing of licenses to illegal immigrants. Last school year, our student organization showed documentaries with the goal of informing the UNM community of the economic cost of illegal immigration and the security risks of an open border policy.

Opinion

Letter: Fewer cyclists would die if all obeyed traffic laws

February 12

I am not surprised that New Mexico has the dubious honor of being the second deadliest state for bicyclists. New Mexico’s rate of bicyclist injuries is 50 percent higher than the U.S. average. While both of these facts are troubling, I find that experts and public officials are placing much of the blame in the wrong direction. Officials state that primary reasons for the appalling number of bicyclist deaths and injuries are New Mexico’s high rate of substance abuse, lack of bike lanes and poor street infrastructure. In addition to the reasons listed, they also state a need to increase motorists’ awareness and understanding of motor vehicle laws pertaining to bicyclists and motorcycles.

Opinion

Letter: Current trends portend bleak future for universities

February 12

In a recent “communique” Provost Chaouki Abdallah asked, “What will the American university look like in 2025?” Well, it will be far too expensive for the average American, unless he is an athlete, and administrations will be much larger and modeled after corporations and make even more money than the faculty and staff.

Opinion

'I don't believe in random acts of kindness'

Dan Young | February 11

I don’t believe in random acts of kindness. This is not expression of a value judgment or a misanthropic sentiment. I simply don’t believe that random acts of kindness exist. If the phrase is intended to identify a category of actions, I don’t believe that category exists — it is a conceptual void. To make my position clear, it is necessary to examine the concepts of randomness, kindness and action.

Opinion

Danger no excuse for N.M. police shootings

February 10

What is it that makes Mayor Richard Berry think that the citizens of Albuquerque don't realize and appreciate the fact that police officers have a difficult and dangerous job? In his remarks to the Albuquerque Bar Association, he urged the public to demand accountability from the police department while at the same time recognizing the dangers of police work. Is this just another attempt by the mayor to gloss over the real issue - that the U.S. Department of Justice has cited APD for operating in a culture of aggression and a pattern of violating citizen's constitutional rights?

Opinion

Letter: Columnist's reasoning reflects personal agenda

February 9

Mr. Darensburg’s impassioned analysis of New Mexican emigration touches upon the main cause: graduates getting “much better pay for the same skills in neighboring states.” But the rest of his reasons just reflect the important issues at the top his mind and not of the typical person deciding where to live.

Opinion

Letter: Free community college worth every penny

February 9

Editor, Obama said he wants to make community college free.

Opinion

Letter: MLK's prophetic legacy condemned, forgotten

February 9

Prophet Martin Luther King Jr. damned the Vietnam War in his most controversial speech on April 4, 1967 — exactly one year before he was assassinated. King damned the U.S. mass-murder of Vietnamese people. King said, “The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today is my own government.”

Opinion

Column: Income inequality, crime are behind New Mex-odus

Jason Darensburg | February 6

People are leaving New Mexico in droves. The evidence is irrefutable. The latest proof comes from a recent study released by moving company United Van Lines: the Land of Disenchantment ranked ninth on the annual list of “most moved from” states. New Mexico was the only Southwestern state to show a high departure rate; Texas and Colorado were among the top 10 “moved to” states. Oregon won the prize for “most moved to” state, according to the study. South Carolina, Florida and Vermont were also popular places to move to. Earlier this year Albuquerque Business First published “Gone for Good,” a series of articles featuring interviews with New Mexicans who had just left the state or were planning to leave. The most common complaints focused on high corporate taxes and the increasing crime rate in Albuquerque. But that’s only part of it.

Opinion

Column: Ridesharing services need better regulations

Monica Youngblood | February 5

If you live in Albuquerque or Santa Fe, you have probably heard of Lyft or Uber. If you are unfamiliar with them, they are ridesharing services that connect passengers to drivers via a smartphone app. It’s a convenient and safe way to get a ride, and it is a proven job creator. But currently, there are no regulations for ridesharing companies, and therefore their future in New Mexico is uncertain. That needs to change.

Opinion

Dr. Peg's Prescription: Tips and resources for dealing with sexual assault

Dr. Peggy Spencer | February 4

Sexual assault has been in the news around here lately. UNM got a big visit and analysis by a law firm, which raised a number of questions. How much does this happen here? Who are the perpetrators? Do we have too many policies? Are the policies clear? Does the campus have enough lighting? Do people get attacked on campus or off?

Opinion

WIlderness Act helps New Mexico

Michael Neville | February 3

On Sept. 3, 1964, just more than 50 years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act into law. This landmark legislation established the National Wilderness Preservation System which initially designated 9.1 million acres as protected wilderness. The bill resulted in more than 100 million acres of designated wilderness areas, an expansion that has greatly benefited the American people.

Opinion

SUB food overpriced, owned by corporations

February 3

Editor, Past: Public universities directly hired work study students to work in eateries in Student Union buildings. Food was mainly real and cooked and inexpensive. Being essentially government jobs, there was job security.

Opinion

Schrader hypocritical, as he does work for UNM himself

January 30

Editor, I found Don Schrader’s letter criticizing college graduates for attending college in hopes of being able to generate an income after graduation a bit puzzling, if not hypocritical.

Opinion

Letter: Congress and Netanyahu collaborating against peace

January 29

Journalist Thomas Friedman caused controversy a few years back when he said that the U.S. Congress was, “bought and paid for by the Israel lobby.” On the heels of President Obama’s State of the Union Address, House Speaker John Boehner has invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to come to Washington and address Congress. The fact that an Israeli leader will be able to openly challenge President Obama’s peace overtures to Iran seems to validate Friedman’s analysis that Congress acts like a cheap prostitute in regards to Israel.

Opinion

Letter: While educating your minds, don't neglect your hearts

January 29

Do most college graduates live more wisely than minimum wage workers who never went to high school? Do most college graduates travel less, pollute less, cause less global climate chaos? Do most college graduates pay less federal income tax for war? Do most college graduates consume less and live more simply and fairly in our world family of more than seven billion people? Do most college graduates take strong public stands against US greed and wars? Do most college graduates choose jobs that help more than harm?

Opinion

Obama's protections for Arctic are vital

Will Brewer | January 27

This past week President Obama proposed sweeping new protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Occupying Alaska’s North Slope, the refuge contains polar bears, wolves, dall sheep, muskoxen and one of the world’s largest caribou herds. Initially protected in 1960 and then again in 1980 in recognition of its bountiful wildlife, the refuge has been under pressure from oil and gas development in recent years. By designating the majority of the refuge as a Wilderness Area, Obama’s proposal would afford the highest protection possible under Federal Law.

Opinion

Column: Deflate-gate is over-inflated media scandal

J.R. Oppenheim | January 26

Tired of hearing about Deflate-gate yet? Don’t worry. I’m not throwing in my two cents about whether New England quarterback Tom Brady told his equipment manager to purposefully reduce the PSI in 11 of 12 footballs during last week’s AFC title game. If head coach Bill Belichick gave the order, I don’t care. This won’t affect the Super Bowl in seven days. I am sick of this media oversaturation over Deflate-gate, as I am sure you are. We reached the point of absurdity days ago, and there unfortunately seems to be no end in sight until next week’s title showdown. The national sports media should be ashamed of themselves.

Opinion

Letter: There's no 'justice for all' while racism stills exists

January 26

If the Ferguson white cop Darren Wilson had killed an 18-year-old unarmed white youth, would the grand jury have indicted the cop? If the cop had been black and if he had killed an unarmed white youth, would the grand jury have indicted the black cop? If the 18-year-old unarmed had been the Ferguson mayor’s son or from the richest family in town, would the grand jury have indicted the cop who killed him?