My husband and I read the Alibi every week and were both very disappointed with this week’s issue [Feature, “Who Watches the Watchmen?” Sept. 16-22]. Your cover title "Copwatch: 11 Shootings and Counting" suggested that the police here are trigger-happy and we should be concerned. The article then had nothing to do with the shootings. While oversight and community awareness would probably be a good thing, I would much rather read a well-researched report on the frequency of officer involved shootings here and how that compares with national and annual statistics. I personally cannot find these statistics easily, so I wish your newspaper would address this issue, especially if your front page is going to suggest that we should be concerned. Are we above average per capita? If so, why? Have these shootings been found to be unjustified? Before we scapegoat the men and women we call to protect us, I would like to read an article about the subject at hand, not a misleading, inflammatory, anecdotal story about a New York couple that doesn’t like APD’s attitude.
Letters:
News Editor Marisa Demarco responds: Here are some numbers regarding the Albuquerque Police Department’s officer-involved shootings. They come from the city’s public safety spokesperson, T.J. Wilham. 2004: 4 shootings, 2 fatal 2005: 3 shootings, 2 fatal 2006: 5 shootings, 1 fatal 2007: 8 shootings, 4 fatal 2008: 5 shootings, 2 fatal 2009: 6 shootings, 3 fatal 2010: 11 shootings, 7 fatal (as of press time)
Letters: Your Only Vote Is With Your Dollar Your Only Vote Is With Your Dollar
We’ve all been receiving calls from the pollsters wanting to find out how we’re leaning during the run-up to this latest election. The questionnaires are carefully constructed. If you answered the way I did, which is to say …"I believe that voting has become a dumbshow. Those who are really in the driver’s seat want us to keep believing it to be our true voice, because then we’ll vote, feel good about doing our duty and go right back to sleep. Clinton, Bush and Obama were all following the exact same agenda, and the ONLY difference our votes are making is which flavor of bullshit we’d rather hear in the media. I intend to vote with my money as an individual citizen from now on, with every single purchase I make. It’s the only thing our actual rulers are listening to at all. If Obama really intended to be the change we voted for, he would’ve aimed toward subsidizing the exploding organic and local farming movements instead of appointing more Monsanto representatives to the Supreme Court, just like his predecessor, George Dubya Bush. And I believe that Susana Martinez and Diane Denish are both just as rotten as their opponents say they are." … But that choice wasn’t on the survey, so your answers will all appear in the polls as: “don’t know.”
Letters: Thanks A Lot, Albuquerque Thanks A Lot, Albuquerque
My goodness, Albuquerque! You and your drugs, your gangs and your addictions! I used to pray for you, but anymore I pray for the people you victimize. It isn’t enough that you burglarize me two days in a row. It isn’t enough that you steal my camera that took five years to pay off. It isn’t enough that you break into not one, not two, but three of our cars, all in different locations. Now you take my Toyota Echo. Encourage your friends to keep sticking that white shit in their arms and up their noses and I can pretty much guarantee more of the same. Who knows? Maybe next time it’ll be your car that gets stolen, your premiums that go up and you left to wondering how you get to work. Ah, the consequences of our actions—it seems the only power I have any more is the power of the pen, the power of my vote and the power to shame.
Letters: Lynn’s Fun Day At The Fair Lynn’s Fun Day At The Fair
Friday was Lynn’s fun day at the fair. The usual stuff was there—Asbury Café pie, fine and not so fine arts exhibits, farm animals, children’s laughter. And the unusual—African acrobats, a huge Water Utility Authority vactor truck. The sights, sounds and colors of the fair were all interesting. As I was leaving one sound caught my ear. The Real Matt Jones band was playing in the pavilion. Here was a young man strumming his guitar and singing his heart out backed by a tight band. This music is local and real, people. Hear it.
Letters: A Prairie Dog On The Sunport Exterminations A Prairie Dog On The Sunport Exterminations
My name is Myra and I am a prairie dog. I live in one of the isolated prairie dog villages in Albuquerque. For some reason, many members of your species hate mine. I think it is probably because they don’t understand us. We are not dangerous and we do not carry diseases. We simply live in little villages and mind our own business. Some people think we kill trees, but that is not true. We do not feed on tree roots unless there is absolutely nothing else to eat. We find most of our food above ground. Other little animals such as gophers will feed on the roots of trees and bushes. Other people think we carry the plague and can spread it to your species. This is also not true. When the fleas that carry the plague invade our villages, we die just as humans do. If our village is full of healthy, fun-loving prairie dogs, then I can assure you that the fleas that carry the plague aren’t in our village. Over at Sunport, the people are gassing more of my friends. The gas that they use is very painful and very slow working. My friends will suffer in great pain for as long as 72 hours after being gassed, before they finally, mercifully, die. If we are in your way and you can’t live with us, then hire someone who will help relocate us. We will not infect you with any exotic or domestic diseases. If you can’t find anyone to help move us, you can pour castor oil or that stinky fish oil emulsion in our burrows and we will happily relocate, hopefully to an area where we don’t “threaten” you. Thank you for taking time to read this letter of introduction to our species. Hopefully we can all get along. I hope the people at Sunport can learn to get along with us. We are not a threat to them or to anyone else.
Letters: Advocating For Film Advocates Advocating For Film Advocates
I’m not sure if many of you are aware of this or not, but our film industry is facing a serious threat right now. Susana Martinez has [indicated] that she does not support the N.M. film incentives that we have in place now. This means less major motion pictures will come to N.M., and this will seriously affect our local economy. Films make money for N.M. and in fact support small businesses by utilizing them. Businesses such as hotels, restaurants, bars, building supply companies, office supply companies, beauty supply vendors and many others will be impacted. Not to mention the jobs that will be lost. Please, if any of you made one dime from the film industry—even working as an extra—be sure to support Diane Denish and get out there and vote. I love being a makeup artist and look forward to doing this for many years to come. It’s up to us to save the N.M. film industry and vote!
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