I know, I know, but I have already been to the fair— too soggy . You see, I grew up in Gallup, N.M., and, perhaps consequently, perhaps not, every now and again, in addition to a red or green fix, I gotta have my fry bread fix! I have been to the fair, and by far and away, the Laguna booth has the best fry bread for Navajo tacos.But, you see, sometime ago in your food section, you mentioned a restaurant that, if not specializing in fry bread, had fry bread and/or Navajo tacos on the menu. I have been waiting for you to run that blurb again, but haven’t seen it. And I read y’all every week. Gimme dat ol’ time fry bread—and not only do you have to fry it, but you have to make it using lard! Yup, that delicious, artery-plugging goop of joy that still comes in them blue tubs or bricks. It’s good and good for you !!If you, or someone else, could dig up that tidbit of info (and anybody else that has or specializes in Navajo tacos and/or fry bread) and send it along, I will be in your debt eternally. Well, maybe not eternally , but I’d sure appreciate it.
Boning Up On Oñate
I’m sure someone must have pointed this out already, but if not, let me be the first to say two things. First, the Oñate cover [RE: Feature, Oct. 20-26] cracked me up so badly, I was getting nervous looks from various Frontier denizens. Hilarious! Second, the depodiatrical bastard did not lead the first group of Spanish settlers into New Mexico, nor the second, nor even the 31 st for that matter. What he did do was lead the expedition to reconquer New Mexico after the Pueblo Revolt—nearabouts a hundred years after the first Spanish incursions.
Letters
Editor’s Note: The Pueblo Revolt occurred in 1680. Oñate led the first group of Spanish settlers into New Mexico in 1598.
An Open Letter To Governor Bill Richardson:
Recent sightings of JLo filming her newest movie, Bordertown , in downtown Albuquerque are a sign that your efforts to promote a film industry in New Mexico may indeed be working. Bordertown is about the horror that has plagued the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, for over 12 years: the abductions, tortures, rapes and murders of hundreds of young women. Filmmaker Gregory Nava and JLo are using the power of cinema to promote the cause of human rights, to draw attention to this tragedy, to provoke outrage and perhaps action. The defense of human rights is a function of government, as well. In this last state Legislative session, Senate Memorial 31 was passed unanimously. The memorial requires the governor to take several specific actions to address the epidemic of murders in Juarez and Chihuahua City and to positively influence the administration of justice in these cases. Numerous reports implicate Mexican police and government officials in the commission and/or cover-up of these hideous murders. Some officials have even played with the pain and suffering of families, hiding the recovered bodies of long-missing daughters in at least one case, and convincing families to bury dubiously identified victims in others. We need information on the scope of training programs for Chihuahua police agencies which are conducted by the New Mexico police. We need a report detailing whether money from our various state permanent funds is being invested in companies operating factories on the border. Lured by the promise of jobs, people from throughout Mexico have flooded Juarez, leaving behind family and community supports for a city that cannot possibly provide for their health and safety. Inadequate housing, police protection, and medical and social services have left the women of Juarez vulnerable, in a killing field ripe for predators. Companies that profit from cheap border labor must be held accountable for the safety of their workers. Governor, the economic partnerships you pursue with our southern neighbors should be contingent on vigorous support of basic human rights. We need your office to speak as persuasively as possible to your counterparts in Mexico about this monstrous wave of unsolved crimes because many New Mexicans have been involved through close family members who have been victimized in Juarez. We need your courage, Governor, and we will remember you for it. Students from high schools in Albuquerque wrote Senate Memorial 31. Several of these young people spoke on behalf of Senate Memorial 31, some choking back tears. The murdered women in Juarez are sisters, mothers and daughters, often with family living here in our community. It was easy for legislators to be moved to support the Memorial unanimously. It would be tragic if it was just as easy to ignore the resolutions—the hard work that will turn fine words and sentiments into action. Please, Gov. Richardson, make Senate Memorial 31 a priority for you, your staff and the state. Make sure it doesn’t get stuck on a shelf to gather dust.
Cutting Us Off
I am horrified that the Republican budget would want to cut both student loans and food stamps! Dammit, I’m a college student. My mother has to support my sister and me. We have to spend about 99 percent of our money on the rent, and if it weren’t for our monthly food stamps, we basically wouldn’t eat. And without my student loan, my brain would starve . And it’s not only my family; it’s my uncle, my mother’s friends and many, many others.Why would the Republicans want to do this to us? Are we just another generation fit to starve? Bad Republicans! No soup for me? Well, I say no soup for you!
Letters
Editor’s Note: We think you’re looking for the Pueblo Harvest Café (843-7270). It’s located at 2401 12 th Street NW, inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. If you know of any other place that serves some mean fry bread and/or Navajo tacos, e-mail food@alibi.com.
Letters should be sent with the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number via e-mail to letters@alibi.com. They can also be faxed to (505) 256-9651. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, and may be published in any medium; we regret that owing to the volume of correspondence we cannot reply to every letter.
