Market needs to revisit its purpose

Iwatched my friend travel 10,000 miles to exhibit at the International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe. Celebrating and economically boosting artisans around the world is the supposed mission of the market. Per the application, Americans are prohibited from exhibiting at the market — so how about a triple-wide booth for Donna Karan (“Donna Karan joining 2018 folk art market as seller,” April 29)?

Yes, she was placed in the prominent, direct flow of market traffic while some artists shared booths.

Let’s call it “paying homage” to world cultures. Let’s call it “inspiration.” I believe that was originally called cultural theft or, euphemistically, “appropriation.”

Next year, International Folk Art Market, if you want to go full-on corporate, hire some Apple Store employees to be roving cashiers. Have Donna Karan pay the merchant credit card fees instead of the artists. Add a massage therapist session for jet-lagged artists. Put that on Donna Karan’s tab. On the heels of the most successful market to date, revisit your mission statement. Jes Gilmore

Santa Fe

Wildlife in jeopardy

I, too, am sick of the spoiled, subsidized livestock industry complaining about wolves, coyotes and other wild animals (“Doesn’t make sense,” Letters to the editor, July 15). This destructive industry has never been a friend of wildlife. It receives millions of taxpayer dollars, has federal agencies poison, trap and shoot animals and burn out dens so it can turn our public lands into domestic feed lots. It’s time to end public lands ranching.

Want to save wolves? Demand that all grazing permits be canceled in the Gila area, for a start. Organize wolf patrols to monitor and protect wolf packs, just as they do in Africa with other wildlife. Work with groups like the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project to reintroduce wolves to Colorado, so wolves can migrate back and forth.

Unless caring people stand up and stop compromising with this environmentally destructive industry, wildlife will continue to suffer and die. Rosemary Lowe

Santa Fe

Worthy tradition

The Old Santa Fe Association wishes to associate itself with the sentiments expressed in Friday’s editorial about the coats of arms of the old Spanish families of New Mexico (“Honoring families at Fiesta a worthy tradition,” Our View, July 20).

The crests of the families are colorful and entirely appropriate to the festive atmosphere of Fiesta de Santa Fe. Indeed, they are essential. Accurate history has become a central problem to Fiesta, in an American culture that frequently ignores the subtleties and details of how we became who we are. We must value that story. Anything that encourages attention to history is to be encouraged, especially if it is colorful and fun, such as the banners. John Pen La Farge

president Old Santa Fe Association

Deeply distressed

I am very distressed our president betrayed the American people. I am an 87-year-old retired social worker and have never been so angry and frightened. I believe our democracy is in serious danger.

We have a president who has no respect for other Americans. President Donald Trump makes fun of the disabled, he is disrespectful of our heroic solders and he has damaged our long-standing great relationships with countries like Canada, Mexico and our NATO allies. He is impulsive, abuses the powers of his office and puts self-interest above that of his country. He has supported separating children from their parents. Our president is causing great harm to American values. He is leading us toward fascism. He is a real threat to our democracy.

This president must be stopped. I believe the way to do this is for Republicans, Democrats and independents to put their country first and work together to stop Trump from taking our country — one that is beginning to look and feel more like Putin’s Russia — further down this dangerous path. Norm Flax, Ph.D.

Santa Fe