Night sky act does not allow for ‘hope’ lights on the Plaza
Regarding the governing body’s plan to replace the Soldiers’ Monument, or obelisk, and — during the reconstruction — install temporary lighting “to shine into the sky, representing hope.” Lights that “shine into the sky” are a direct violation of the state’s Night Sky Protection Act. This act’s purpose is to preserve and enhance one part of our state’s natural and cultural heritage: its dark skies.
The act does not allow exceptions for temporary lighting or for lighting that a municipality declares “represents hope.” Furthermore, the act provides “[t]he provisions of the [NSPA] are cumulative and supplemental.” More plainly, the city can’t waive or weaken the act’s protections by substituting its own ordinance. Choosing to replace the obelisk in a manner that violates state law whose purpose is to protect our state’s natural and cultural heritage seems more than a little thoughtless and unmindful of the circumstances leading to its destruction.
Sam Finn Santa Fe
No appeasement
Greg Mello is a good activist for nuclear nonproliferation but a naive politician (“Russia is largely the victim,” Feb. 6). An appeaser to the point of being a Russian sympathizer, he does not know that appeasement never works with dictators. You have to take the harder course and stand up to them, as they respect only force. If Britain didn’t have Winston Churchill as prime minister but only Neville Chamberlain, Hitler would have easily conquered Europe. Right now, the West is in its biggest confrontation with an autocratic Russia since the end of World War II. Our system of democratic values is on the line — our core values.
If Ukraine did what Mello suggests and surrenders the Crimea and Donbas — its industrial heartland — to Russia, the lesson would be that the rule of force prevails. Russia and China only abide by treaties and international law when it suits them. All secession would achieve is make it easier for Russia to take over all Ukraine. China would be heartened at Western weakness and invade sovereign Taiwan. Mello has done a major disservice to the cause of democracy and accountability.
Barry Hatfield Santa Fe
Tailor education
With respect to House Bill 126 cutting graduation requirements: If the purpose of public education is to create good citizens that contribute to society and prepare them for careers, does Algebra II contribute to that goal? For technical and college-bound students, sure. But what about students on all of the other career paths? I would recommend taking a note from the excellent German education system. In their system, everybody takes a test (abitur) around the age of 15. This test is a guideline if a student will be college bound or take another path such as trade school. Though I’m sure it’s not perfect, it may lead to a more effective way to allocate scarce educational resources.
As for good citizenship, I would recommend requiring all students to a take civics course (what it means to be a good citizen), a media literacy course (how do you know when they are lying to you), and a basic money management course (how to not end up filing for bankruptcy). These are skills that everyone needs to be a successful adult.
Marc Bonem Santa Fe
The conqueror’s mind
What exactly qualifies Greg Mello, a mere anti-nuclear activist, to appear on the front page of The New Mexican to air his opinions on the Russia-Ukraine war and have them pitted against those of Marie Yovanovitch, who possesses deep experience in the region? What false equivalency. This war is neither our fault nor that of NATO’s eastward expansion. There are reasons most countries in the region want to join NATO, as most Eastern Europeans now want to provide weapons to Ukraine. Many of them have lived under the Soviet Union against their will; all know Russia and are terrified. Only a complete paranoiac would think NATO would invade Russia, which could have safely stayed within its borders without risk of harm. It chose instead, in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s own words, to restore the glories of the old Russian Empire. This is not victimhood but exactly what Hitler and all rapacious conquers before him did.
Susanne Hoffman-Dooley Santa Fe