‘One giant leap’ remains defining historical moment
Last week I watched the outstanding PBS special on the first manned moon landing and with tears of joy remembered when, as a young man of 27, I sat transfixed in my Dayton, Ohio, apartment, viewing on a grainy 10-inch black-and-white TV, this seemingly impossible national achievement. But, unfortunately, those tears were mixed with those of sadness for our great country, which has, in so many respects, walked back away from that glorious first step on the moon 50 years ago.
Frank Bennett
Santa Fe
Amazing to witness
What a privilege it was to witness the meeting of Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Ndaba Mandela, and our local elder, Regis Pecos from Cochiti, who introduced students and teachers from the Leadership Institute at the Santa Fe Indian School. It was especially moving as former Pueblo Gov. Pecos recalled his protest march against apartheid and Mandela’s imprisonment while Pecos was a student at Princeton University in the 1970s.
Here at the Mandela School on Agua Fría Street, he had come full circle, sharing faceto-face this story with Mandela’s grandson! Both of these humanitarian leaders were reaching through history, across cultural divides, to share the work they are doing to educate the next generation(s) in their communities.
It was an amazing experience to hear both men speak about shared values of compassion, understanding, historical truth, respect, forgiveness and service — and to listen to them share these core values across distant cultures.
I felt very lucky to witness this amazing exchange, to live in Santa Fe, to be a citizen of New Mexico and to receive this message of global peace and love. Eslee Kessler
Santa Fe
Choose the best
The way to decide the chile issue is a blind taste test (“Importance of chile goes beyond bragging rights,” Our View, July 11). Each state chooses one person. The only stipulation is that the chosen person be a longtime resident of that state. Let the rule be residents for an arbitrary time, say, 10 years.
Each chosen person should be blindfolded, in a room not available to influence or hints from a crowd. Let them taste chile from at least three locations; let’s say New Mexico, Colorado and California. Each person must decide two things. First, they must say which chile is from their state. Second, they must say which chile is best. The proof is in the chile? Albo P. Fossa
Santa Fe
Keep big money away
In June, New Hampshire became the 20th state to support a bipartisan bill calling on Congress to support a constitutional amendment limiting big money in politics. In January, U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján and Deb Haaland of New Mexico became cosponsors of bipartisan House Joint Resolution 2, which specifically supports a constitutional amendment allowing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on raising and spending money to influence elections.
The movement for a constitutional amendment continues to gain momentum. An overwhelming majority of Americans across the political spectrum now agree that unfettered campaign money undermines our democratic process. This has greatly diminished confidence in democracy itself.
I applaud our representatives for standing up to special interests. New Mexicans should contact Luján and Haaland, thank them for supporting HJR 2 and encourage them to work with other member of Congress to support the resolution. Herb Faling
Santa Fe
Truly patriotic
Are grilling hamburgers and shooting off fireworks acts of patriotism? Of course not. They are amusements. I enjoy both.
But if you want to do something truly patriotic next year on the day that we celebrate our independence as a nation, here is a suggestion: gather some friends, make a big banner, and take it to the Plaza in support of, or to protest against, some policy of our government. James K. Gavin
Santa Fe