Has Taos gone mad?
Taos is my home away from home. For the last decade I have spent most of my winters as a “local” in Taos Ski Valley. Over the past 18 months I constantly find myself asking, “Has Taos gone mad?”
As a young man I always admired Taoseños’ independence and open-minded way of looking at the world. Now I fear the majority of the town has joined a cult that worships compliance with government mandates and shuns people who think differently and question the establishment line. I have many dear friends in Taos, and I fear that if they knew my views on COVID, vaccination and natural immunity I would become a pariah.
Unfortunately, from my point of view, most of the citizenry of Taos has lost their way and become bricks in the wall. Freethinking and freedom from government tyranny are now sins in Taos. Hippies that moved to Taos in the 60s have now become the stale, static-minded individuals they accused their parents of being decades ago. Compliance with town, state and federal mandates has become the gold standard in citizenship and people are judged by their choice of face covering (or lack thereof).
The front page of today’s paper exemplifies the madness that has encapsulated Taos. Young men playing a soccer match while wearing masks should stand out to everyone as being absurd and illogical. But even in the face of absurdity there is still compliance. What will it take for Taos change course?
It seems to me the town will be in a never-ending cycle of masking and vaccination, regardless of COVID risk. The town and governor of New Mexico have been acting hysterical and abandoned all logic. First we were told to get vaccinated and it would all be over. Now that everyone is vaccinated that wants to be, why aren’t things back to normal? Aren’t the people protected by Trump’s big pharma warp-speed miracle jab? When can we get back to what is really normal and smile at friends and strangers while in the grocery store. The past year in Taos has seen an increase in murder, domestic violence and suicide. The most vulnerable among us have fallen through the cracks and been forgotten. When can we come together and actually look out for one another again?
The city government is full of little tyrants that have been abusing their power to control peoples’ lives and businesses. When do the people finally say we have had enough and won’t take the mandates any longer? To be perfectly clear, no one will make you take off your mask. If you think it keeps you safe, wear it. Just don’t force others to wear them. If a business wants to ban people without a mask, that should be allowed. If a business wants to forbid masks in their establishment, that should also be allowed. Freedom is free, and people should be allowed to make decisions about lives as they see fit.
I will be returning to Taos this month to continue chasing the perfect line in the steeps of TSV. When I do, I hope to find that my TSV family has returned to normal. I long for the days of après hugs, tokes and drinks with friends after the perfect day on the mountain. I miss the community I fell in love with and free spirits I met along the way. I dream that Taos has not gone mad, and one day maybe I will be able to show my children what makes this community so special.