No place for cynics
Dear Editor:
I am always impressed by the optimism and can-do attitude at the Coffee with The Manager meetings, the first Thursday of the month. There is such a community feeling at these meetings that I never grumble about getting up early enough for the 8:00 start time.
On August 5, Kate Fletcher, County Manager, and Vanessa Chavez, City Manager, were absolutely beaming with some good news. For example, in response to a question about a possible lawsuit against Jacobs regarding mismanagement of our new sewage system, Vanessa reported there is no need for legal action. She said though the negotiation with Jacobs was tough, they have agreed to take responsibility for the repair (or replacement) of the faulty equipment and will pay a significant part of the cost to do so. She is a former mental health counselor and apparently her communication skills, and general people skills, resulted in the City's avoiding a costly, ongoing lawsuit.
Of course, Kate Fletcher is known for her award-winning achievement for distinguished budgeting, along with Finance Director Paul Ludi, the first time Cibola County has ever received such an award.
Kate and Vanessa conduct these sessions with a listening attitude toward all, not just those who make constructive comments, but to those who question, or to the few who criticize.
I am grateful for the humor, goodwill and cooperation at these meetings. Just one more reason I am happy to live in Grants.
Sincerely,
Judith Andreica
Grants
Where are you, John Bannerman?
Dear Editor:
When I was in the eighth grade at Webster Junior High School in 1962, in Grants, New Mexico, there was a guy in the ninth grade named John Bannerman. He was a top student and a well-liked, popular boy. Not to mention nice looking and well dressed. John was a gifted and eloquent speaker. He had given several speeches to different social and civic organizations, with an uplifting story to tell. He had participated and won several oratorical contests.
Teachers at our junior high commented on the difference of how rowdy and noisy students would shuffle into the cafeteria and would move around and stumble over metal folding chairs to get seated and quieted down to listen to John's speech. Then in contrast how quiet and orderly the students would leave pondering and in deep thought about what John had to say.
It was a time in our young lives that life was bleak and unsure. The fear of a Nuclear War with
Russia was a real and dangerous threat. As young as we were we knew the threat was real.
Our small town was* probably, at least in the top ten cities in the United States that would be hit first with a nuclear bomb. After all, we were the “Uranium Capital of the world" and for the Uranium supply to be cut off the mines and mine workers would have to be destroyed. People in our community built and supplied bomb shelters. At school the students were given teal blue handbook and classes on “How to Survive a Nuclear Attack.” The chapters in the handbook included information like:
A. How to stockpile canned goods and gallons of water in your closets, (if you run out of water you can drain the hot water heater or use the water in the flush tank of your toilet,
Yuck.)
B. To keep sheets of plywood, nails and a hammer close at hand se you can board up yours doors and windows.
C. How to tear up sheets and pillowcases to make emergency bandages and dressings for injured survivors.
D. The last chapter of the handbook was removed because; it was a lesson on “how to deliver a baby in an emergency situation.” The educators felt the illustrations and information was much too graphic for seventh through ninth grade students. John, that day, gave a riveting speech. He started with a humorous statement on how, “he had given this speech in several different locations including in his bed speaking to the ceiling” {laughter} "and now he was speaking to his peers in a cafeteria" {more laughter}. The essence of what he said that day was- “our country is almost two hundred years old. Most established governments only last two hundred years or so and often fall apart for various reasons. We as Americans need to protect and standup for our republic that our forefathers established, fought and died for” If our United States of America were totally annihilated by a nuclear holocaust. Then, thousands of years later an archaeologist found a penny in the rubble, that archaeologist would know from all of the information on a single penny that there once was an established government here". How thought provoking for the youth of that time in history and also the adults.
I would just say now, fifty-five years that have passed and our republic is a little older.
Are we going to protect its steadfastness? As a citizen of this great nation, do you love this country?
Do you feel proud when you recite the Pledge of Allegiance? Do you get a lump in your throat when you hear or sing the National Anthem? Does your chest swell whey you see the flag of the United States flowing in the breeze?
We have a lot to be proud of and thankful for. We should never be ashamed to stand up for our country and what it stands for. Right now, we need people like John Bannerman to give amazing, riveting and motivating speeches on “Love of Country.”
June Baca
Grants
Germ warfare?
Dear Editor:
It has been common knowledge for years that all major developing countries have possessed the ability to conduct germ warfare. The Wuhan crisis is no exception. Was a virus created in the lab and deliberately leaked into the local wet markets for experimentation on the people of Wuhan?
This is totally consistent with China's poor record on civil rights and its complete lack of concern for all of the Chinese people. The virus created in Wuhan is by no means a poor reflection on all Asians especially Asia-Americans. It is simply a reaffirmation of the Communist Chinese Government's unconscionable disdain for human life.
They are the ones to blame.
Now we, the American people, will soon be required by our government to get the vaccine without being told what are the short/long term side effects. This is inherently a violation of our civil rights since the vaccine has never been approved by the Food & Drug Administration.
The one benefactor from the spread of the virus is the environment. Consider how working from home reduces the amount of carbon emissions caused by the automobile. Why isn't the Biden Administration and various environmental groups encouraging this?
Joe Bialek
Clevelanda, OH.
End of an era
Dear Editor:
For the first time in 47 years the school year begins with no MCJROTC instructor at GHS or LAHS. During the summer there were two instructors ready to start the year within the GCCS programs.
During the visit from the regional director from California he was shocked to find the GHS MCJROTC gym had been turned into the GHS wrestling facility. The Marine Corps color guard equipment, including flags and Marine Corps Ball ceremonial items were thrown in an empty office, with neither care nor respect to the history and traditions those items represent.
During his visit, no District personnel bothered to meet face-to-face with the director or instructors. The director realized there was no longer support for the JROTC program at GHS and recommended the instructors to relocate to APS where JROTC programs are desired and respected.
With the administrators’ decision to close the program, it is sad to see these courses fade away after giving as much to the community as they received. Some of the former students include nurses, correctional officers, sheriffs, deputies, police officers including chief, county commissioners, managers, countless members of the military. One was on the security forces for Pres. Obama, another was a Bronze Star/Purple Heart recipient during the War on Terror, the list goes on.
At the base level, MCJROTC provided purpose, direction and motivation for many to go on and lead productive and fulfilling lives. …… …………My wife and I were two of them.
Respectfully
George Garcia
“Gunny”
Grants
Firearms and self-defense
Dear Editor:
Well, another fine mess from President Biden, even as he tries to blame it on the last president. Biden said, “the Taliban would never take over Afghanistan, and there would be no mess like happened in Vietnam with people trying to climb onto helicopters.” Whoops guess what Taliban take over Afghanistan: What we know and what's next (msn.com). An applicant for a firearm license in Afghanistan must pass a background check and an understanding of firearm safety and the law, must be tested in a theoretical and/or practical training course form a firearm license. Must have a permit to carry open in public. In Afghanistan, the right to private gun ownership is not guaranteed by law, and civilian possession of guns is regulated by law Guns in Afghanistan — Firearms, gun law and gun control (gunpolicy.org). The article does not say anything about keeping it in your own home, what kind you are guns allowed to keep, or how hard or numbers of permits are issued to regular citizens. The overwhelming majority of modern small arms outside of Afghan government control are technically illegal without a special permit issued by the Ministry of the Interior. Pistol carry licenses can be acquired by private citizens, but it’s a very lengthy process involving at least two government officials to essentially take full responsibility for an applicant should there be any wrongdoing. Self-loading rifles, such as the ever-popular Kalashnikov AK-47 in numerous variants, caliber, and country of origin, are owned by various private companies that provide their own access control point security. Licenses for these rifles are somewhat easier to acquire due to their rifles belonging to private security companies, but the registration process is still arduous without at minimum bribes of some sort. Some private civilians in the city of Kabul carry handguns or rifles for personal defense that are technically illegal and can be confiscated if found by ANSF authorities. However, this is a risk that some, especially businessmen, are willing to undertake, because the security forces often can’t be depended on during an assassination attempt or kidnapping for ransom (one of the more frequent crimes conducted by organized crime syndicates). Like neighboring Pakistan, there’s a civilian firearms ownership loophole. This lies with commercially available shotguns and antiques. Because both categories don’t fire modern handgun or rifle cartridges in use by the security forces of either country, they’re given a pass legally and not really considered a threat for locals to own. Running Guns in Kabul | RECOIL (recoilweb.com). There are some things here in America that sound familiar, type of guns we can own, how some states are more restrictive than others that make it impossible to own any firearm. Funny how many places with strict firearms laws that prohibit firearms ownership have the worst crime? If Afghanistan citizens and even their military had better firearms rights, with not so many stupid rules and corruption maybe they could have defended against the Taliban, not looking good now.
Signed
Mr. Harry L. Hall
USAF Veteran Retired Sheriff Lt.
Editor’s notes: The Cibola Citizen seeks and welcomes letters to the editor on any and all topics. All letters must be no longer than 500 words (one full page, single spaced) and contain the writer’s name and contact phone number for verification. Unsigned letters will not be printed. The Cibola Citizen reserves the right to edit any and all submissions.