Roadblocks to DWI Progress
As I understand it, about 50 percent of the auto accident fatalities involve someone who has had some alcoholic beverages ("Taking the Fourth," Feb. 2005). Therefore, we have roadblocks to check for sobriety and issue DWI citations. Since the other 50 percent of the fatalities involve someone who has not ingested alcohol, it seems only reasonable to have roadblocks to issue sobriety citations to those who don't receive DWI citations? That way we prevent all auto accident fatalities?!!?
It isn't what we've ingested that is the problem. It is the contempt some folks have for their fellow creatures. Our driving, like all of our other words and deeds, mirrors what's in our hearts. Unless we are willing to hold people accountable for their attacks on others, regardless of the weapon used, we will not make any permanent progress toward reducing these fatalities. As it is now, our laws are basically a welfare system for attorneys and the other folks who profit from criminal processing. Little is done to discourage us from damaging each other.
Charles Clements
Las Cruces
They Also Serve
We were deeply grateful for your coverage of the Volunteer Center on our first anniversary ("Any Volunteers?," Feb. 2005), and the acknowledgement of the many generous, compassionate people who make a community volunteer center a reality for Southwest New Mexico. I want to make mention that, in addition to those volunteers finding their way to service through the Volunteer Center, hundreds of folks already volunteer tirelessly through many in-house volunteer programs in our area.
For example, Virginia Mischlich, pictured with our volunteer Randi Olson, also benefits from the company of Tommie Montes, who visits her two days a week as a volunteer through the Senior Companion program of Senior Services. This Senior Services program, funded through the New Mexico Aging and Long Term Services Department and the federal Corporation for National Services, enables 10 volunteers to assist 36 seniors annually with transportation and companionship. Additional programs of Senior Services include Foster Grandparents, eligible to people over 60 who want to benefit local kids in the schools, and RSVP, eligible to anyone over 50 seeking volunteer placement in the community. For more information about these programs, readers can call Senior Services at 388-2523. I'd also like to acknowledge Senior Services for graciously serving as fiscal agent on our Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant, received prior to our public charity status.
Connie Hostetler
President, Board of Directors
Volunteer Center of Grant County
Trapping Encounter
I am writing this letter on behalf of a friend of mine, James, who endured a very unpleasant experience in mid-January related to the issue of trapping ("Catching Hell," Sept. 2004). My friend intended to hike out to a relatively remote National Forest area for quiet meditation and spiritual time. Shortly into his hike, he encountered a coatimundi snared in a trap, which appeared to be enduring great pain as evidenced by the sounds it was making. James was traumatized by this scene and made a decision to end the animal's pain right then and there, as quickly as possible. He carries no guns. After accomplishing this sad task, he wept, cradled the dead animal in his arms, committed its spirit to the universe and made a conscious prayer of forgiveness on behalf of the trappers who had set the trap. He then laid the coati close to the trap. Coincidentally enough (James is not an anti-trapping zealot, or any kind of activist), he encountered a second trap with an ensnared squirrel.
He was shaken at encountering
a second trap with another tortured creature ensnared and dispatched it also, laying the body near the trap.
Emotionally disturbed at the turn of events regarding the two traps, he returned to his vehicle at the trailhead, where he was met by a Fish and Game officer and two trappers with New York license plates. James was read his Miranda rights. The officer queried him for a time in the presence of the two trappers. My friend, feeling himself innocent of any wrongdoing, proceeded to tell his story. The trappers, a male and female (the female carrying pistols), mocked him, jeered at him, waved their fingers in his face, and accused him of total fabrication of his story and digging his own grave. The trappers also accused him of an ongoing pattern of disturbing their traps and apparently leapt to the conclusion that they had caught the guilty party. They also stated categorically that another person had exited his truck with him and accompanied him, which James stated was not the case; he was solitary, and the officer and trappers could not find any footprints to verify another person's presence. James was stunned,
shocked and hurt by the trappers' brutality (he had prayed for them earlier), and eventually requested the officer to remove them from his presence. The officer then heard his story privately and seemed to indicate that my friend had been at the wrong place at the wrong time, with no malicious intent. He also indicated that he knew the trappers and that they were "good people." A total of three police vehicles were involved in this sad event, which took around two hours to transpire (the period of time James was detained). My friend feared during a good portion of this time that he would be held overnight, and the officer indicated that the trappers might file charges against him.
James returned to town and showed up at my doorstep in shock, wide-eyed and clearly distraught by the whole episode.
Brutality and false accusation of this kind should not stand, and I hope, along with other friends, to do what we can on behalf of my friend James, a gentle, peace-loving person, who encountered viciousness of a kind none of us should have to endure.
Phil Ratzlaff
Silver City
Let us hear from you!
Write Desert Exposure Letters, PO Box 191, Silver City, NM 88062, fax 534-4134 or email letters@desertexposure.com. Letters are subject to editing for style and length.
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March 2005