New Mexico In Focus
Balloon Safety, Mayor's Race & Genius Grantee | 10.1.21
Season 15 Episode 14 | 57m 13sVideo has Closed Captions
Ballooning Safety, Albuquerque’s Race for Mayor and a Mystery for NM Schools
The founder of balloon tour company Rainbow Ryders discusses safety changes he’d like to see in the industry. Plus, a conversation with new “Genius Grant” winner, MacArthur Fellow Monica Muñoz Martinez. Dede Feldman discusses her new book about what politicians learn about NM during campaigns. The Line opinion panel talks ABQ's Mayoral race and the sudden lack of educational achievement data.
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New Mexico In Focus is a local public television program presented by NMPBS
New Mexico In Focus
Balloon Safety, Mayor's Race & Genius Grantee | 10.1.21
Season 15 Episode 14 | 57m 13sVideo has Closed Captions
The founder of balloon tour company Rainbow Ryders discusses safety changes he’d like to see in the industry. Plus, a conversation with new “Genius Grant” winner, MacArthur Fellow Monica Muñoz Martinez. Dede Feldman discusses her new book about what politicians learn about NM during campaigns. The Line opinion panel talks ABQ's Mayoral race and the sudden lack of educational achievement data.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
Gene: THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO InFOCUS, NEW DETAILS ABOUT A FATAL BALLOON ACCIDENT THIS PAST SUMMER HAS RENEWED CALLS FOR MORE REQUIREMENTS AND MORE SAFETY MONITORS.
Scott: THERE'S A COUPLE THOUSAND SAFETY INSPECTORS OUT THERE TAKING CARE OF ALL THE JETS, THE DRONES, THE BALLOONS, THE HELICOPTERS, THE SMALL AIRCRAFT.
Gene: PLUS, ALBUQUERQUE'S MAYORAL RACE HEATS UP AS THE CANDIDATES FACE EACH OTHER IN FRONT OF VOTERS.
NEW MEXICO InFOCUS STARTS NOW.
Gene: THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.
I'M YOUR HOST, GENE GRANT.
WE'LL CHECK IN WITH A FAMILIAR FACE THIS WEEK AS DEDE FELDMAN TALKS ABOUT WHAT CANDIDATES CAN LEARN FROM CAMPAIGNING.
OUR LINE OPINION PANEL ALSO DIGS INTO A DISTURBING LACK OF DATA ON NEW MEXICO'S SCHOOLS AND HOW KIDS ARE PERFORMING.
WE START WITH THE RACE TO RUN FOR NEW MEXICO'S BIGGEST CITY.
HER'S THE LINE.
Gene: ALBUQUERQUE MAYOR TIM KELLER'S DEFENSE OF HIS SEAT AT CITY HALL BEGAN IN EARNEST THIS WEEK AS CHALLENGERS EDDIE ARAGON AND BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF MANNY GONZALES WENT AFTER THE MAYOR IN TWO SEPARATE FORUMS, THE BLACK VOTERS COLLABORATIVE AND A JOINT DEBATE SPONSORED BY KKOB RADIO AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THE BIG TOPICS WERE CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, TWO VERY VISIBLE CHALLENGES FOR THE STATE'S BIGGEST URBAN AREA.
HERE TO TALK POLITICS IS OUR LINE OPINION PANEL.
PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT MICHAEL BIRD IS WITH US ONCE AGAIN THIS WEEK.
SO IS FORMER HOUSE MINORITY WHIP DANIEL FOLEY.
AND WE'LL START WITH ATTORNEY LAURA SANCHEZ.
NOW, LAURA, IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO HEAR THE CANDIDATES TALK IN THE PRESENCE OF THEIR OPPONENTS.
DID ANYONE MAKE OR LOSE GROUND FROM THE FIRST TWO FORUMS THIS WEEK?
Laura: WELL, IT IS ALWAYS INTERESTING WHEN YOU SEE ALL OF THEM UP THERE TOGETHER.
WE SAW SOME VERY DIFFERENT STYLES, I THINK, AND IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE SORT OF THEIR APPROACH IN TERMS OF ATTACKING.
OBVIOUSLY TIM KELLER IS OUR CURRENT MAYOR, HE'S THE GUY THAT'S GOT MORE, I THINK, OF THE PRESENCE AND HE'S GOING TO BE ON THE DEFENSIVE, AND THE OTHER TWO ARE GOING TO BE ATTACKING HIM.
BUT I THOUGHT OVERALL, THE MAYOR CAME OUT LOOKING, I THINK, AS EXPECTED, VERY MAYORAL, RIGHT.
I MEAN, HE VERY MUCH WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE, WAS BEING MORE BROAD ABOUT STUFF, AND THE OTHERS WERE REALLY TRYING TO NARROW IN ON THEIR PARTICULAR ISSUE.
AND CRIME WAS A BIG, BIG PART OF THE ENTIRE FIELD, AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR US AND ONE THAT THE MAYOR HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS.
Gene: HEY, DANIEL, GOT TO GO RIGHT TO YOU ON THIS ONE.
EDDIE ARAGON, OF COURSE, IS A REPUBLICAN, AND MANNY GONZALES IS SORT OF RUNNING LIKE A REPUBLICAN.
IS THERE ENOUGH UNDECIDED VOTES OUT THERE FOR A WINNER TO EMERGE FROM THOSE TWO, OR ARE WE HOPING, THEY HOPING, FOR A RUNOFF?
Dan: NO, AND NO.
Gene: OKAY.
WHY AND WHY?
Dan: SO I THINK THE ONLY CHANCE THAT ANYBODY HAD OF DEFEATING MAYOR KELLER WAS WITH MANNY GONZALES BEING ABLE TO CORRAL REPUBLICAN VOTES AND PICK OFF NONPROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS.
NOW WITH EDDIE ARAGON GETTING IN AND DECISIVELY GOING TO SPLIT THE REPUBLICAN VOTES, IT'S A FOREGONE CONCLUSION.
I MEAN, MAYOR TIM KELLER SHOULD BE THANKING EDDIE ARAGON AND THROWING A HUGE PARTY FOR HIM, BECAUSE I THINK HE WAS IN A BATTLE IF IT WAS A ONE-ON-ONE RACE.
I THINK WITHOUT THERE BEING A ONE-ON-ONE RACE, HE'S GOING TO WIN A HUGE VICTORY.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IN THESE ONE-ON-ONE BATTLES, AS THE INCUMBENT, YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS FOCUSED ON YOU.
ONCE IT BECOMES THREE OR MORE, EVERYTHING IS NOT FOCUSED ON YOU ANYMORE.
YOU GOT THESE GUYS DOING THEIR SIDE BATTLES OVER HERE, AND IT DEFLECTS SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO LOOK.
AND AS LAURA SAID VERY ELOQUENTLY, YOU GET TO BE THE ONE WHO SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE THE ELOQUENT LEADER, THE ADULT IN THE ROOM, BECAUSE THOSE GUYS ARE SQUABBLING, THEY'RE BOTH COMING AFTER YOU, AND YOU GET TO KIND OF PUT YOURSELF ABOVE IT.
Gene: LET ME ASK YOU THIS, THOUGH.
DOES THAT SQUABBLING ADD UP TO LESS THAN A 50 PERCENT TAKE FOR THE MAYOR AND WE GET INTO A RUNOFF?
Dan: NO, BECAUSE THE MAYOR IS GOING TO GET ALL THE PROGRESSIVES.
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE MAYOR IS THE PROGRESSIVE.
Gene: GOOD POINT.
Dan: THEY'RE NOT MOVING.
NOW ALL OF THE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO GO FOR EDDIE ARAGON, THE HARD-CORE CONSERVATIVES, AND YOU'VE GOT THIS GROUP IN THE MIDDLE WHO PROBABLY DOESN'T CARE NOW THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, RIGHT.
GOING OUT THERE WHEN YOU SAY, LISTEN, I'M GOING TO GO VOTE FOR MANNY BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BEAT TIM KELLER, NOW YOU'RE GOING TO THROW YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR LIKE, NEVER MIND, IT'S NOT WORTH MY TIME, WHICH I THINK JUST ADDS TO THE REASON WHY TIM KELLER WILL WIN RE-ELECTION.
I THINK HE'LL WIN IT EASILY ON ELECTION NIGHT AND I THINK IT'LL BE AN EASY VICTORY FOR HIM ON ELECTION NIGHT.
Gene: DUDE, WE'RE SOME WEEKS AWAY.
SERIOUSLY?
Dan: WELL, I MEAN, CLEARLY SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
WE LITERALLY JUST ELECTED A U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN WHO RAN AGAINST A SITTING STATE SENATOR WHO, THANKS TO THE INCOMPETENCY OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, COULDN'T EVEN WIN HIS OWN SENATE DISTRICT IN THE RACE.
Gene: FAIR POINT.
Dan: SO WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT THERE'S ANY MOVE -- AND THAT SEAT WAS WHOLLY CONTAINED IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE.
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT ANYTHING HAS CHANGED FROM THAT ELECTION TO THIS ELECTION THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE THIS GROUND-SWELL MOVEMENT AGAINST THE MAYOR?
I DON'T SEE IT.
I JUST DON'T SEE IT.
I DON'T SEE THAT THERE'S BEEN A GOOD ENOUGH JOB -- NOW, WE CAN HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION ABOUT WHY I DON'T SEE THAT AND WHAT THE RAMIFICATIONS ARE, BUT I THINK IT'S HE'S GOING TO BE FINE.
Gene: LET ME ASK YOU TO HOLD THAT.
LET ME GET MY MAN MICHAEL IN HERE.
GOOD POINTS THOUGH, FOR SURE.
YOU KNOW, MICHAEL, TIM KELLER WAS FIRST ON THE AIR THIS WEEK WITH AN AD TALKING ABOUT HOW HE'S HANDLED ALL THE HURDLES IN FRONT OF HIM DURING THE PANDEMIC.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TWO REASONS.
FIRST, AS JUST MENTIONED, HE HAS A CHANCE TO DEFINE HIMSELF TO MORE CASUALLY INVOLVED VOTERS, AND SECOND, IT'S NOT CLEAR IF EITHER OF HIS OPPONENTS WILL BE ABLE TO MOUNT AN EFFECTIVE AD CAMPAIGN.
THAT'S THE PART THAT INTERESTS ME.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
Michael: FIRST OF ALL, I'D SAY DITTO TO DAN.
I THINK HE'S GOT IT RIGHT ON THIS.
AND I JUST -- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CANDIDATES TO BEGIN WITH, AT LEAST IN MY MIND IT'S REAL CLEAR THAT MAYOR KELLER IS THE BEST QUALIFIED.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
AND NUMBER TWO IS HE, IN FACT, IS ADDRESSING SOME SIGNIFICANT ISSUES THAT ARE NOT UNIQUE TO ALBUQUERQUE.
I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT MOST OF THE MAJOR CITIES, AND SOME CITIES THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH -- YOU KNOW, THE LA AREA, MORE RECENTLY.
Gene: HEY, WE GOT MENTIONED IN THAT NEW YORK TIMES PIECE THIS WEEK ABOUT THE CRIME RATES GOING UP.
ALBUQUERQUE GOT A SHOUT-OUT, HATE TO SAY IT THAT WAY.
Michael: IN MANY CITIES, THE RATES ARE GOING UP.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST UNIQUE TO ALBUQUERQUE.
I MEAN, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE ARE IN THE MIX AGAIN, BUT IT'S NOT UNUSUAL.
Gene: BUT HOW DOES THAT PLAY?
IT'S ONE THING TO SAY, HEY, IT'S GOING UP EVERYWHERE, BUT FOLKS ONLY CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON UP THE BLOCK, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART.
HOW DO THESE MAYORAL CANDIDATES ADDRESS THAT PART OF THE CRIME ISSUE?
Michael: WELL, I THINK -- GO AHEAD, DAN, PLEASE.
Gene: DAN, YOU GOT A THOUGHT?
Dan: YEAH.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, LOOK, I THINK THAT THE ONE THING THAT WE'RE SEEING, CRIME -- THE ONE THING THAT WE'VE LEARNED IN ELECTIONS IS IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE ABOUT, IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID.
RIGHT, IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID.
AND THE ONE THING THAT YOU GOT TO GIVE MAYOR KELLER CREDIT FOR IS WHETHER HE'S RIGHT OR WRONG, HE'S OUT THERE.
YOU CAN'T GO TO AN EVENT THAT YOU DON'T BUMP INTO HIM.
AND I THINK IN A BIG TOWN THAT HAPPENS TO BE A CITY LIKE ALBUQUERQUE, POLITICS IS LOCAL, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEAR THIS WHOLE DEAL, THE WHOLE RUN-IN WITH THE CITY CLERK DID NOT HELP MANNY AT ALL.
I THINK THE ADDITION OF EDDIE ARAGON DIDN'T HELP MANNY AT ALL, AND I THINK THAT KELLER HAS DONE A DECENT JOB IN THE PERCEPTION THAT HE'S THE MAYOR WHO'S LEADING.
LOOK, ONE THING THAT WE FOUND IS REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IT SEEMS LIKE AS LONG AS PEOPLE SEE YOUR FACE AND HEAR YOUR VOICE, THEY BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE LEADING.
AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MURDER RATES AND THE WAY THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS BEING HANDLED AND THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS IN ALBUQUERQUE, I DON'T THINK HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB ON A LOT OF THOSE MENUS, BUT MOST PEOPLE I KNOW, THEY KNOW HIM.
I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T CLAIM TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP OR A FRIENDSHIP WITH TIM KELLER, OR AT LEAST KNOW HIM.
YOU KNOW, HEY, I MET HIM AT A GAME, SAW HIM HERE, MET HIM AT A RESTAURANT.
SO IT'S ALL POLITICS ARE LOCAL.
Gene: I APPRECIATE THAT POINT.
LAURA, LET ME GO TO THIS ABOUT SHERIFF GONZALES.
WE'RE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT LIGHT ON HIM IN THIS SEGMENT HERE.
I THOUGHT HIS QUOTE THAT HE DESCRIBED THE CITY AS, QUOTE, AT A CROSSROADS OF TOTAL ANARCHY, JUST A LITTLE BIT OUT THERE, A LITTLE BIT.
HOW WOULD YOU -- HOW DID YOU TAKE THAT WHEN YOU HEARD THAT BIT?
Laura: I TOOK THAT AS AN EXTREME EXAGGERATION.
THE KIND OF FRAMING THAT HE APPEARS TO BE TRYING TO DO IS SAY, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS -- YOU KNOW, THE SKY IS FALLING AND I'M THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO PROTECT YOU FROM IT, WAS WHAT I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO CONVEY, BUT IT JUST CAME ACROSS AS INSULTING, FRANKLY.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE IN TOTAL ANARCHY, I DON'T THINK THINGS ARE THAT BAD.
YES, WE HAVE A VERY SERIOUS CRIME PROBLEM.
PROPERTY CRIME, MURDER RATES, VIOLENT CRIME IS UP, AND THAT SHOULD BE A CONCERN FOR EVERYBODY.
Gene: AND SOME OTHER THINGS ARE DOWN, PROPERTY CRIME, THINGS LIKE THAT.
LET ME SPIN TO MICHAEL REAL QUICK ON THE SAME QUESTION.
I SEE YOU MAY HAVE A THOUGHT THERE.
AGAIN, IS THIS THE WAY TO WIN VOTES, IS HOW WE PEOPLE THINK, WE'RE AT THE BRINK OF SOME KIND OF DISASTER?
IS THAT HIS BEST CARD, I SHOULD ASK?
Michael: NO, I THINK PLAYING TO PEOPLE'S FEAR IS NOT THE WAY TO GO.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE STILL PRETTY RATIONAL.
I UNDERSTAND CLEARLY THERE'S SOME ISSUES, BUT PLAYING TO PEOPLE'S FEAR BENEFITS NO ONE, AND I DON'T THINK IN THE LONG RUN IT WILL BENEFIT HIM.
Dan: YEAH, I THINK PLAYING TO PEOPLE'S NEAR WORKS ONLY IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO IT.
I THINK THE PROBLEM THAT HURTS MANNY GONZALES IS, WITH ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GONE ON WITH POLICE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THE NEWS, TO BE A SHERIFF THAT WAS OPPOSED TO BODY CAMERAS DOESN'T PLAY VERY WELL.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE NOT ANTI- -- LOOK, I'M NOT ANTI-POLICE, BY ANY MEANS.
I'M NOT A DEFUND THE POLICE GUY.
BUT I DO BELIEVE IN ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO WHEN YOU SAY, LISTEN, THE CITY'S IN CHAOS, I'M THE GUY THAT'S GOING TO BRING RELIEF, BUT I WASN'T FOR BRINGING ACCOUNTABILITY, I JUST DON'T THINK IT PLAYS WELL.
Gene: I'VE GOT TO JUMP IN, NOR DO THE NUMBERS IN THE COUNTY STACK UP, AND HE GOT CHALLENGED ON THAT, AS WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO CRIME.
WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.
BEFORE WE GO, WE WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WE'LL AIR THE BLACK VOTERS COLLABORATIVE FORUM NEXT WEEK AS A NEW MEXICO InFOCUS SPECIAL.
EARLY VOTING WILL BE JUST KICKING OFF, AND FOR MANY OF OUR VIEWERS IT'LL BE A VALUABLE TOOL AS THEY DECIDE HOW TO VOTE.
NOW, WE'RE BACK IN A MINUTE TO TALK ABOUT HOW NEW MEXICO STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING.
Dede: AT ONE POINT, I DROOLED ON THE PETITION THAT I WAS ASKING SOMEONE TO SIGN, AND THEY SIGNED IT ANYWAY.
IT WAS KIND OF AMAZING.
ANOTHER TIME A BIG GUST OF WIND CAME AND BLEW THE DOOR OFF THE HINGES JUST AS I WAS SAYING, MY NAME IS DEDE FELDMAN AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT STATE GOVERNMENT.
Matt: I'M MATT GRUBS.
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY REVEALED THAT BALLOON PILOT NICK MELESKI HAD COCAINE AND MARIJUANA IN HIS SYSTEM AT THE TIME OF THE LATE JUNE CRASH IN ALBUQUERQUE THAT HAD FATAL RESULTS.
FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED.
WHAT EXACTLY CAUSED THAT CRASH ISN'T YET KNOWN, AND THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD IS STILL INVESTIGATING, BUT IT HAS RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT, IF ANY, ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS MIGHT BE NEEDED FOR BALLOON PILOTS.
THIS, OF COURSE, AHEAD OF THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA.
AND OUR GUEST THIS WEEK IS SCOTT APPLEMAN, THE FOUNDER OF RAINBOW RYDERS.
HE HAS A LONG HISTORY, BOTH WITH BALLOONING AND WITH BALLOON FIESTA.
SCOTT, THANKS FOR TAKING A FEW MINUTES WITH US.
I APPRECIATE IT.
Scott: THANKS, MATT.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
Matt: LET'S START WITH WHAT'S IN PLACE FOR BALLOON PILOTS NOW IN TERMS OF REGULATIONS, BOTH TO GET THEIR LICENSE AND ONGOING TRAINING, PREFLIGHT TESTING, THAT SORT OF THING.
Scott: RIGHT NOW, THE FAA REQUIRES FOR COMMERCIALLY RATED PILOTS 35 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME AND NORMALLY ABOUT 20 HOURS OF GROUND SCHOOL, BEING SIGNED OFF BY AN INSTRUCTOR, AND GOING THROUGH A WRITTEN, IN-FLIGHT, AND VERBAL EXAM IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THEIR FINAL CERTIFICATE.
THAT'S BASICALLY THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT IS NEEDED FOR A COMMERCIAL LICENSE, AS IT STANDS TODAY.
Matt: OKAY.
IN TERMS OF TESTING THAT HAPPENS, IS THERE ANNUAL TESTING?
IS THERE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING?
WHAT'S IN PLACE?
Scott: AS IT STANDS TODAY, THERE IS A BIANNUAL FLIGHT REVIEW, WHICH MEANS THAT EVERY OTHER YEAR, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO A BALLOON FLIGHT OF AN HOUR'S WORTH OF GROUND STUDY AND AN HOUR'S WORTH OF FLYING WITH A PILOT OF EQUAL ENDORSEMENT, COMMERCIAL, AND THEN THAT WOULD BASICALLY BE THE ONLY REQUIREMENT FOR CONTINUING ON YOUR COMMERCIAL LICENSE.
NOW, THERE'S MANY PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO FURTHER YOUR EDUCATION ON THAT.
HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED.
Matt: WHAT DO YOU DO AT RAINBOW RYDERS?
WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE RIGHT NOW?
Scott: WELL, WE TRY TO SET A NEW STANDARD AND A NEW LEVEL FOR FOLKS TO ASPIRE TO.
WE REQUIRE SECOND CLASS MEDICALS OF ALL OF OUR PILOTS.
WE HAVE RANDOM DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING OF OUR PILOTS.
WE DO ANNUAL FLIGHT REVIEWS.
WE ALSO DO FOUR TO SIX SAFETY SEMINARS/CONTINUING EDUCATION THAT ARE USUALLY ONE HOUR IN LENGTH PER YEAR, IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS STAYING UP ON IT AND STAYING CURRENT.
THE OTHER ITEM IS, WITH RAINBOW RYDERS, WE'VE GOT GUYS THAT ARE HERE FLYING 250 AND 300 DAYS A YEAR, SO WE'RE SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH EVERYBODY AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY MUCH A FAMILY ORIENTATED AREA, KIND OF GROUP, AND THERE'S A LOT OF SELF-POLICING AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, ARE YOU UP TO THIS TODAY AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
Matt: OKAY.
AND FOR FOLKS IN ALBUQUERQUE WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW, YOU HAVE OUTFITS IN COLORADO, ARIZONA, OTHER PLACES, RIGHT?
Scott: YEAH.
THE PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE MARKET, COLORADO SPRINGS WE OPERATE, AND WE HAVE ABOUT 80 EMPLOYEES ALL TOGETHER THAT OPERATE ON A YEAR-ROUND BASIS IN THOSE AREAS.
Matt: I WOULD IMAGINE THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER AFTER NEWS LIKE THIS.
CERTAINLY THE CRASH, BUT ALSO THE REPORT ABOUT NICK.
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?
IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO REMIND THEM ABOUT SAFETY?
Scott: OH, WITHOUT A DOUBT, IT IS.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A BIGGER MESSAGE HERE THAT THE INDUSTRY IS GOING TO FEEL A BRUNT ON.
WHEN THE CRASH IN LOCKHART TOOK PLACE, I WAS AN EXPERT WITNESS AT THAT, AND BEING A PART OF THIS EXPERT WITNESS PROGRAM, YOU SEE ALL THE DETAILS, ALL THE EVIDENCE, PHOTOGRAPHS, REPORTS, EVERYTHING.
WHEN I CAME BACK FROM THAT EXPERIENCE AND GOING THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION, THAT WAS -- THE DAY THAT I CAME BACK, THINGS CHANGED AT RAINBOW RYDERS AS FAR AS REQUIREMENTS AND PUTTING IN NEW STANDARDS FOR OUR GUYS AND OUR TEAM HERE.
WE HAVE TRIED AT A NATIONAL LEVEL TO GET FOLKS TO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, BUT WE DIDN'T DO A LOT OF FORWARD MOVEMENT WITH THAT.
SO SINCE THEN, IT REALLY CAME DOWN TO, I'M GOING TO TAKE CARE OF AND OUR TEAM IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES AND DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO REPRESENT HOT AIR BALLOONING AT A COMMERCIAL LEVEL WITH RAINBOW RYDERS.
Matt: AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE 2016, I BELIEVE IT WAS, FATAL CRASH IN LOCKHART, TEXAS, WHERE A LARGE BALLOON RAN INTO SOME POWER LINES, I BELIEVE IT WAS.
YOU TALKED I THINK AT THAT TIME -- I MEAN, YOU OBVIOUSLY MENTIONED THAT THINGS CHANGED AT RAINBOW RYDERS, BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF A NATIONAL SET OF REGULATIONS.
IS THIS KIND OF THE IDEA OF, WE NEED TO REGULATE OURSELVES BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES?
Scott: OH, WITHOUT A DOUBT.
YOU KNOW, THE FAA, IN MY OPINION, IS WITHOUT A DOUBT UNDERSTAFFED FOR ALL THE STUFF THAT'S FLYING AROUND IN THE AIR.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE THOUSAND SAFETY INSPECTORS OUT THERE TAKING CARE OF ALL THE JETS, THE DRONES, THE BALLOONS, THE HELICOPTERS, THE SMALL AIRCRAFT.
SO THAT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING.
IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD NEED A LOT MORE MANPOWER.
I WILL SAY THAT IN AVIATION, A LOT OF ASSOCIATIONS HAVE THEIR OWN SELF-POLICING PROCESSES, AND IT'S DEFINITELY THAT TIME WHERE BALLOONING NEEDS TO DO IT.
IN MY OPINION, ACTUALLY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT PAST THAT TIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HOPE THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO EMBRACE THE CHANGE AND REALIZE THAT IT IS COMING.
AND JUST BECAUSE IT WAS A WAY IN THE PAST DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE FUTURE.
Matt: THE BALLOON COMMUNITY, IT STARTED OFF -- OBVIOUSLY BALLOON FIESTA STARTED OFF KIND IN A MALL PARKING LOT, A VERY CASUAL SORT OF THING.
HAS IT BEEN RESISTANT TO THIS SORT OF CHANGE, OF FORMALIZING REGULATIONS?
Scott: I WOULDN'T SAY THAT IT'S BEEN RESISTANT TO IT, YOU KNOW.
I THINK THAT THE INDUSTRY, ITSELF, NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT IN ITS SUSTAINABILITY BY BRINGING IN NEW STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS.
THAT HAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT.
I WILL SAY THAT BALLOONING AND, LIKE, THE RIDE ASPECT AND THE SIGHTSEEING ASPECT HAS BECOME THAT BUCKET LIST ITEM.
THERE ARE A LOT MORE FOLKS THAT WANT TO DO IT.
THEREFORE, THERE'S A LOT MORE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING IT.
YOU KNOW, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, HOT AIR BALLOONING IS STILL WAY SAFER THAN DRIVING IN YOUR CAR, OKAY.
LET'S GET THAT STRAIGHT.
THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT IN THESE PAST TWO OCCURRENCES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY TRAGIC AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS VERY VISUAL, AND I THINK THAT THAT CARRIES ON ESPECIALLY IN OUR WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND CAMERAS AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN LIFE THAT HAVE CHANGED.
TECHNOLOGY, RESOURCES.
THE BALLOON INDUSTRY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS OUT THERE, AND WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING THE MOST GOOD REPRESENTATIVES AND HOLDING UP THE HIGHEST STANDARDS.
Matt: YOU BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ANYONE WHO SAW ADOLPHE PIERRE-LOUIS' PHOTOGRAPH IN THE JOURNAL OF THAT CRASH AND THE ENVELOPE DEFLATED AND THE BASKET DESCENDING AND THOUGHT, OH, MY GOSH, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FEEDBACK FROM PASSENGERS, FROM PROSPECTIVE PASSENGERS, SINCE THE JUNE ACCIDENT, AND MAYBE SINCE LAST WEEK?
Scott: TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THE SORROW THAT GOES WITH A SITUATION LIKE THIS, AND WE'RE VERY SYMPATHETIC TO ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.
YOU KNOW, IF, INDEED -- AND REALIZING THAT THE REPORT STUFF THAT WE HAVE OUT RIGHT NOW IS ONE ASPECT OF IT.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE AT THIS POINT TO SAY THIS WAS DEFINITELY IT.
AND ALSO, THERE'S NOW QUESTIONS BEING DRAWN AS TO THE VALIDATION OF THOSE TESTING.
I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, NOR DO I HAVE THAT TYPE OF ABILITY.
BUT I'LL SAY THAT WHAT WE DO IS, WE JUST REMIND PEOPLE OF WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE OPERATE AND OUR INVESTMENT IN SAFETY.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR STRENGTHS, NOT OTHER BAD SITUATIONS OR NEGATIVE SITUATIONS, AND JUST REASSURE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MANAGE ALL THE RISK FOR THEIR ENJOYMENT FOR A HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE ON THE GROUND, BEFORE THE FLIGHT.
THAT COMES DOWN TO THE PERSONNEL, THE EQUIPMENT, THE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, AND OUR JUST 24/7 APPROACH TO ALL OF OUR PILOTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND ALWAYS WATCHING THE WEATHER AND THE DATA AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
Matt: SCOTT, IN JUST THE FEW SECONDS THAT WE HAVE LEFT HERE, AHEAD OF POTENTIAL REGULATION, ARE YOU GOING TO SORT OF REACH OUT TO THE BALLOONING COMMUNITY, THE PROFESSIONAL BALLOONING COMMUNITY, AND MAKE SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU MADE BACK IN 2016/2017 AFTER LOCKHART?
Scott: I WILL SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN.
I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AT THIS FIESTA, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 45 PROFESSIONAL RIDE OPERATORS, THAT ARE PILOTS IN RIDE OPERATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY, THAT WILL BE HERE WORKING WITH RAINBOW RYDERS AT BALLOON FIESTA.
WE WILL ACTIVELY BE GETTING THIS MESSAGE OUT.
WE HAVE EVERY YEAR.
THEY'RE ALL IN, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE HERE WITH RAINBOW RYDERS.
THEY EMBRACE THE APPROACH THAT WE DO.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING, TRYING TO PROMOTE THE GOOD WORD, AND ALSO THE SIMPLE FACT IS THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THERE'S PENDING CHANGE THAT WILL COME.
TO WHAT EXTENT IS YET TO BE SEEN.
THE GOVERNMENT IS A BIG WHEEL TO TURN.
WE'LL SEE HOW AND WHAT COMES OUT.
Matt: SCOTT APPLEMAN, A SAD SUBJECT, A TOUGH SUBJECT, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO YOUR BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR.
THANKS SO MUCH.
Scott: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Gene: I THINK WE ALL EXPECTED THE PERFORMANCE OF NEW MEXICO STUDENTS TO WANE DURING THE YEAR PLUS OF REMOTE LEARNING.
POLICY MAKERS HAVE LEARNED SOME TOUGH LESSONS OF THEIR OWN OVER THE PAST WEEK.
STANDARDIZED TESTING WAS SO SPARSE IN 2020 AND 2021 THAT THE STATE ISN'T BOTHERING TO RELEASE LAST YEAR'S RESULTS SAYING IT WOULD BE AN INCOMPLETE PICTURE.
LEGISLATIVE ANALYSTS THINK THEY CAN PIECE TOGETHER AN IMAGE, BUT IT ISN'T PRETTY.
THEY TOLD LAW MAKERS THAT THEY BELIEVE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS HAVE FALLEN TO BARELY THREE IN TEN MAKING GRADE LEVEL PROGRESS IN MATH AND READING, AND THEY HAVE A SNEAKING SUSPICION THAT ESTIMATE DOESN'T COUNT UNDERACHIEVING VULNERABLE STUDENTS.
DAN, WE'VE HAD A SENSE THAT STUDENTS ARE SUFFERING.
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE EAGER TO GET EVERYTHING POINTED THE RIGHT WAY, BUT ARE THEY FLYING BLIND HERE HAVING NO DATA TO WORK WITH?
WAS THIS THE RIGHT CHOICE?
Dan: YEAH, THEY'RE NOT FLYING BLIND.
I MEAN, THE SITUATION HAS BEEN THE SAME SITUATION IN NEW MEXICO FOR TIME IN MEMORIAM.
I MEAN, THE PANDEMIC MAY HAVE EXACERBATED IT.
Gene: BUT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, THOUGH.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I MEAN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE FRIGHTENING, HONESTLY.
Dan: ALL IT DID IS EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM.
THIS ISN'T DIFFERENT.
ALL IT DID WAS HIGHLIGHT THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN NEW MEXICO.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FORGET THAT WE'RE A MAJORITY RURAL STATE, AND SO WHEN YOU START CLOSING DOWN SCHOOLS IN SOME OF THESE SMALL TOWNS, THAT IS THE CENTER FOCAL POINT OF ALL LIFE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
THAT'S THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GO TO GET SERVICES, GO TO GET HELP, GO TO GET OUT OF BAD SITUATIONS.
WHEN YOU SHUT THAT STUFF DOWN, THERE'S GOING TO BE HORRIBLE RAMIFICATIONS RIPPLING THROUGH THESE COMMUNITIES.
A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE COURTROOMS AND OFFICES.
THEY GOT A SCHOOL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT WE'VE HAD SORT OF A BAND-AID ON A BLEEDING ARTERY, BUT ONCE WE SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN AND PUT THESE KIDS -- EVEN SOME OF THE BIGGER TOWNS.
I MEAN, I REMEMBER SEEING POSTS ON FACEBOOK IN ROSWELL OF KIDS HAVING TO WALK OVER TO THE SCHOOL TO SIT OUT IN FRONT OF THE CLOSED SCHOOL SO THEY COULD LOG ONTO THE INTERNET SO THEY COULD DO THEIR SCHOOL WORK.
SO WE'RE SHOCKED THAT THIS IS THE SITUATION WE'RE HAVING IN NEW MEXICO, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD GOOD ACCESS TO INTERNET IN THIS STATE EVER.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO RUN WIRE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, AND EVERYBODY IS MOVING FROM, YOU KNOW, DIGITAL INTERNET TO WIRELESS INTERNET.
WE JUST ALWAYS SEEM TO BE A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT, AND I THINK THESE NUMBERS HAVE REALLY HIGHLIGHTED IT.
I HOPE THAT THIS WILL GET PEOPLE FOCUSED ON SAYING, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO WRITE-OFF ENTIRE GENERATIONS OF KIDS.
WE HAVE GOT TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION WITH SERIOUSNESS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE ADULTS STEP UP TO THE TABLE.
AND THERE'S MULTIPLE LEVELS OF PROBLEMS.
IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THIS IN NEW MEXICO ACROSS PARTY LINES, WE ARE LOSING THESE KIDS IN TRAINLOADS TO OUR SURROUNDING STATES.
Gene: I'M HEARING THAT.
LAURA, YOU KNOW, PATTY LUNDSTROM, OF COURSE, SHE HEADS THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE CURRENTLY.
INTERESTING, SHE TWEETS HANNA SKANDERA'S OLD LINE OF WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT, BY SAYING, QUOTE: YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU CAN'T MEASURE.
THE P.E.D.
BUDGET IS $3 BILLION IN NEW MEXICO.
SORT OF A SIMILAR APPROACH, BUT WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK AT TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW TO TARGET MONEY, OR IS THE PROBLEM SO PERSISTENT, AS DAN JUST SAID, THAT LAWMAKERS ALREADY KNOW AT THIS POINT?
Laura: WELL, I MEAN, I TEND TO AGREE WITH WHAT DAN IS SAYING.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG PROBLEM WE'VE HAD, BUT THE PANDEMIC HAS ABSOLUTELY EXACERBATED THE SITUATION, AND I THINK IT'S BECOME PRETTY CLEAR THAT ONLINE LEARNING, DISTANCE LEARNING, IS JUST RIFE WITH PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO ALREADY MAY BE PREDISPOSED TO FALL BEHIND.
THE ONLINE LEARNING MAKES IT JUST THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
THEY REALLY NEED TO BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY HAVE A TEACHER IN FRONT OF THEM, WHERE THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS, WHERE THEY'RE USING MULTIPLE SKILLS AND NOT JUST STARING AT A COMPUTER SCREEN.
SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TARGET THAT FUNDING TO THE MOST VULNERABLE AND GET PEOPLE BACK INTO THE CLASSROOMS.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S EXACERBATING ALL OF IT, AS WELL, IS AN INCREASE IN RETIREMENTS.
SO WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE TEACHERS THAT ARE RETIRING SOONER THAN THEY WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE, AND THAT'S JUST CREATING -- IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE, BECAUSE TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN FOR A LONG TIME ARE GETTING BURNED OUT AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO RETIRE.
SO THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND THE LEGISLATURE COULD DO A LOT, I THINK, TO INCREASE RECRUITMENT OF NEW TEACHERS, TRAINING TEACHERS, AND GETTING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE CLASSROOMS.
Gene: 40 PERCENT INCREASE IN RETIREMENTS FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL STAFF, THAT'S THE BIGGEST RAW NUMBER IN SEVEN YEARS.
THAT'S AMAZING, MICHAEL, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
HEY, REAL QUICK, I WANT TO GET BACK TO THIS IDEA OF HOW WE DON'T HAVE DATA ON THIS.
IT WAS AN INTERESTING QUOTE, MICHAEL, FROM OUR SECRETARY DESIGNATE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, KURT STEINHAUS, QUOTE: OUR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION DEPARTMENT DOES NOT EXIST, HE SAID IN RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS BY AN LFC ANALYST WEDNESDAY, MEANING THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE STAFFING NECESSARY TO TRACK DATA AND MEET THE DEMANDS OF EDUCATION-RELATED LEGISLATION.
SOMETHING IS QUITE WRONG THERE.
THIS IS THE WORST TIME POSSIBLE, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME, TO HAVE THAT DEPARTMENT UNDERFUNDED AND UNDERSTAFFED.
WHAT'S THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS?
Michael: WELL, LET ME JUST SAY SOMETHING.
THE YAZZI-MARTINEZ CASE CLEARLY -- I MEAN, THAT'S THE MINER'S CANARY FOR ALL OF THIS EDUCATION, AND I THINK YOU CAN MAKE A CASE, I THINK -- THE CASE HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE THAT THERE ARE POPULATIONS AND COMMUNITIES WHOSE NEEDS HAVE NEVER BEEN MET, IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S GOING ON NOW.
I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD DATA, THAT'S REALLY -- I MEAN, HOW LONG HAS THERE BEEN A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION?
HOW LONG HAVE WE HAD MAJOR INSTITUTIONS, UNIVERSITIES, HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO AND NOTHING HAS -- AND THIS IS ALL WE HAVE AT THIS POINT?
PIVOTING OFF, WHAT HAPPENED WITH COVID REALLY HAS DEMONSTRATED THE LACK OF SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE AND INVESTMENT IN SCHOOLS, IN MEDICAL CARE, IN ROADS, IN MANY SYSTEMS THAT YOU NEED, THAT A SOPHISTICATED COMMUNITY NEEDS FOR ITS PEOPLE TO BEGIN WITH PRE-COVID.
NOW WITH THE ADVENT OF COVID, IT'S IMPACTED ALL OF THOSE SYSTEMS, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND A WHOLE HOST OF OTHERS.
AND SO UNTIL WE REALLY LOOK AT A SYSTEM'S APPROACH TO BUILDING A SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS THESE THINGS, THAT PRODUCES EDUCATED HEALTHY PEOPLE IN A COMMUNITY, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE SORT OF ISSUES AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, I WONDER HOW MANY LEGISLATORS HAVE THEIR CHILDREN WHO ARE SCHOOL-AGED, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS?
HOW MANY OF THEM ARE IN THE PUBLIC SYSTEM?
I THINK THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO LOOK AT THAT.
BECAUSE MAYBE THERE WOULD BE MORE INVESTMENT IF THEY, IN FACT, HAD CHILDREN THAT WERE PART OF THOSE SYSTEMS AND NOT IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
Gene: INTERESTING POINT THERE.
DANIEL, THERE'S ALSO THE PROBLEM OF BEING ABLE TO COMPARE VARIOUS VERSIONS OF STANDARDIZED TESTING, WHICH HAS CHANGED A LOT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, AS YOU KNOW.
OUR CURRENT GOVERNOR MOVED AWAY FROM THE PARCC TESTS REQUIRED BY OUR FORMER GOVERNOR.
BUT THE PLAN TO USE S.A.T.
TESTS TO EVALUATE HIGH SCHOOLERS HASN'T ROLLED OUT AS PROMISED.
IT WILL BE 2022 AND MAYBE EVEN 2023 BEFORE WE HAVE RELIABLE DATA.
SAME QUESTION: IS THAT A FAILURE?
ARE KIDS BEING FAILED HERE?
ARE PARENTS BEING FAILED HERE?
WHAT HAPPENED?
Dan: IT'S A FAILURE OF EPIC PORTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE HAVE A $3 BILLION -- I MEAN, LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SPEND ON EDUCATION EVERY YEAR, AND WE'RE SAYING WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DATA IS.
MY WIFE CAN TELL ME WHAT THE DATA IS ON WHAT WE SPEND ON OUR GROCERY BILL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE SPENDING BILLIONS, WITH A 'B', BILLIONS IN A STATE WHERE THE MEDIAN INCOME IS 40-PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
IF PEOPLE AREN'T LISTENING AND SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, WE ARE SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN A DEPARTMENT AND THE ANSWER IS, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS ARE FOR THAT, IF THAT DOESN'T JUST MAKE PEOPLE SAY, WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS GOING ON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THIS.
WHEN I SPENT TIME IN THE LEGISLATURE, THERE WERE TWO THINGS YOU ALWAYS DID.
YOU KNEW WHO TO ASK FOR THE RIGHT DATA, BECAUSE THEY WOULD GIVE YOU THE ANSWER YOU WANTED, AND THE OTHER THING WE ALWAYS USED TO SAY IS, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE DATA, JUST WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND IT'LL CHANGE.
YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT THE ANSWER FROM EVERYBODY IS WE DON'T HAVE THIS DATA, WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA.
THE LAST GOVERNOR BLAMED THE GOVERNOR BEFORE THAT.
THIS GOVERNOR BLAMES THAT GOVERNOR.
THE LEGISLATURE BLAMES THE LFC.
THE LFC BLAMES THE SCHOOLS.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU AND I ARE STILL PUMPING OUT $3 BILLION -- THREE PLUS BILLION WITH A 'B' PEOPLE -- TAX DOLLARS, AND NOBODY KNOWS WHAT WE'RE GETTING FOR IT.
Gene: HAVE TO LET THAT BE THE LAST WORD ON THAT.
LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE SEEN ANY BRIGHT SPOTS IN EDUCATION BY GOING TO OUR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS FACEBOOK PAGE.
Gwyneth: I'M GWYNETH DOLAND.
DEDE FELDMAN IS A FORMER STATE SENATOR AND A FREQUENT GUEST ON OUR SHOW WHERE SHE HAS OPINED ON TOPICS SUCH AS HEALTH CARE, ETHICS, GOOD GOVERNMENT, AND MUCH MORE.
SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF SEVERAL BOOKS.
HER LATEST IS, 'TEN MORE DOORS: A PATH TO CHANGE.'
DEDE FELDMAN, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
Dede: THANKS, GWYNETH, FOR HAVING ME.
Gwyneth: MY PLEASURE.
I LEARNED FROM YOUR MEMOIR THAT YOU WERE A PROTEST MARCHING, POT SMOKING, DEADHEAD HIPPIE, AND I WAS NOT SURPRISED.
Dede: WELL, I WOULDN'T USE THE WORD HIPPIE.
I WOULDN'T USE THE WORD HIPPIE, BECAUSE I WAS MORE OF AN ACTIVIST THAN I WAS A HIPPIE.
WHEN I THINK OF HIPPIE, I THINK OF LIVING IN THE COUNTRY AND NOT BEING ENGAGED IN RIO POLITIC.
Gwyneth: WHAT IS SURPRISING READING THE MEMOIR IS THAT YOU MANAGED TO GET YOURSELF ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE AS A WOMAN FROM THE RATHER TRADITIONAL FARMING AREA OF THE NORTH VALLEY.
HOW DID YOU WIN OVER PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T SHARE YOUR UPBRINGING, YOUR RELIGION, EVEN SOME OF YOUR VALUES?
Dede: WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN I DECIDED TO RUN, AND I RAN FOR THE CITY COUNCIL FIRST AND I LOST, AND THEN I RAN FOR THE NEW MEXICO SENATE AND WON, I WAS A LITTLE INTIMIDATED BECAUSE WHEN I WENT DOWN TO LOOK AT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE, THEY ALL HAD HISPANIC LAST NAMES.
AND ALTHOUGH I HAD LIVED IN THE AREA SINCE 1976, PEOPLE KEPT TELLING ME, YOU'LL NEVER WIN BECAUSE NEW MEXICANS VOTE BASED ON ETHNICITY, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, YOU HAVEN'T GOT A CHANCE.
AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE THAT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE THAT, AND MAYBE IT WAS TRUE, BUT I DECIDED TO ACT AS IF IT WASN'T TRUE.
AND SO I JUST WENT DOOR-TO-DOOR AND GAVE PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW ME, TO SEE THAT I WAS NOT A THREAT, AND TO TRY TO DISPROVE THAT THEORY.
AND I DID DISPROVE THAT THEORY AND I HAD A GREAT TIME DOING IT.
Gwyneth: YOU HAVE A CHAPTER ABOUT TORTILLA WINDOWS IN THE WALL SEPARATING YOUR YARD FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR'S YARD.
WHAT DID YOUR NEIGHBORS IN THE NORTH VALLEY TEACH YOU ABOUT TOLERANCE?
Dede: WELL, THE FIRST THING TO KNOW IS THAT WE MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 1976, BOUGHT A LITTLE WHITE HUT, I WOULD SAY, WITH THE IDEA OF TRANSFORMING IT INTO A SOLAR ADOBE, A PASSIVE SOLAR ADOBE HACIENDA.
AND, OF COURSE, THAT WAS QUITE AMBITIOUS.
MY HUSBAND IS A DESIGNER/BUILDER, BUT STILL IN 1975, WE HAD VISIONS OF A SOLAR GREENHOUSE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, AND SO WE STARTED LAYING ADOBES UP.
CONSTRUCTED A BIG VOLCANO PIT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A MIXER, AND SO WE MIXED THE MUD IN A PIT WITH HOES.
AND OUR NEIGHBORS -- AND THEN TRIED TO LAY UP ADOBE WALLS, AND OUR NEIGHBORS KEPT DRIVING BY AND LOOKING AT WHAT THESE CRAZY GRINGOS WERE DOING OUT IN THEIR FRONT YARD.
FINALLY THEY TOOK PITY ON US AND STOPPED AND TOLD US HOW TO LAY ADOBES.
AND OUR NEIGHBORS, FROM WHOM WE BOUGHT OUR PROPERTY, HELPED US LAY UP WALLS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR NEIGHBOR INSISTED UPON WAS MAKING SURE THERE WAS A SMALL WINDOW IN THE WALL SEPARATING OUR PROPERTIES SO WE COULD PASS TORTILLAS BACK AND FORTH.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A BIG TORTILLA MAKER, BUT SHE WAS, AND IT WAS A REAL SYMBOL OF NEIGHBORLINESS, I THINK.
AND YOU NEED TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR IN THE NORTH VALLEY BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A DIVERSE AREA.
YOU'LL GET A BEAUTIFUL TERRITORIAL EXPENSIVE HOUSE NEXT TO A PLACE THAT HAS SOFAS OUT IN THE FRONT YARD THAT HAVE BEEN RAINED ON, AND THE CARS HAVE BEEN SAVED FOR PARTS IN THE SIDE YARD.
AND PEOPLE DO TOLERATE ONE ANOTHER, AND IT'S KIND OF A CODE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS BUILDING OUR HOUSE AND CAMPAIGNING FOR OFFICE IN THE EARLY NINETIES AND BEFORE, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A QUESTION OF SURVIVAL.
I HAVE A PICTURE IN MY MIND THAT I TRIED TO PUT IN THE BOOK ABOUT MY FIRST NIGHT IN THE NORTH VALLEY, WHICH ERUPTED IN GUNFIRE ACROSS THE STREET, AND I THOUGHT, WOW, MY RESEARCH FOR THIS HOUSE AND MY NEW NEIGHBORHOOD IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE.
ALL I DID WAS EAT AT MEXICAN RESTAURANTS UP AND DOWN FOURTH STREET, AND LOVED THEM, AND, BOY, I DIDN'T REALLY FIGURE THIS IS WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO.
BUT IT WAS A TOTAL ABERRATION.
IT WAS A VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
WE GOT PAST THAT, AND WE'VE LOVED THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE STILL LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE THAT WE RECONSTRUCTED.
Gwyneth: NOW, BEFORE YOU CAME OUT HERE IN 1972, YOU WERE A QUAKER VOLUNTEER BUILDING A SCHOOL IN UGANDA, AND YOU HAD AN EPIPHANY THERE ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Dede: WELL, BEFORE I CAME TO NEW MEXICO, I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER.
I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AT A QUAKER SCHOOL IN BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, CALLED GEORGE SCHOOL.
AND PART OF THE TRADITION AT THAT SCHOOL, AND FOR MANY QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS, IS THE IDEA OF A WORK CAMP, WHICH IS VERY MUCH LIKE THE PEACE CORP.
IT ACTUALLY WAS THE PRECURSOR TO THE PEACE CORP.
SO IN 1972, MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK TEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, WHO WERE MY STUDENTS, TO UGANDA, AND OUR JOB WAS TO JOIN WITH AFRICAN STUDENTS AND BUILD TWO CLASSROOM BUILDINGS THERE FAR OUT IN THE COUNTRY IN UGANDA.
IT WAS A BRUTAL YEAR TO BE IN UGANDA, BECAUSE IT WAS THE YEAR OF IDI AMIN.
HE WAS AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS POWER.
AND WHILE WE WERE THERE, THE ENTIRE MIDDLE CLASS OF THE COUNTRY, WHICH WAS ASIANS WHO HAD BEEN BROUGHT THERE YEARS AGO TO WORK ON THE RAILROAD, THEY WERE EXPELLED AND GIVEN TWO WEEKS TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
IT REALLY GAVE ME THE FEELING OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE IN EUROPE BEFORE THE ABSOLUTE TAKEOVER OF HITLER AND THE NAZIS THROUGHOUT EUROPE.
AND SO ONE DAY I GOT TO TEACH IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THERE AND THE CLASS WAS MOSTLY TEENAGE BOYS, AND THEY WERE REALLY OPERATING PROBABLY AT A 3rd OR 4th GRADE LEVEL, BUT THEY KNEW SO MUCH FROM THEIR LIVES.
AND, OF COURSE, I TRIED TO TRANSLATE MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS POWER, AND WHAT IS POLITICAL POWER, AND HOW IS IT DERIVED?
AND THEIR ANSWERS WERE MORE INSTRUCTIVE THAN ANYTHING I HAVE HEARD SINCE, AND IT GAVE ME AN APPRECIATION, OF COURSE, FOR DEMOCRACY AND FOR PEOPLE CHOOSING THEIR LEADERS RATHER THAN HAVING THEM IMPOSED UPON THEM.
MANY OF THESE KIDS WENT ON TO BECOME PART OF THE LORD'S ARMY AND THE INCREDIBLE BRUTALITY THAT SPREAD ACROSS THAT PART OF THE WORLD IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KISSED THE GROUND WHEN I GOT BACK, AND IT INFLUENCED ME MORE THAN I HAD THOUGHT AT THE TIME.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WRITE A MEMOIR.
YOU KIND OF RECALL WHAT HAPPENED, AND WAS THAT IMPORTANT, WAS THAT NOT IMPORTANT.
WELL, THAT WAS ACTUALLY A LOT MORE IMPORTANT IN MY LIFE THAN I HAD THOUGHT, AND SET ME ON A DIRECTION TO REALLY VALUE DEMOCRACY AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
Gwyneth: SO THEN BY THE LATE EIGHTIES, YOU STARTED WORKING ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.
YOU WERE A PRESS SECRETARY FOR CANDIDATES LIKE TOM UDALL.
AND IN 1988, ALL BUT ONE OF YOUR CANDIDATES LOST.
BUT YOU WROTE THAT LOSING WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Dede: WELL, LOSING IS JUST THE BEGINNING, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE 1980s AND THE EARLY 1990s, IT WAS RARE FOR WOMEN TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
THE FIRST TWO CANDIDATES THAT I RAN, THAT I HELPED, WERE ONE, MY PEDIATRICIAN, DR. SUZANNE BROWN, WHO I THINK DELIVERED HALF THE BABIES IN THE SOUTH VALLEY AND RAN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND ASKED ME AS I WAS DELIVERING MY DAUGHTER, WOULD I BE HER CAMPAIGN MANAGER.
AND I SAID, WELL, I JUST GAVE BIRTH, I'M BUSY.
AND SHE SAID, IT'S ALL RIGHT, IT'S ALL PHONE CALLS.
AND YOU'VE GOT AN EXCUSE FROM ME, ANYWAY.
SO I DID IT.
SHE WON OVERWHELMINGLY.
BUT THE REAL SERIOUS CAMPAIGN WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO RUN FOR, SERIOUSLY, U.S. SENATE IN NEW MEXICO, AND THAT WAS JUDY PRATT, WHO RAN IN 1984.
I LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT CAMPAIGN.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST YEARS OF THE WOMAN.
GERALDINE FERRARO WAS NOMINATED FOR VICE PRESIDENT THAT YEAR.
JUDY PRATT LOST IN A LANDSLIDE TO PETE DOMENICI.
THESE WERE THE REAGAN YEARS.
BUT IT WAS A WOMAN'S CAMPAIGN.
I MET A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE THAT I CONTINUED TO BE ALLIED WITH THROUGHOUT MY CAMPAIGN.
WE WERE WORKING ON THINGS LIKE THE ERA AT THAT TIME, AND EQUAL PAY, WHICH IS A CONTINUING CAMPAIGN, AND WE LOST, BUT WE WENT ON.
AND THEN SEVERAL OTHER CAMPAIGNS THAT I WORKED FOR, BRAD CULKIN, WAS MORE OF A CAMPAIGN OF ENVIRONMENTALISTS, AND WE LOST VERY NARROWLY THAT YEAR.
WE KEPT BUILDING EACH YEAR.
AND FINALLY IN THE EARLY 1990s, WOMEN BEGAN TO GET A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS, LEARNED HOW TO RAISE MONEY, LEARNED HOW TO ASK FOR HELP, AND BE TAKEN MORE SERIOUSLY.
AND FINALLY IN 1992 WAS NATIONALLY, AND IN NEW MEXICO -- AND I WRITE ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT IN A CHAPTER CALLED 'THE BITCH AND MOAN PARTY,' WHICH WAS A GATHERING OF WOMEN IN THE WAKE OF ANITA HILL'S TREATMENT BY THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WE GOT TOGETHER AND STARTED DISCUSSING HOW DO YOU DO POLLING, HOW DO YOU DO FUND-RAISING, WHO IS A GOOD CAMPAIGN MANAGER, AND THE NEXT YEAR THERE WERE A NUMBER OF WOMEN THAT WERE ELECTED TO THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE, INCLUDING DANICE PICRAUX, MIMI STEWART, LIZ STEFANICS, ANN RILEY, AND OTHERS.
AND NATIONALLY, THAT WAS THE YEAR OF THE WOMAN WHEN BARBARA BOXER, DIANNE FEINSTEIN, PATTY MURRAY, AND OTHERS WERE ELECTED.
Gwyneth: AND IN YOUR BOOK, YOU WRITE ABOUT KIND OF THE VERY BASIC STEPS OF WINNING, AND IT IS WALKING DOOR-TO-DOOR, JUST TEN MORE DOORS, YOU, CLIPBOARD IN HAND.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN I LIVED DOWNTOWN, YOU USED TO KNOCK ON MY DOOR WITH YOUR CLIPBOARD.
YOU HAVE A LIST IN THE BOOK OF YOUR TOP TEN MOMENTS WANDERING THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS AND KNOCKING ON DOORS.
WE ONLY HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.
DO YOU REMEMBER ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS?
Dede: WELL, THERE WERE MANY, OF COURSE, BUT AT ONE POINT I DROOLED ON THE PETITION THAT I WAS ASKING SOMEONE TO SIGN, AND THEY SIGNED IT ANYWAY.
IT WAS KIND OF AMAZING.
ANOTHER TIME A BIG GUST OF WIND CAME AND BLEW THE DOOR OFF THE HINGES JUST AS I WAS SAYING, MY NAME IS DEDE FELDMAN AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT STATE GOVERNMENT.
Gwyneth: I WISH WE COULD HEAR ALL OF THEM, BECAUSE THOSE ARE GREAT.
DEDE FELDMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING TO US ABOUT YOUR DOOR, 'TEN MORE DOORS.'
Dede: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
Russell: WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE MONICA MUÑOZ MARTINEZ A RECENT RECIPIENT OF THE MacARTHUR GENIUS GRANT.
MONICA IS SOMEBODY THAT I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT EXTENSIVELY AND HER WORK ON VIOLENCE AND RACIAL VIOLENCE IN THE SOUTHWEST, AND WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE HER HERE ON NEW MEXICO InFOCUS.
MONICA, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
Monica: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, RUSSELL.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE IN CONVERSATION.
Russell: SO TO START OFF, YOU AND I HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACIAL VIOLENCE IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST, BUT HOW DOES THIS MacARTHUR GENIUS GRANT CHANGE YOUR RESEARCH AND CHANGE THE WORK?
DOES IT HELP?
DOES IT PUT PRESSURE ON YOU?
HOW ARE YOU CHANGING?
Monica: OH, IT ABSOLUTELY HELPS.
IT HELPS 110%.
I MEAN, JUST FROM THE FIRST PHONE CALL, THE PHONE CALL LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT THE AWARD, THE GRAVITY OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT THIS GRANT COULD DO WAS TREMENDOUS.
GIVING ME THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AWARD AND THE SUPPORT, THEY ALSO WRITE A BIO ABOUT MY WORK, AND WHAT WAS SO MOVING TO ME WAS THAT THEY HAD READ MY RESEARCH, THAT THEY HAD STUDIED THE PUBLIC PROJECTS, AND WHAT I KEPT HEARING WAS THEM INVOKING THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOVERING HISTORIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISAVOWED, HONORING THE STORIES OF PEOPLE WHOSE HISTORIES HAVE BEEN ERASED, OR WORSE, THAT CASES OF VIOLENCE, WHO SUFFERED FROM VIOLENCE, WHO WERE CRIMINALIZED IN THE AFTERMATH.
AND SO TO KNOW THAT THE FOUNDATION WAS READING THIS WORK, BUT ALSO HEARING THOSE STORIES AND THEIR IMPORTANCE TO ME, WAS INCREDIBLY MOVING AND MOTIVATING TO KEEP DOING THE WORK OF RECOVERING THESE HISTORIES AND MAKING THEM PUBLIC.
BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS WORK, TO MAKE IT PUBLIC FOR GENERATIONS, AND TO NOW KNOW THAT THEY, TOO, HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE MacARTHUR IS TREMENDOUS.
Russell: BEFORE WE GET DEEP INTO YOUR WORK, LET'S TALK ABOUT HISTORY AND WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IN 2021.
CURRENTLY AROUND THE COUNTRY, THERE IS A BACKLASH ON CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND STUDYING THE HISTORY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT IS CRITICAL TO THE ROMANTIC FOUNDATION OF THIS COUNTRY.
WHY IS HISTORY IMPORTANT TODAY IN 2021, AND WHY SHOULD WE BE RESILIENT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AN ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY?
Monica: WELL, HISTORIANS LIKE TO SAY, YOU HAVE TO LEARN HISTORY SO YOU DON'T REPEAT IT, YOU DON'T REPEAT THE WORST PARTS OF HISTORY, AND AS A HISTORIAN OF RACE AND HISTORIAN OF RACIAL VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES, IT'S BEEN DEEPLY TROUBLING TO SEE SO MANY MISTAKES REPEATED, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF RACIAL VIOLENCE ON THE US/MEXICO BORDER, ABOUT THE LONG HISTORY OF ANTI-IMMIGRANT SENTIMENT, OF NATIVISM, AND ANTI-MEXICAN SENTIMENT 100 YEARS AGO THAT LED TO RACIAL VIOLENCE, BUT IT ALSO LED TO RACISM IN FORMING AND SHAPING IMMIGRATION LAWS THAT HAVE IMPACTED PEOPLE FOR OVER A CENTURY.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO LEARN HISTORIES, ESPECIALLY, IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A MOMENT OF LAWS BEING PASSED TO INTENTIONALLY RESTRICT THE RIGHTS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE EARLY 20th CENTURY, THE JIM CROW ERA OF THE UNITED STATES HELPS TO TEACH US ABOUT HOW POWER WORKS, ACTUALLY, AND WORKED EFFICIENTLY TO RESTRICT PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.
WE ARE LIVING IN ANOTHER MOMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, WHERE WE SEE ACTIVE EFFORTS TO RESTRICT PEOPLE'S VOTING RIGHTS, TO RESTRICT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, AND ALSO TO RESTRICT THE RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS AND ASYLUM SEEKERS.
SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR US TO LEARN FROM HISTORY AND TO LEARN FROM PEOPLE WHO CALLED FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ORGANIZED TO INSIST THEY HAD CIVIL RIGHTS AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPECTED, BECAUSE THOSE TO ME ARE THE MOST INSPIRING STORIES THAT CAN HELP PROPEL US FORWARD TO KEEP CALLING FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY.
Russell: WHY IS THERE SUCH A NEGATIVE REACTION WHEN YOU BRING UP THE HISTORY OF RACIAL VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES AND IT INCLUDES LATINOS?
WHAT'S THE RESISTANCE TO THAT?
Monica: WELL, I THINK THAT IT'S AN EXAMPLE THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ENOUGH RESOURCES BY UNIVERSITIES, BY LIBRARIES, BY MUSEUMS INVESTED IN EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE HOW WIDESPREAD RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY IS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND FOR THERE TO BE A PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS FOR DIFFERENT RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS.
SO THE STUDY IN TEXAS FOR ME, AND THE SOUTHWEST, IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE HISTORIES OF CONQUEST, OF GENOCIDAL VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, AND OF THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY ALL INTERSECT IN A PLACE LIKE TEXAS.
SO FOR ME, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF RACIST VIOLENCE IN TEXAS ALONG RACIAL LINES.
ONE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT I GIVE IS A TEXAS RANGER ACTUALLY WHO WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE COMPANY THAT ORGANIZED THE PORVENIR MASSACRE.
HIS NAME WAS JAMES MONROE FOX.
BEFORE HE WAS A TEXAS RANGER WHO WAS POLICING IN WEST TEXAS, HE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED AS A TEXAS RANGER IN SOUTH TEXAS IN ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHS OF ANTI-MEXICAN VIOLENCE OF TEXAS RANGERS ON HORSEBACK WITH ROPES TIED AROUND DEAD MEXICAN BODIES IDENTIFIED IN THE PHOTOGRAPH ONLY DEROGATORILY AS MEXICAN BANDITS.
BUT BEFORE HE WAS IN WEST TEXAS AND THEN IN SOUTH TEXAS POLICING MEXICANS WITH VIOLENCE, COMMITTING THESE ACTS OF BRUTALITY, HE WAS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND ONE OF THE EARLIEST RECORDS THAT WE HAVE OF HIM IN THE HISTORICAL ARCHIVE IS OF HIM SHOOTING A PRISONER, AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRISONER, IN AUSTIN IN 1902.
AND SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE THAT WE'RE RECOVERING IN A RECOVERY EFFORT TO RECORD CASES OF RACIST VIOLENCE IN TEXAS THAT REMIND US THAT THESE HISTORIES ARE INTERCONNECTED.
1918 IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT YEAR WHERE THERE'S AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE TEXAS RANGERS, INTO THEIR ABUSE, THAT IS LED BY JOSE CANALES, WHO WAS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM SOUTH TEXAS, AND HE BRINGS A WHOLE SET OF CHARGES OF TEXAS RANGERS COMMITTING ABUSE, EXTRA-LEGAL VIOLENCE, AGAINST MEXICAN-AMERICANS, BUT ALSO AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS, AND DESPITED TWO WEEKS OF EXTENSIVE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE BEING SUBMITTED, THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE DECIDED NOT TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST INDIVIDUAL TEXAS RANGERS AND ALSO DIDN'T CONDEMN STATE LEADERSHIP FOR CALLING FOR VIOLENT POLICING.
SWIFTLY AFTER THAT HEARING ENDS IN 1918, THE GOVERNOR CALLS ON THE TEXAS RANGERS TO INVESTIGATE NAACP CHAPTERS IN THE STATE AND TO SHUT THEM DOWN.
SO AGAIN, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE RESPONSES, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE CRITICAL OF EFFORTS TO RECOVER HISTORIES OF OTHER RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS, I SAY, LOOK, WE ARE AT A LOSS IF WE DON'T SEE HOW THESE ARE INTERCONNECTED.
AND AGAIN, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE ANTI-MEXICAN VIOLENCE WAS STATE SANCTIONED, WAS EXTRA-LEGAL VIOLENCE BY POLICE.
THOSE ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT CASES TO BE LEARNING FROM TODAY WHEN WE ARE, AGAIN, CONFRONTING POLICE BRUTALITY BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT ALSO BY BORDER PATROL OFFICERS.
Russell: NOW, FINAL 30 SECONDS HERE, WE RECENTLY HAD THE IMAGES OF THE BORDER PATROL ON HORSEBACK HERDING HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS.
A LOT OF FOLKS SAW THIS AND WERE REMINDED OF SLAVERY, THE IMAGES OF SLAVERY.
YES, THE BORDER PATROL DID NOT USE WHIPS, THEY USED REINS FOR THE HERDING, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT THE SLAVERY IMAGES.
BUT NOT A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ANTI-BORDER VIOLENCE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
WHY DO WE STILL NOT HAVE THAT IN OUR NARRATIVE TODAY?
Monica: I THINK IT'S BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY.
WE DON'T KNOW ALSO THE HISTORY OF POLICING ON THE BORDER.
AND SO WHAT THE PHENOMENON OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT THAT PHOTOGRAPH AND BEING HORRIFIED TELLS US IS THAT SOME PEOPLE DID SEE IT AND SAID, THIS SHOULD REMIND US OF SLAVE PATROLS.
OTHER PEOPLE SAW IT AND SAID, THIS SHOULD REMIND US OF THE JIM CROW SOUTH.
FOR PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTHWEST, THEY IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT ABOUT THE TEXAS RANGERS ON THE TEXAS BORDER.
AND SO WHAT ALL OF THAT TELLS ME IS THAT WE HAVE A WHOLE SET OF HISTORIES OF RACIAL VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT AS A PUBLIC WE HAVE NOT CONFRONTED.
BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO REMEMBER THOSE HISTORIES AND WHO ARE TROUBLED BY THEM, THESE DISPLAYS OF POLICE BRUTALITY TODAY RESURFACE ALL OF THOSE UNRESOLVED HISTORIES.
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AS A NATION TO CONFRONT OUR HISTORIES OF RACIST VIOLENCE, BUT TO LEARN ABOUT ALL OF THEM.
AND I THINK IT'S HISTORIANS' RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING THESE HISTORIES TO LIGHT SO THAT WE DO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND WE CAN FIND SOLUTIONS.
Russell: MONICA MUNOZ, RECIPIENT OF THE MacARTHUR GENIUS GRANT, MUCHO FELICIDADES, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE YOUR WORK GOES FROM HERE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
Monica: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
Gene: IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A MONTH SINCE WE'VE HAD A MAYORAL FORUM, AND THE NEW MEXICO BLACK VOTERS COLLABORATIVE FORUM THIS WEEK FELT OVERDUE.
WE HAVE BEEN NEEDING TO HEAR FROM THESE CANDIDATES IN DETAIL, AND EACH LEFT MUCH TO CONSIDER IN THE AFTERMATH.
FOR ONE, WE NOW NOTABLY HAVE A CANDIDATE WHO CLAIMS THAT IF HE WINS, HE WILL BE ALBUQUERQUE'S FIRST BLACK MAYOR, BY WAY OF A DNA TEST.
THAT DIDN'T PLAY TOO WELL IN FRONT OF A BLACK AUDIENCE.
MAKE OF THAT WHAT YOU WILL.
BUT A TIP OF THE HAT TO MODERATOR AND FREQUENT LINE PANELIST CATHY MCGILL FOR HER CONSIDERABLE SKILLS IN THE MOMENT.
YOU CAN WATCH THE NEW MEXICO BLACK VOTERS COLLABORATIVE MAYORAL FORUM NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT RIGHT HERE AT 7:00 PM.
IT WAS AN ILLUMINATING EVENT AND WILL BE WELL WORTH THE WATCH.
THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING US AND FOR STAYING INFORMED AND ENGAGED.
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK, InFOCUS.
FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.
AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
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