FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE  MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.

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.