FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS  LIKE YOU.

Gene: THIS WEEK ON NEW  MEXICO IN FOCUS, REACTION TO THE GOVERNOR'S DECISION TO END  THE STATE MASK MANDATE AND HOW OUR TOP HEALTH OFFICIAL IS  RESPONDING.

Scrase: IN COMPARISON TO  WHY WE ARE DOING THIS TODAY WHEN WE DIDN'T DO IT BEFORE, I  AM NOT SURE THOSE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATIONS ALL THE  VARIABLES.

Gene: PLUS A CALL FROM THE  CATHOLIC CHURCH TO END OUR INVESTMENT IN NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

I AM YOUR HOST, GENE GRANT.

ONE WEEK AFTER THE END OF THE  REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION WE ARE CHECKING IN WITH  A POLITICAL SCIENCE EXPERT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS  ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT HE SAYS IS THE BOTTOM LINE FOR MOST  NEW MEXICANS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR STATE LEGISLATURE.

THAT IS COMING UP IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW.

IN JUST 15 MINUTES, ENVIRONMENT REPORTER LAURA  PASKUS CATCHES UP WITH AN ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILOR  WORKING TO END THE CITY'S BAN ON PLASTIC BAGS ONLY A FEW  YEARS AFTER IT BEGAN.

BUT FIRST WE ARE CHECKING IN  WITH THE LINE AS THE ENTIRE STATE SCRAMBLES TO FIND  PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS AFTER THE GOVERNOR'S SUDDEN MOVE TO END  THE MASK MANDATE.

LET'S GET RIGHT TO OUR PANEL.

WELCOME TO OUR LINE OPINION PANEL THIS WEEK.

AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME TO BEING HERE WITH US.

FIRST, HAPPY TO HAVE CATHY MCGILL BACK WITH US, FOUNDER  AND DIRECTOR OF THE NEW MEXICO BLACK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.

WE ARE ALSO WELCOMING BACK GOOD FRIENDS TOM GARRITY FROM  THE GARRITY GROUP PUBLIC RELATIONS AND IT IS GREAT TO  SEE TJ TROUT AT THE VIRTUAL TABLE, HOST OF THE AFTERNOON  DRIVE SHOW ON KKOB.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING THUS  WEEK.

NOW, SHORTLY AFTER THE  LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDED, GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM MADE AN  ABRUPT ANNOUNCEMENT ENDING NEW MEXICO'S INDOOR MASK MANDATE.

IT CAME A WEEK AFTER STATE HEALTH DIRECTOR, DAVID SCRASE,  TOLD THE PUBLIC HE THOUGHT THE MANDATE WAS STILL NECESSARY.

NOW, DR. SCRASE ADDRESSED THE MEDIA ON WEDNESDAY FOR THE  FIRST TIME SINCE THE MANDATE WAS SCRAPPED.

HE SAID HE CONSULTED WITH THE GOVERNOR AND DATA SHOWS THIS  WAS A PRUDENT MOVE.

SOME QUESTION THE TIMING OF  THIS SPECULATING THERE COULD BE POLITICS HERE FROM THE  GOVERNOR.

HOW DO YOU SEE THIS MOTIVATION  HERE?

TJ TROUT, LET'S START WITH  YOU.

WHAT IS BEHIND THE MASK  MANDATE?

TJ: WELL, I AM NOT A DOCTOR  AS YOU KNOW.

JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT.

BUT -- Gene: WE ALL BREATHED A  SIGH OF RELIEF WHEN YOU SAID THIS.

TJ: I HAD A CONVERSATION THE OTHER DAY WITH BARRY RAMO  ABOUT THIS A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND ABOUT COVID IN GENERAL.

HE THINKS IT IS TOO SOON BUT I DON'T.

AND, HERE IS WHY.

I AM LOOKING AT COVID NUMBERS  AND INFECTION RATE DROPPING AND HOSPITALIZATIONS DROPPING,  I AM THINKING, I IMAGINE THE STATE SAW THIS COMING AND, YOU  KNOW, I AM NOT USUALLY LIKE THIS, BUT I AM ACTUALLY KIND  OF HOPEFUL ON THIS, BARRING ANY NEW HORRIBLE VARIANT  COMING OUR WAY.

THERE WAS NOT SO GOOD NEWS  ABOUT THE VARIANT THAT JUST HIT THE NEWS TODAY.

BUT, BARRING, IF IT IS NOT HORRIBLE, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME  THE COUNTRY AND NEW MEXICO MIGHT ACTUALLY BE SEEING OUR  NUMBERS SHRINK MAYBE TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS NOT A CRISIS  ANYMORE.

I AM BELIEVING THAT DR. SCRASE  AND THE GOVERNOR ARE SEEING DATA THAT HAS COME IN THAT  MIGHT ACTUALLY PREDICT WHAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, IT IS NOT A RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO PROTECT  THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE BECAUSE WE NEED TO NOT SHIFT  OUT OF DOING THAT, BECAUSE OUR SENIORS AND THOSE WHO ARE  IMMUNOCOMPROMISED NEED TO BE PROTECTED AND WE HAVE GOT TO  CONCENTRATE ON THOSE PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE WE KEEP THEM  SAFE.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATS,  GENE, MOST PEOPLE WHO DIE FROM THIS STILL ARE UNVACCINATED,  GRANTED, BUT ALSO IF YOU LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER AT THE STATS,  MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING FROM THIS ARE ELDERLY AND  IMMUNOCOMPROMISED.

Gene: CATHY, TJ MENTIONED  DR. SCRASE POINTING OUT SEVERAL PIECES OF DATA DURING  HIS PRESENTATION THIS WEEK SHOWING CASES DROPPING,  HOSPITALIZATIONS, DEATHS, ALL DROPPING AT A SIGNIFICANT  RATE.

NOT A LITTLE BIT BUT  SIGNIFICANT.

FOR THOSE WHO THINK THIS  HAPPENED TOO EARLY, WEREN'T THESE POSITIVE CHANGES, THE  PRIORITY FROM THE STATE?

IT SEEMS PRETTY CONSISTENT,  NO?

Cathryn: WELL, I THINK THIS  ALL KIND OF GETS PUT TOGETHER IN THIS KIND OF MUMB0 JUMBO IN  THE PUBLIC AND WAIT A MINUTE YOU JUST SAID ONE THING.

NOW YOU'RE SAYING SOMETHING ELSE.

SHOULD WE HAVE BELIEVED YOU BEFORE OR SHOULD WE BELIEVE  YOU NOW?

SO, IT BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH  WHETHER OR NOT THE CITIZENRY TRUSTS WHAT THE INFORMATION  THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT.

YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE IT IS FACT BASED THAT MASKED DO  WORK.

SO, I DON'T THINK THAT IS  REALLY IN QUESTION BASED ON THE SCIENCE, BUT WHAT HAPPENS  IS THAT PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN TRUST  WHAT COMES OUT OF THOSE OFFICES BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE  IT IS TAINTED BY POLITICS AND CULTURE WARS THAT WE ARE  EXPERIENCING RELATED TO THESE MASK MANDATES.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING I AM JUST GOING TO DO WHAT FEELS  RIGHT FOR ME.

I AM NOT SURE IF WE HAVE LOST  AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP TRUST AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO  GOING FORWARD HAVING GOTTEN RID OF THIS MASK MANDATE,  ALTHOUGH WE ARE FOLLOWING WHAT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS  DOING RIGHT NOW.

Gene: WITHOUT THIS MANDATE,  IT IS NOW -- LET ME TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS HERE.

INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE NOW IN CHARGE OF DECIDING  WHETHER OR NOT TO ENACT A MASKING RULE IN CLASSROOMS.

I GOT TO ASK, IS IT FAIR TO SHIFT THIS DECISION ON THE  DISTRICTS OR WAS THIS ALWAYS JUST AN INEVITABILITY OF THE  DECISION MAKING.

Tom: WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE  IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE SHIFTING, WHENEVER -- AS LONG  AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS EXIST, THERE IS ALWAYS  OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THE  RULES ARE.

I THINK ONE OF THE KEY THINGS  THAT DR. SCRASE SAID THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE QUESTION YOU  ASKED IS AS HE WRAPPED UP OR AS NEWS COVERAGE WRAPPED UP,  DR. SCRASE SAYS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DECIDING  HOW TO KEEP OURSELVES SAFE HAS MOVED FROM THE STATE  GOVERNMENT TO THE INDIVIDUAL.

AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT QUOTE  THAT WAS IN THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL WAS JUST REALLY SO  TELLING BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW, YOU KNOW, FOCUS IS  ON THE INDIVIDUAL AND WE ARE ALL KIND OF RESPONSIBLE AND SO  I SEE A LOT OF SHIFTING OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FROM GOVERNMENT  TO OTHER ENTITIES, WHETHER IT BE A SCHOOL DISTRICT, OF  COURSE HOSPITALS, MASK MANDATES STILL IN PLACE,  ELDERCARE FACILITIES, MASK MANDATE IS STILL IN PLACE.

THAT IS GOOD.

I AM FAVOR OF THAT.

I DON'T KNOW TO KIND OF CHIME IN ON THE THOUGHT IF IT IS TOO  EARLY, INITIALLY EVERYTHING -- MEDICAL SOLUTION OF THE  MASKING WAS TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID.

NOW WITH THE POSITIVITY RATE BELOW 10% IT SEEMS AS IF THAT  HAS WORKED SO IT IS TIME TO RELOOK AT IT, BECAUSE THE  IMPACT FROM THE MASK MANDATE HAS IMPACTED SO MANY DIFFERENT  ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS BOTH FOR THE GOOD AND FOR THE  BAD.

Gene: YEAH.

I SAW SOME RECENT NUMBERS ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE  RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AND CONTINUES TO.

IT IS REALLY JUST UGLY.

TJ, ONE QUICK LAST POINT ON  THE SCHOOL THING.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT THERE  HAS BEEN A LOT OF OTHER STATES THAT HAVE DONE THIS MASK  MANDATE KICK DOWN TO THE SCHOOLS, AND WHAT HAS RESULTED  IS THE SCHOOLS HAVE BECOME A FLASH POINT FOR PROTESTING,  EVEN THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS.

DO WE WANT THAT?

DO WE WANT THE PROTESTS TO NOW  BE CONCENTRATED ON THE DOORSTEPS OF OUR SCHOOLS  INSTEAD.

TJ: WELL,   I DON'T HAVE KIDS SO I CAN'T PERSONALLY TALK TO  HOW I WOULD FEEL IF I HAD KIDS IN SCHOOLS.

SO I UNDERSTAND, THOUGH, THAT PARENTS ARE VERY CONCERNED BUT  IF THE PARENTS ARE CONCERNED THEY NEED TO BE CONCERNED LESS  ABOUT THE POLITICS AND MORE ABOUT THE SCIENCE AND MORE  ABOUT WHAT IS REAL AND NOT REAL.

AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC TRUST AND OBVIOUSLY WE  ARE GOING THROUGH A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF NOW RELATED TO  PUBLIC TRUST NOT JUST IN SCIENCE BUT IN POLITICS, BUT I  THINK PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE STATE WAS  GOOD AT GETTING THIS MESSAGE OUT.

SCIENCE NATURALLY CHANGES.

SCIENCE CHANGES WITH ACQUIRED  KNOWLEDGE.

SCIENCE CHANGES WITH  KNOWLEDGE.

SCIENCE CHANGES WITH  EXPERIENCE.

THAT IS THE WAY IT WORKS.

THAT IS THE WAY IT HAS ALWAYS WORKED AND PEOPLE NEED TO  UNDERSTAND THAT.

IF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND  THAT, WELL, MAYBE PEOPLE SHOULD TRY TO EDUCATE  THEMSELVES A LITTLE BETTER SO THEY DO UNDERSTAND IT AND  MAYBE THE STATE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT AND THIS SAY, WELL,  MAYBE WE ARE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THE BEST WAY  POSSIBLE.

Gene: CATHY, IT IS HARD,  TOUGH, I HAVE HAD PEOPLE CONFUSED, DR. FAUCI WORKING  FOR THE STATE AND CONFUSE DR. SCRASE WORKING FOR THE  FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THEY ARE CONFUSED WHO IS  GETTING MESSAGES FROM WHERE AND WHAT.

I AM CURIOUS YOUR OPINION ABOUT WHAT TJ MENTIONED.

IF WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO MASK MANDATES AT SOME POINT, DOES  THE GOVERNOR HAVE THE CLOUT TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE HAVE TO GO  BACK ON A MASK REGIME?

Cathryn: SHE HAS THE  POSITIONAL AUTHORITY TO DO THAT TO SAY IF WE NEED TO GO  BACK WE WILL.

THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO  UNDERSTAND IS THAT THEY CAN ISSUE A PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER  SAYING THAT, WE DECIDE WE ARE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN.

WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN FOR A LOT OF  REASONS, REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

BUT IT IS TOTALLY -- I TOTALLY  WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH TJ, IT IS ABOUT THE CITIZENRY  EDUCATING YOURSELF, LIKE GET THE FACTS ABOUT EVERY ISSUE.

GET FACTS.

Gene: THAT IS A HARD ONE.

NAVAJO NATION KEEPING MASK MANDATES DESPITE THE STATE'S  ANNOUNCEMENT.

I AM CURIOUS IF THE STATE HAD  HAVE CONSULTED NATIVE TRIBES AND OTHER GROUPS BEFORE MAKING  THIS DECISION.

YOU KNOW, MEANING COULD THIS  LACK OF UNIFORMITY CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS OUT THERE?

Tom: IT WILL CAUSE CONFUSION BUT THE NAVAJO  NATION HAS ITS AUDIENCE AND THE NAVAJO NATION KNOWS HOW  BEST TO COMMUNICATE WITH ITS RESIDENTS SO I DON'T THINK  THAT THERE WILL BE THAT MUCH CONFUSION.

TO THE POINT THAT HAVE BRIEFLY BEEN MADE ABOUT TRUST OF  GOVERNMENT, VERSUS TRUST OF DOCTORS AND PHYSICIANS, YOU  KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN BOTH NATIONALLY IN OUR OWN SURVEYS  OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IS THAT DOCTORS AND PHYSICIANS ARE  SEEN AS MUCH MORE TRUSTED THAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO HAVE  BEEN ON A STEADY DECLINE FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.

SO, FOR GOVERNMENT TO COME OUT AND SAY, TRUST US, THAT  AUTOMATICALLY MEETS AGAINST A WALL OF DISBELIEF.

SO THERE IS A LOT WORK THAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO BUILD  TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY BUT NOT SOMETHING THAT IS DONE  OVERNIGHT.

Gene: TJ, WE ARE UNDER  ABOUT A MINUTE-AND-A-HALF HERE.

DR. SCRASE MADE THE POINT AND CATHY, GET YOUR THOUGHT ON  THIS TOO, TO RESPECT THE DECISIONS OF OTHERS, WHETHER  OR NOT THEY ARE MASKED OR NOT.

IF YOU SEE SOMEONE DOING THE  OPPOSITE, TO JUST BE RESPECTFUL.

ARE WE IN THAT PLACE NOW?

CAN WE DO THAT AND BE  RESPECTFUL OF PEOPLES' CHOICES.

TJ: YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE ON THAT ONE.

BUT OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT TO SEE FIST FIGHTS BREAK OUT IN  SMITH'S.

IT IS BAD ENOUGH WHAT PEOPLE  DO TO EACH OTHER ON AIRPLANES THESE DAYS.

I MEAN, YES, JUST HAVE SOME COMMON COURTESY, RESPECT EACH  OTHER, DON'T BE A JERK.

HOW IS THAT?

ARE THOSE WORDS TO LIVE BY?

JUST BE POLITE.

Gene: YOUR THOUGHT ON THAT,  THE IDEA OF RESPECT.

Cathryn: I KNOW WHAT IT  MEANS TO ME.

UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR RIGHT  ENDS AT THE TIP OF MY NOSE.

PEOPLE DO WHAT IS BEST FOR  THEM AT THAT POINT AND WE HOPE WE ARE THINKING ABOUT WHAT  OTHER PEOPLE NEED AS WE ARE WALKING THROUGH THIS SOCIETY  WHERE OUR -- Gene: THANK YOU ALL FOR  THAT DISCUSSION.

WE'LL BRING THE PANEL BACK IN  JUST A LITTLE OVER FIVE MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT BREAKING  NEWS ON PNM'S PLANS TO AVOID BLACKOUTS THIS SUMMER.

UP NEXT, ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILOR IS TRYING TO PUT AN  END TO THE CITY'S OWN BAN ON PLASTIC BAGS.

ENVIRONMENT CORRESPONDENT LAURA PASKUS SPOKE WITH  COUNCILOR BROOK BASSAN WHO REPRESENTS THE NORTHEAST  HEIGHTS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY SHE THINKS THIS IS A  PRIORITY FOR PEOPLE OF ALBUQUERQUE.

Laura: WOULD YOU LIKE TO REPEAL THIS ORDINANCE.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY?

Bassan: SURE.

YOU KNOW, WITH THE PANDEMIC HAPPENING AND WITH THE PAUSE  THAT WE HAD, WITH THE EMERGENCY ORDERS, THE NEED FOR  US TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE SAFE FROM THE SPREAD OF  VIRUSES AND MASKS BEING USED AND SOCIAL DISTANCING AND  STORE CLOSURES, IN ADDITION TO SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT I  LEARNED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, ONE BEING THAT OUR CITY  RECYCLING PLANT IS UNABLE TO RECYCLE PLASTIC BAGS OF ANY  KIND.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE  STRUGGLING TO RECYCLE EVEN SOME OF THE OTHER MATERIALS AS  WELL WITH OUR PLANT.

SO, A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT  AVENUES CAME UP AND DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.

SO, EVEN BUSINESSES WOULD EITHER HAVE SUPPLY CHAIN  ISSUES WITH GETTING REUSABLE BAGS OR THEY HAVE A STOCKPILE  OF BAGS AVAILABLE.

MY POINT IS THAT THERE IS A  WHOLE BUNCH OF INFORMATION AND PRIORITIES TO EACH INDIVIDUAL  OUT THERE AND I THINK THAT IT DAWNED ON ME AND SOME OTHERS  THAT WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS, THAT PEOPLE  SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT IS PRIORITY FOR  THEM, WHETHER IT BE ELIMINATION OF PLASTIC USE IN  THEIR LIFE OR WHETHER IT BE A REUSE OF ANY KIND OF MATERIALS  OR EVEN FINDING SOME WAY TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE CLEANER AND  MORE SANITARY IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING.

Laura: SO THE ORDINANCE WAS A PRETTY HARD FOUGHT DEBATE TO  GET PASSED AND OF COURSE THERE WAS A LOT OF FRUSTRATION AND  CONFUSION AT THE BEGINNING.

BUT HAVEN'T PEOPLE LARGELY  ADJUSTED AT THIS POINT AND SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, IF THEY  ARE CYNICAL, MIGHT BE SAYING THIS IS A WAY TO CURRY SOME  POLITICAL POINTS RIGHT NOW TO REPEAL THIS BAN.

Bassan: DEFINITELY NOT ANY KIND OF POLITICAL MOTIVATION  WITH THIS ONE.

THIS IS TRULY A -- WHO KNEW  THAT THE PANDEMIC WAS COMING?

WHO KNEW THERE WERE GOING TO  BE A CHANGE IN PRIORITY FOR DIFFERENT HEALTH MEASURES AS  WELL.

RESEARCH IS COMING OUT THAT IS  SAYING -- IN ALL FAIRNESS, AND I SAID THIS A WHILE BACK TOO  IN ONE OF OUR MEETINGS -- WHATEVER YOU GO LOOKING FOR  WHEN IT COMES TO RESEARCH, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THE  ANSWERS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

SO I RESPECT THAT.

I RESPECT THERE IS RESEARCH SAYING, WE NEED TO ELIMINATE  THE USE OF PLASTIC, BUT THERE IS ALSO RESEARCH SAYING THAT  USING PAPER OR USING THE STITCHED REUSABLE BAGS CAN  ALSO BE NEGATIVE IN THEIR OWN WAY, AGAIN, DEPENDING WHAT  YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT YOUR PRIORITY IS.

SO, WITH THE PANDEMIC HAPPENING, WITH THE CHANGE IN  REALLY A BIG SOCIETAL NORM.

WE HAVE A NEW NORM GOING ON  AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PIVOT AND RECOGNIZE WHAT IS  IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE AND IF PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY NEED TO  USE A REUSABLE BAG, IF THEY WANT TO USE PAPER, IF THEY  WANT TO USE PLASTIC, MY POINT IS, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO  DECIDE.

WE SHOULDN'T BE MAKING  DECISIONS FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE KNOW THERE ARE  DIFFERENT PRIORITIES FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

Laura: I GUESS I DON'T TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU  MEAN BY DIFFERENT PRIORITIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE PLASTIC  BAGS?

Bassan: I KNOW A LOT OF  PEOPLE THAT HAVE DISABILITIES THAT ACTUALLY ARE REQUESTING  AND NEED HELP WITH MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE A LOOPED BAG,  WHETHER THAT BE REUSABLE OR NOT, BUT THAT IS A PLASTIC BAG  FOR A LOT OF THEM.

PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT  HYGIENE, WHETHER THEY BE EMPLOYEES IN A STORE, WHETHER  THEY BE CONSUMERS IN A STORE AND I THINK THAT IS ANOTHER  THING, WHERE PLASTIC CAN COME IN HANDY.

IF YOU DON'T GO HOME AND WASH THESE REUSABLE BAGS IN  140-DEGREE WATER WITH SOAP EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY ARE  USED, THEN IT CAN BE ARGUED BACTERIA IS BUILDING UP.

I AM NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT COVID BUT PEOPLE ARE CARING  MORE ABOUT GERMS EVEN WITH THE NEW MASK MANDATE BEING LIFTED,  YOU STILL SEE PEOPLE GOING OUT AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE NOW  STILL WEARING AND CHOOSING TO CONTINUE TO WEAR A MASK  BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE DOING WHAT IS BEST  FOR THEIR PRIORITY AND THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR BENEFIT.

Laura: WITH SO MUCH HELPING, I FEEL LIKE A QUICK  LOOK AROUND ALBUQUERQUE, BUT WE ARE FACED WITH SO MANY  CHALLENGES WHETHER THAT IS PANDEMIC OR MENTAL HEALTH,  CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER CHALLENGES, HOMELESSNESS,  CRIME, WHY REVISIT THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE RIGHT  NOW?

Bassan: SURE.

THIS ONE AGAIN WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WHETHER FROM  CONSUMERS, WHETHER IT BE FROM BUSINESSES, IT WAS A WHOLE  DIFFERENT LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION BUT I THINK THAT  ACTUALLY IT IS MY NO.

1 PRIORITY TO DO WHAT I CAN TO  REDUCE CRIME, TO IMPROVE HOMELESSNESS AND ARGUABLY SOME  PEOPLE CAN SAY PLASTICS -- ALL OF US AGREE IT SHOULDN'T BE  FLOATING AROUND BUT SOME PEOPLE NEED A MORE DISPOSABLE  OR REUSABLE OPTION AS FAR AS A TEMPORARY THING, ESPECIALLY  FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING ENCAMPMENTS, WE ARE  SEEING PROBLEMS WITH THAT AS WELL.

IT IS MY PRIORITY TO REDUCE CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS IN OUR  CITY BUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO IGNORE  OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR LIVES ON A DAILY  BASIS, AND THAT BEING SAID, BUSINESSES ARE STRUGGLING,  CONSUMERS ARE MORE CONCERNED IN A DIFFERENT WAY THEY WERE  TWO YEARS AGO AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE.

Gene: THIS IS A CITY MEASURE ABOUT A GLOBAL ISSUE.

ACCORDING TO AN INTERNATIONAL POLL RELEASED EARLIER THIS  WEEK, THREE OF FOUR PEOPLE ACROSS THE PLANET WANT TO BAN  SINGLE-USE PLASTICS.

WATCH LAURA'S FULL INTERVIEW  WITH COUNCILOR BROOK BASSAN ON LINE RIGHT NOW ON THE OUR LAND  FACEBOOK PAGE.

YOU'LL ALSO FIND LINKS TO THE  REPEAL MEASURE.

A LIST OF CITIES THAT HAVE  SUCCESSFULLY KEPT PLASTIC BAG BANS AND CONTACT INFORMATION  FOR CITY COUNCILORS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE YOUR  OPINION ON THE ISSUE.

Krebs: I THINK FOR THE  AVERAGE PERSON OUT THERE, THEY DON'T CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THE  INSIDE POLITICS THAT IS GOING ON HERE.

WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IS THEY WANT TO SEE RESULTS.

THEY WANT TO SEE A LEGISLATION THAT FUNCTIONS TO SERVE THEIR  INTERESTS.

Gene:   PNM, THE STATE'S LARGEST ELECTRIC UTILITY, SAYS  IT HAS A PLAN TO AVOID ROLLING BLACKOUTS DURING THE SUMMER  BUT THE VERY EXISTENCE OF THAT PLAN IS CAUSING SOME CONCERN  AND CONFUSION FOR CUSTOMERS.

LET'S BRING IN OUR LINE  OPINION PANELISTS ONCE AGAIN TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT THIS.

THE SAN JUAN COAL FIRED GENERATING STATION WAS SLATED  TO SHUT DOWN AT THE END OF JUNE.

PUBLIC REGULATIONS COMMISSION SAYS THAT THE ENERGY WILL BE  REPLACED BY A COMBINATION OF SOLAR AND BATTERY-STORED  ELECTRICITY BUT PNM SAYS IT MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH TO MAKE UP  THE DIFFERENCE, CITING SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND OTHER  CHALLENGES GETTING NEW ENERGY RESOURCES UP AND RUNNING.

NOW IN BREAKING NEWS THIS WEEK, PNM WILL KEEP ONE UNIT  OF THE COAL FIRED PLANT RUNNING A BIT LONGER THAN  EXPECTED.

NOW, TOM, IS THIS A NO HARM,  NO FOUL SITUATION OR SHOULD PNM HAVE BEEN BETTER PREPARED  FOR THEIR OWN DEADLINE WITH THE IMPENDING SUMMER SEASON  RIGHT IN THEIR FACE?

Tom: THERE IS A LOT OF  DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT WENT INTO THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION  WITH THE PRC AND FOUR CORNERS.

AT THE CENTER OF IT IS THE  ETA, ENERGY TRANSITION ACT, WHICH REQUIRES UTILITIES AND  GOVERNMENTS TO BASICALLY REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTS BY  RELYING MORE ON CARBONLESS ENERGY, LIKE SOLAR OR WIND.

AND SO PNM WAS PREPARING TO MOVE IN THAT PARTICULAR REALM  AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN COVID HIT AND SUPPLY CHAIN HIT, SO,  THE SOLAR PANELS THAT THEY THOUGHT -- THE SOLAR FARMS  THAT WOULD BE UP AND RUNNING WERE NOT ABLE TO GET UP AND  RUNNING BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE STUCK SOMEWHERE OVERSEAS OR  THEY JUST COULD NOT BE MADE.

SO YOU HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT  FACTORS THAT WENT INTO IT.

YOU KNOW, SO, I DON'T KNOW IF  I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT I'LL JUST BE QUIET FROM THIS  POINT FOR THE NEXT QUESTION.

Gene: YOU GOT IT.

I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU AFTER I FINISH WITH CATHY.

AND TJ HERE.

BUT KATHY THE DELAY, WHEN YOU  THINK ABOUT IT, COULD ALSO HAVE AN IMPACT ON DECISION  MAKING PROCESSES IN OUR STATE, SINCE PRC WILL CHANGE OVER  FROM AN ELECTED BODY, AS YOU KNOW, TO ONE THAT IS APPOINTED  BY THE GOVERNOR BEGINNING THIS NEXT YEAR.

WAS THIS PART OF THE STRATEGY HERE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS?

Cathryn: YOU KNOW, I THINK I AM LIKE A LOT OF THE REST OF  THE CITIZENS, THAT WE ARE JUST CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT IS REALLY  GOING ON AND THERE IS A LOT OF FINGER POINTING AND BLAMING  ABOUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACT THAT WE MIGHT, YOU  KNOW, HAVE HAD THESE BLACKOUTS AND HOW WE HAVE A SOLUTION.

AND AGAIN I THINK MAYBE IT IS A PART OF A LONGER STRATEGY TO  SAY WE ARE GOING TO GET MORE CONTROL OVER WHAT HAS HAPPENED  IN REGULATIONS AND THAT IS THE DIRECTION WE ARE GOING.

IT IS GOING TO BE THE PERSON WHO IS IN THE GOVERNOR'S  OFFICE CONTROLLING WHO GETS TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS BUT I  DOUBT VERY SERIOUSLY IF MOST OF THE CITIZENS KNOW WHAT THE  PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION IS OR WHO OUR REPRESENTATIVES  ARE, WHAT THEY WERE TO DO AND THAT MAY BE EVEN LESS SO WHEN  IT IS AN APPOINTED POSITION.

SO, I AM HOPING THAT WE WILL  FIND OUT MORE ABOUT -- PEOPLE WILL REALLY, AGAIN, JUST GET  EDUCATED ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO, THAT THEY ARE  RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE.

Gene: TJ, INTERESTING WHEN YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT,  PERHAPS, NOT TRYING TO PLAY GAMES WITH WHAT PNM IS DOING  HERE BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN  NOVEMBER.

IF THERE IS A REPUBLICAN IN  THAT SEAT, THAT CHANGES THE GAME A LITTLE BIT FOR PNM,  DOESN'T IT?

TJ: YES, IT WOULD.

IT WOULD TOTALLY CHANGE IF THERE WAS A REPUBLICAN  GOVERNOR.

I THINK THAT WOULD CHANGE  ALMOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE THE OIL AND GAS, I MEAN, WHAT A  HUGE AMOUNT OF POWER THEY HAVE IN THIS STATE.

WHAT CATHY SAID, AGAIN, A LOT OF IT IS A LACK OF TRUST IN  THE GOVERNMENT AND I THINK THERE IS A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE  FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE.

PRC, WHAT DO THEY DO?

WHO ARE THEY?

WHY ARE THEY?

WHAT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY?

CAN WE TRUST THEM?

CAN WE TRUST WHAT THEY DO?

DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE A SOLID  JUDGMENT CALL ON THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

THIS IS A HUGE DEAL FOR OUR STATE AND I'LL SAY, ONE AREA  THAT I AM A FREAKIN RADICAL ABOUT IS CLIMATE AND GREEN  ENERGY.

I AM.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE STATE MOVE TO GREEN SOONER  THAN LATER AND UNDERSTAND WHAT TOM SAYS IS TRUE, WE HAVE A  SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUE WITH SUPPLY CHAIN, WITH SOLAR PANELS  COMING OVER HERE AND STUFF.

THAT IS WHY THIS WAS DELAYED.

HOWEVER, THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO DO THIS TOO SOON,  TO SWITCH OVER, BECAUSE IF WE DO IT TOO SOON AND WE DO IT  WRONG AND WE DO IT BADLY, THE STATE WILL LOSE THE PEOPLE ON  THIS.

WE CAN'T LAUNCH BEFORE IT IS  READY AND THEN HAVE THE BROWN OUTS AND BLACKOUTS.

LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO TEXAS LAST YEAR.

IF WE DO THIS, THEN THE DOUBTERS, CLIMATE DENIERS WILL  POINT THEIR FINGERS AND SAY, SEE, WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT  THIS, THIS IS ALL BUNK.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DO  THIS RIGHT AND THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON US TO DO IT  RIGHT.

I HATE COAL.

I AM NOT A FAN OF COAL.

IF WE NEED TO LEAVE A COAL  GENERATING PLANT ONLINE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T SCREW  THIS UP, WELL, WHAT CHOICE DO WE HAVE?

Gene: INTERESTING POINT.

TOM, I HAVE GOT TO BRING BACK  THIS ISSUE.

THE TIMING OF THIS IS  INTERESTING BECAUSE IT COMES JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE  PRC SHUT DOWN PNM'S PROPOSED MERGER WITH AVANGRID.

SEEMS LIKE IT WAS MANY MONTHS AGO BUT IT WAS JUST A LITTLE  BIT.

ANY GAMESMANSHIP HERE,  MEANING, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE STATE  SUPREME COURT AS IT HEARS THE APPEAL ON THAT MERGER.

Tom: THERE IS SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS I CAN GO WITH  THAT ONE.

THERE IS THE PRC, TO CATHRYN'S  POINT, IS IN THE MIDST -- THEY ARE TRANSITIONING THEMSELVES.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY HAVING THEIR OWN TRANSITION ACT BECAUSE  YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THE ELECTED COMMISSIONERS FOR  APPOINTED COMMISSIONERS.

SO I THINK THERE IS SOME  GAMESMANSHIP TO BASICALLY RUN THE CLOCK TO SEE IF THEY CAN  JUST WAIT UNTIL THE NEW APPOINTED FOLKS ARE ON AND  REAPPROACH THE WHOLE MERGER.

THE THING THAT REALLY TRIPPED  UP THIS WHOLE MERGER ASPECT IS THE NEW ENERGY ECONOMY AND  MARIEL NANASI AND HER PLIGHT FOR WANTING TO PROTECT  CONSUMERS.

NOW, IT IS INTERESTING TO SAY  THAT HER FOCUS WITH NEW ENERGY ECONOMY WAS JUST ONE OF MANY  DIFFERENT VOICES AT THE TABLE BUT HERS WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT  WAS NOT CONGRUENT WITH OTHER CONSUMER RIGHTS GROUPS AND  SUCH.

SO, I THINK WHAT IT SAYS IS  THAT THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE MORE COMMUNICATION AND MORE  LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

TO TJ'S POINT, JUST BRIEFLY,  IS THAT I THINK THERE REALLY DOES HAVE TO BE A BALANCE.

YOU CAN'T FLIP THE SWITCH AND GO ALL RENEWABLE AT ONCE.

NOW, WE HAVE JUST BY DISCLOSURE WE HAVE CLIENTS IN  RENEWABLE ENERGY SPACE, BUT IT REALLY HAS TO BE A GOOD  BALANCE BECAUSE THE BATTERY INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT THERE  YET AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF OIL AND GAS RESOURCES THAT REALLY  SHOULD BE BLENDED INTO A PART OF THAT PLAN.

IT IS NOT AN ALL OR EITHER KIND OF SCENARIO.

Gene: REAL QUICK, IF I HAVE TIME, I WILL GET TJ ON THIS.

HOW DOES THIS FIT THE GOVERNOR'S FAILED ATTEMPT TO  INCENTIVIZE HYDROGEN ENERGY PRODUCTION?

WHERE DOES THAT STAND NOW THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS  OTHER THING WITH COAL AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING BACK ON  LINE.

Cathryn: IT IS ALL LIKE THE  SAME THING.

WE HAVE TO -- IT IS NOT JUST  ONE THING.

ALL THESE PIECES FIT TOGETHER  AND WE HAVE FIGURE OUT HOW WE WORK ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND  HAVE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS AND HOW THE FOSSIL  FUEL INDUSTRY IS FITTING INTO THAT AND WHAT OUR SOLUTIONS  ARE.

I WOULD SAY THIS, AS WE  SHIFTED THE MASK MANDATE FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO INDIVIDUALS,  WE ALSO NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING TO  CONSERVE ENERGY AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF EDUCATION  AND OUTREACH AROUND WHAT THE INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING TO  CONSERVE ENERGY BECAUSE IT IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE UP TO  US.

Gene: THANK YOU ALL.

WE'LL WATCH THIS STORY AS IT DEVELOPS INCLUDING THE MERGER  APPEAL TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT FROM PNM, I MENTIONED.

WE'LL CHECK IN WITH LINE PANELISTS ONE FINAL TIME IN  ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT A NEW PLAN TO EXTEND WORK  SHIFTS FOR ALBUQUERQUE POLICE OFFICERS TO 12 HOURS.

LAST MONTH THE ARCHBISHOP OF SANTA FE ISSUED A PASTORAL  LETTER CALLING FOR GLOBAL NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT.

JOHN C. WESTER SAID NEW MEXICO HAS A SPECIAL ROLE TO PLAY IN  THIS EFFORT.

NOTING THE PRESENCE OF TWO  FEDERAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABORATORIES HERE AND A LARGE  DEPOSITORY OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AT KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE.

CORRESPONDENT MEGAN KAMERICK SPOKE WITH WESTER ABOUT WHY HE  FELT SO COMPELLED TO SPEAK OUT NOW?

Megan: ARCHBISHOP WESTER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON  NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

Arch.

Wester: IT IS AN  HONOR TO BE WITH YOU MEGAN.

THANKS FOR INVITING ME.

Megan: IN YOUR PASTORAL LETTER, LIVING IN THE LIGHT OF  CHRIST'S PEACE, A CONVERSATION TOWARDS NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT  YOU TALK ABOUT GROWING UP AS PART OF THE GENERATION DOING  NUCLEAR DRILLS BY HIDING UNDER YOUR DESK DURING THE CUBAN  MISSILE CRISIS, BUT IT WAS A VISIT TO JAPAN IN 2017 THAT  REALLY CHANGED YOUR POINT OF VIEW ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

WHY?

Arch.

Wester: TWO BISHOPS  AND I WENT ON A LITTLE VACATION AND PART OF THAT WAS  TO VISIT NAGASAKI AND HIROSHIMA.

IT WAS REALLY SOBERING AND IT TOOK US OUT OF THE VACATION  MODE AND PUT US MORE INTO A REFLECTIVE MODE JUST LOOKING  AT MUSEUMS AND ALL THE  DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE ATOMIC BOMBS, THE AFFECT THEY HAD IN  JAPAN, THE PICTURES OF THE PEOPLE SUFFERING AFTER THE  ATTACK.

AND IT WAS JUST SO HORRIFIC  AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE CHILDREN.

THE WHOLE THING WAS DIFFICULT BUT I READ THAT THE CHILDREN  SAW THE BRIGHT LIGHT AND THEY RAN TO THE WINDOW TO SEE WHAT  THE LIGHT WAS AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENED EITHER  THEN OR SHORTLY AFTER WITH EXPOSURE TO RADIATION AND THEN  COMING BACK TO SANTA FE AND TAKING FRIENDS THROUGH THE  MUSEUMS AND ALL THAT AND SAYING WHERE HERE IS WHERE  THOSE VERY BOMBS WERE BUILT AND MANUFACTURED AND SENT OFF  TO JAPAN.

IT JUST REALLY, I THINK, IT  JUST REALLY TOUCHED ME VERY DEEPLY AND SO HERE JUST I FELT  THAT WE SHOULD BE AS THE ARCHDIOCESE AND THE CATHOLIC  ARCHDIOCESE OF SANTA FE, WE SHOULD BE PART OF THIS  CONVERSATION THAT WOULD LEAD TOWARD NONPROLIFERATION AND  NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT.

Megan: HOW DID THIS TRIP,  THIS REALIZATION, AFFECT YOUR VIEW OF NEW MEXICO'S VERY  LARGE ROLE IN THE CREATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND THE  STATE'S ONGOING ROLE IN THIS INDUSTRY THROUGH OUR NATIONAL  LABORATORIES AND OTHER THINGS.

Arch.

Wester: IT IS A VERY  COMPLEX AND COMPLICATED QUESTION.

I THINK OBVIOUSLY ON ONE LEVEL, I AM VERY PROUD OF OUR  LABORATORIES, LANL AND SANDIA.

THESE ARE WONDERFUL SCIENTISTS  WHO ARE COMMITTED TO SCIENCE, COMMITTED TO THE COUNTRY AND  DOING GOOD THINGS.

I THINK SO FROM THAT POINT OF  VIEW, I RESPECT WHAT THEY DO AND I THINK THEY CAN DO A LOT  MORE THINGS THAT REALLY BUILD UP LIFE AND HELP OUR PLANET  AND HUMAN BEINGS.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND THESE  ARE WEAPONS OF WAR AND THAT IS NOT THEIR FAULT.

HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BEEN AT WAR WITH EACH OTHER SINCE TIME  IMMEMORIAL.

SO, I THINK IT IS UP TO ALL OF  US, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS OF THE WORLD TO SPEAK TO THIS.

IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, ON ONE HAND I AM PROUD OF THE PLACE  THAT NEW MEXICO HAS IN TERMS OF HELPING OUR COUNTRY BUT WE  NEED TO GO BEYOND THAT AND WE NEED TO USE THIS TECHNOLOGY,  THIS SCIENTIFIC KNOWHOW, TO GET BEYOND NUCLEAR WARS,  BECAUSE WE HAVE CREATED SOMETHING THAT CHANGES THE  ENTIRE DYNAMIC OF WAR.

IT IS A PARADIGMATIC SHIFT.

SO WE HAVE TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THE JUST WAR THEORY  AND WHAT CONSTITUTES A JUST WAR.

IT HAS CHANGED NOW WITH ATOMIC WEAPONS.

Megan: AND A JUST WAR THEORY, IF YOU COULD REMIND  OUR VIEWERS AND LISTENERS, THIS WAS A DOCTRINE DEVELOPED  BY THE CHURCH?

Arch.

Wester: THIS WAS  ST. AUGUSTUS FAMOUS FOR IT MANY CENTURIES AGO, THE JUST  WAR THEORY, HE LOOKS AT IT HAS TO BE AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE,  SOMETHING THAT PROTECTS INNOCENT CIVILIANS.

MOTIVATION HAS TO BE LOOKED AT.

IT HAS TO HAVE A REASONABLE CHANCE OF SUCCESS.

HE HAS A SERIES OF CRITERIA THAT HAVE TO BE MET FOR IT TO  BE A JUST WAR, BUT WITH ATOMIC WEAPONS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE,  ALL THOSE CRITERIA SEEM TO GET, NO PUN INTENDED, BLOWN  UP, BECAUSE IT IS HOW DO YOU PREVENT INNOCENT PEOPLE,  NONCOMBATANTS FROM BEING KILLED IN AN ATOMIC ATTACK.

Megan: MANY OF THE SCIENTISTS IN THE MANHATTAN  PROJECT WERE FOCUSED ON CREATING THE FIRST BOMB BEFORE  NAZI GERMANY CREATED IT.

AND SOME PEOPLE HAD FLED NAZI  GERMANY, AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE TODAY THERE ARE PEOPLE  WORKING IN THE NATIONAL LABS WHO MAY HAVE A SIMILAR SENSE  OF MISSION BY PROTECTING THE NUCLEAR ARSENAL.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?

Arch.

Wester: THE NUCLEAR  ARSENAL IS A FALSE SENSE OF PROTECTION, A FALSE SENSE OF  SECURITY.

I KNOW WE ALL FEEL IT.

WE WATCH RAMBO LIKE MOVIES AND THE POWERFUL UNITED STATES BUT  IT IS A FALSE SENSE BECAUSE IT IS NOT PROTECTING US.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT IS PROBABLY OUR GREATEST THREAT,  I WOULD SAY, IN THE WORLD TODAY.

WE TALK ABOUT -- POPE FRANCIS TALKS ABOUT MOTHER EARTH OUR  COMMON HOME AND CLIMATE CHANGE AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP THE  EARTH.

HERE IS A HUGE THREAT THAT IF  THIS WAS EVER UNLEASHED IT WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC.

I DON'T THINK, BY MODERNIZING OUR WEAPONS, BY CONTINUING TO  DEVELOP THEM, WE ARE NOT PROTECTING ANYBODY.

IT IS JUST NOT TRUE.

REAL PROTECTION OF HUMANITY OF  THE WORLD WOULD BE FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND TO USE  DIPLOMACY, TO TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND TO WORK OUT OUR  DIFFERENCES THAT WAY AND TO GET RID OF NUCLEAR ARMS.

I AM NOT NAIVE.

I REALIZE A LOT OF THESE  COUNTRIES ARE NOT GOING TO SAY, OKAY, WHAT A FINE IDEA  YOU HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.

LET'S ALL DO THAT.

IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT AND WE HOPE WE CAN AVOID EVEN  MORE WITH CONVENTIONAL ARMAMENTS BUT THE POINT IS  THAT I LIKE TO COMPARE IT IN MY OWN MIND, THE ARGUMENT WE  TALK ABOUT WITH GUNS.

IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE  AUTOMATIC WEAPONS, YOU CAN KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A VERY  SHORT TIME.

IF I HAVE A KNIFE, I MIGHT  KILL SOMEBODY BUT IT IS GOING TO BE LIMITED.

SO, BOTH ARE BAD.

WE WANT TO GET RID OF ALL  INSTRUMENTS OF DESTRUCTION AND WEAPONS LIKE THAT IN THE SENSE  TO BE USED FOR WAR, BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE, WE NEED TO  GET RID OF NUCLEAR ARMAMENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO  DESTRUCTIVE.

Megan: YOU SAY IN YOUR  PASTORAL LETTER AND YOU HAVE BEEN SAYING IN YOUR  CONVERSATION THAT YOU WANT TO START A STATE-WIDE DIALOGUE  AROUND THESE ISSUES.

HOW DO YOU SEE THESE  PROCEEDING?

WHAT WILL THEY LOOK LIKE?

Arch.

Wester: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR PARISHES, FOR  EXAMPLE, AND THEIR PEACE AND JUSTICE COMMISSIONS AND  COMMITTEES, MAYBE TAKE THIS UP AS A TOPIC.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US WRITING TO OUR ELECTED  OFFICIALS TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERN ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

I THINK PEOPLE CAN CERTAINLY -- THERE IS A LOT  WRITTEN ABOUT IT, PEOPLE CAN EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT THE  MATTERS INSTEAD OF JUST ACCEPTING WHAT WE HEAR BUT  REALLY GO INTO IT, INVESTIGATE IT, AND READ ABOUT IT.

WE PUT IN THE LETTERS A LOT OF PRACTICAL THINGS THAT PEOPLE  CAN DO TO FURTHER THE CONVERSATION.

I THINK THAT THE MORE WE THINK ABOUT IT, PRAY ABOUT IT, READ  ABOUT IT, THEN WE'LL ABLE TO CONVERSE WITH OTHERS AND TO  REALLY TALK ABOUT IT.

Megan: ARCHBISHOP WESTER, I  APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME TO TALK WITH US.

Arch.

Wester: WELL, THANK YOU MEGAN.

Gene: YOU CAN WATCH MEGAN'S FULL INTERVIEW WITH ARCHBISHOP  WESTER ON LINE RIGHT NOW ON THE NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS  YOUTUBE CHANNEL, INCLUDING WHY THE ARCHBISHOPS SAYS NUCLEAR  DISARMAMENT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY ELIMINATE JOBS AT  OUR NEW MEXICO LABORATORIES.

Pai Buick: WE KNOW HOW TO  SURVIVE.

SO, I SEE AFRICANA STUDIES AS  HELPING PROVIDE THOSE TOOLS AND NOT JUST TO AFRICAN  AMERICAN STUDENTS OR STUDENTS FROM THE BLACK DIASPORA, BUT  ALL STUDENTS.

Gene:   LAST WEEK'S CHAOTIC END TO THE SESSION AT THE  CAPITOL IN SANTA FE RESURRECTED QUESTIONS WE HAVE  HAD FOR SOME TIME ABOUT OUR STATE LEGISLATURE.

DO OUR LAWMAKERS HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO ADDRESS  ALL OF THE ISSUES WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO?

AND IS THERE ENOUGH TRANSPARENCY FOR THE AVERAGE  NEW MEXICAN?

I BROUGHT THOSE QUESTIONS TO  THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR,  TIMOTHY KREBS.

WE HAD AN AWFUL LOT OF THINGS  AND WE'LL START TO GET INTO THE DETAIL ABOUT THIS, AWFUL  LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HUGE ISSUES TRYING TO GET DONE IN A  30-DAY SESSION.

I AM CURIOUS FROM YOUR POINT  OF VIEW AS A POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR HERE IN NEW MEXICO,  IS OUR SESSION LENGTH JUST NOT VIABLE ANYMORE IN A FAST  MOVING WORLD?

Krebs: I REALLY THINK THEY  AREN'T VIABLE ANY MORE.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE GOT IN A  30-DAY SESSION IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE BUDGET.

THE GOVERNOR, THOUGH, CAN PUT THINGS ON HER CALL,  LEGISLATIVE ITEMS THAT ARE NON-BUDGETARY IN NATURE.

AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT ONE PERSON HAVING THAT ABILITY  TO DO THAT, THAT AGENDA CAN GET PACKED PRETTY QUICKLY.

AND IN OUR MODERN WORLD THINGS ARE REALLY -- CAN BE REALLY  COMPLICATED.

TALKING ABOUT CRIME, TALKING  ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF  DIFFERENT TAX LAWS AND TAX CHANGES AND SO FORTH.

ALL OF THESE THINGS REQUIRE A LOT OF THOUGHT, A LOT OF  DISCUSSION, A LOT OF EFFORT TO GET TO SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT  AND IN A 30-DAY SESSION, IT IS REALLY HARD.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING CITIZEN LEGISLATORS TAKING  TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR LIVELIHOODS, AND SO  FORTH, TO SERVE IN THESE ROLES.

IT IS A VERY TALL ORDER.

SO, YEAH, I THINK HAVING A  DISCUSSION ABOUT INCREASING THE LENGTH OF OUR LEGISLATION  SESSION AND PERHAPS INCREASING THE STAFF CAPACITY WOULD MAKE  OUR LEGISLATURE FUNCTION MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THE MODERN  WORLD AND, YOU KNOW, ALLOW THEM TO DO THE THINGS THAT IT  IS CLEAR THAT VOTERS WANT, THAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT, THAT  OUR STATE NEEDS TO ACCOMPLISH.

WE HAVE THIS KIND OF  FRUSTRATION AFTER EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

LIKE, WE RAN OUT OF TIME.

Gene: RIGHT.

Krebs: THE COMMON STORY.

Gene: I AM CURIOUS WHERE  YOU FEEL THE VOTER IS LEFT IN THIS PROCESS.

IT IS AWFULLY HARD, EVEN GIVEN THE CHALLENGES OF COVID AND  ZOOM AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING, IT IS VERY HARD FOR THE  CITIZEN TO TRACK THEIR CITIZEN LEGISLATURES MOVES WHEN YOU  HAVE AMENDMENTS, YOU KNOW, 160 PAGES ON TOP OF A FOUR-PAGE  ORIGINAL BILL AND NO ONE HAS TIME TO READ THESE THINGS.

WHERE DOES THE VOTER GET LEFT OFF IN THIS?

Krebs: YOU KNOW, CLEARLY THERE IS A CERTAIN -- THERE IS  A KIND A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WITH THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

LARGE COMPLICATED BILLS, WE SEE THIS IN THE U.S. CONGRESS  ALL THE TIME WHERE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DON'T HAVE -- THEY  DON'T READ THE STUFF THEY ARE VOTING ON SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY  DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.

BILLS BECOME LONGER AND MORE  COMPLICATED, YOU KNOW, OFTEN ON PURPOSE SO THAT YOU CAN  HAVE ENOUGH STUFF IN THERE TO BUILD THE COALITIONS YOU NEED  TO BUILD IN ORDER TO PASS LEGISLATION.

SO, YOU KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOU BUILD IT BIGGER SO THAT YOU  CAN GIVE MORE STUFF TO MORE PEOPLE TO GET THEM TO SAY,  YEAH, I CAN'T NOT VOTE FOR THIS.

SO THAT IS PART OF IT.

THE SORT OF BIGGER ISSUE OF  TRANSPARENCY I THINK IT MATTERS MORE -- I THINK IT  MATTERS A BIT MORE TO FOLKS IN THE MEDIA, REFORM GROUPS.

I THINK FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON OUT THERE, WHAT THEY WANT,  THEY DON'T CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THE INSIDE POLITICS STUFF THAT  IS GOING ON HERE.

WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IS  RESULTS.

THEY WANT TO SEE A LEGISLATURE  THAT FUNCTIONS TO SERVE THEIR INTERESTS, TO ADDRESS THE  CHALLENGES THEY FACE, TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONDITIONS  AND STATE-WIDE CONDITIONS, TO MOVE THE STATE FORWARD.

SO, YOU KNOW, ON SOME LEVEL I THINK FOR THE AVERAGE VOTER,  YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF STUFF IS JUST LIKE, YEAH, I MEAN, IT  IS NOT THAT PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS DONE AT THE END AND WHETHER IT  IMPROVES PEOPLES' LIVES.

Gene: YOU CAN WATCH MY FULL  INTERVIEW WITH DR. TIMOTHY KREBS RIGHT NOW ON THE NEW  MEXICO IN FOCUS FACEBOOK PAGE AND OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

NOW, DAYS AFTER THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A BROAD  PACKAGE OF INITIATIVES MEANT TO HELP FIGHT CRIME,  ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ANNOUNCING A CHANGE THAT  COULD HAVE AN IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

APD SAYS IT IS EXTENDING OFFICERS' SHIFT TIMES TO 12  HOURS TO HELP COVER STAFFING SHORTAGES.

NOW, TJ, IS THIS A GOOD SHORT TERM SOLUTION?

I MEAN, A 12-HOUR SHIFT, YOU KNOW,   BEING A COP IS DIFFERENT THAN 12 HOURS DOING A WHOLE  LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

I AM CURIOUS YOUR THOUGHTS  HERE.

TJ: AGAIN, I KEEP PASSING  THE BUCK, BUT DON'T ASK ME, ASK THE COPS.

OH, MAN, WORKING A 12-HOUR SHIFT, THAT HAS GOT TO BE  TOUGH.

I AM WONDERING IF THEY ARE  GIVING THEM LESS DAYS TO WORK, ONE LESS DAY TO WORK AND DOING  12 HOURS, FOUR DAYS.

Gene: IT IS A FOUR DAY  DEAL.

TJ: WHAT DO YOU DO?

I HAD MARTIN CHAVEZ ON THE AIR A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AND WE  WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE WAS MAYOR, HE HAD AVERAGE OF 1100  OFFICERS ON THE STREETS AT ONE POINT, WHEN HE WAS MAYOR.

HE THINKS NOW BASED ON THE POPULATION WE NEED BETWEEN  1300 AND 1400 OFFICERS ON THE  STREET.

SO, 400 MORE WOULD BE GOOD,  500 WOULD BE BETTER.

AND, WHEN I TALK OFTEN ON THE  RECORD WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, I DO THAT A LOT AND THEY  REPEATEDLY AND OVER, THEY TELL ME, WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT  NOW, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING ANYMORE.

WE ARE GOING FROM 911 CALL TO 911 CALL, DEALING WITH  EMERGENCY TO EMERGENCY.

THAT IS ALL THEY ARE DOING.

THERE IS A POSITIVE THING TO SEE RECENTLY ABOUT THE TRAFFIC  STOPS.

OBVIOUSLY THAT NEEDED TO BE  DONE.

AND PULL OVER SPEEDERS.

WHICH IS GOOD.

THAT IS THE WAY THEY ARE  CATCHING A LOT OF WANTED FELONS.

I WANT TO REVERT BACK TO ONE THING TOM SAID.

I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY, WITH THIS STREET  RACER SLAMMING INTO THAT SCHOOL BUS.

I MEAN, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

WE ALL SEE IT ON THE STREETS.

WE SEE IT ALMOST EVERYDAY.

WE SEE PEOPLE RACING.

I SEE THESE MUSCLE CARS GO ZOOMING BY ME EVERYDAY.

IT HAPPENS BECAUSE THERE IS NO PRICE TO PAY, NO REPERCUSSIONS  FOR STREET RACING.

AGAIN A LACK OF LAW  ENFORCEMENT.

IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT.

WE NEED TO HIRE MORE OFFICERS.

Gene: TOM, CURIOUS, ANY  CONCERNS ABOUT A 12-HOUR SHIFT FROM YOU?

Tom: DISCLOSURE, I HAVE FAMILY WHO WORKS FOR APD.

MY THOUGHTS ARE MY OWN.

I THINK GENERALLY THERE NEEDS  TO BE A CONSISTENCY IN SCHEDULE.

IT IS THREE 12'S AND THEN EVERY OTHER WEEK IT IS AN  EIGHT-HOUR DAY.

AND YOU JUST CAN'T GET  CONSISTENCY IF YOU'RE DOING THREE 12'S.

AND WE ARE ALL ABOUT RHYTHM, RIGHT?

AS FAR AS WE HAVE A FIVE-DAY WORK WEEK OR FOUR-DAY WORK  WEEK.

I THOUGHT THE FOUR 10'S WAS  SOMETHING THAT WORKED WELL BUT WITH THAT SAID, I DON'T KNOW  ALL THE DIFFERENT LOGISTICS, NUMBER OF REAL OFFICERS THAT  ARE OUT PATROLLING THE STREETS ON BEATS.

I KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE AND THAT THERE IS AN ACADEMY CLASS  OF ABOUT 50 CADETS THAT WILL SOON BE ON THE STREETS, WHICH  IS GREAT, BUT IT IS ABOUT INCREASING, I THINK,  INCREASING THE COMMUNITY PRESENCE AND CONNECTION TO THE  COMMUNITY AS BEST WITH CONSISTENCY.

I AM NOT A LAW ENFORCEMENT STRATEGIST BUT, YOU KNOW, I  WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO SAY THAT CONSISTENCY IS  ACCOMPLISHED WITH THREE 12-HOUR SHIFTS.

Gene: GOOD POINT.

CATHY I HAVE TO GO RIGHT BACK  TO THE WHOLE SITUATION.

BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE  STAFFING SHORTAGES.

THAT IS WHY THIS IS HAPPENING.

NOT BECAUSE IT IS MORE FUN.

WE HAVE SHORTAGES OF POLICE  OFFICERS BUT WE HAVE MONEY IN THE PIPELINE NOW.

A TON OF MONEY TO HIRE OFFICERS.

WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD OR SEEN THAT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE WE  HAVE MORE OFFICERS IN PROCESS TO FOLLOW THE MONEY, SO TO  SPEAK.

ARE YOU SEEING ANYTHING THAT  TELLS YOU, WOW, THESE GUYS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE 1300 OR  1400 THAT TJ MENTIONED.

Cathryn: THIS HAS BEEN AN  ONGOING PROBLEM AND I THINK THE CITIZENRY CAN UNDERSTAND  THAT IT IS NOT AS EASY AS WE WAVE BE A MAGIC WAND AND SAY,  OH, WE ARE GOING TO HIRE 500 MORE OFFICERS.

THE RECRUITING PROCESS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, HOW WE GET  PEOPLE INTERESTED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT THE  OFFICERS WOULD SAY IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE  LEAVING BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY AREN'T BEING SUPPORTED  AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO REPLACE THEM AND PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING  INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ANY LONGER BECAUSE OF THAT.

SO, WHAT THEY HAVE TRIED TO DO, I THINK, IS SAY, LET'S  INCREASE THE SALARY AND NOW THEY ARE INCREASING SALARY OF  ENTRY LEVEL OFFICERS AND PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE FORCE  FOR 14 YEARS OR LONGER.

AND I THINK HOPEFULLY THAT  WILL HAVE AN EFFECT BUT ALL OF IT IS REALLY SURFACE LEVEL SO  WE HAVE TO TALK COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS  THAT FACE THEM AND WE START TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE  FACT THAT IT TAKES YEARS TO GET TO THAT 1300 OR 1400.

WE CAN'T SAY, OH, NEXT YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE 1300  OFFICERS.

THAT REALLY TRULY IS NOT GOING  TO HAPPEN.

Gene: IS IT ABOUT MONEY?

WE COULD HANG OUT A SALARY TO BEAT THE BAND NOW, WE GOT SO  MUCH MONEY TO PULL OFFICERS IN, BUT I HEAR TOM'S POINT AND  CHIEF MEDINA MADE THE POINT TOO, ABOUT 50 CADETS ABOUT TO  TURN OUT.

DO WE REALLY WANT CADETS OR  NEW OFFICERS ON THE MEAN STREETS OF ALBUQUERQUE  WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH OTHER EXPERIENCED PEOPLE WITH  THEM?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING  HERE?

IT IS NOT JUST A POLICE  OFFICERS, IT IS THE KIND OF POLICE OFFICER WE ARE TALKING  ABOUT HERE.

TJ: WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING  THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME.

I MEAN, YOU JUST CAN'T WAVE A MAGIC WAND OVER THIS THING AND  POOF, WE ARE GOING TO GET 300 MORE OFFICERS.

THEY ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

AND, NOT ONLY THAT, YEAH, WE GOT MONEY, WE JUST GAVE OUR  COPS RAISES.

THAT IS GREAT BUT WE ARE IN  COMPETITION WITH OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE  EVERY OTHER CITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS DOING THE EXACT  SAME THING WE ARE DOING.

SO, SURE, WE GOT THE MONEY,  WHAT CAN WE OFFER THESE OFFICERS THAT WILL ENTICE THEM  TO COME TO ALBUQUERQUE INSTEAD OF GOING TO EL PASO, OKLAHOMA  CITY, DENVER SOMEWHERE LIKE THAT.

WHAT CAN WE GIVE THEM TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE?

Gene: YOU KNOW, TOM, MAYOR KELLER SET A GOAL PRETTY  LOUDLY TO REACH 1200 OFFICERS BY 2020.

THAT TOTAL -- WE ARE AT 926, I THINK RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY.

DOES ANY OF THIS BLAME FALL RIGHT ON THE MAYOR'S OFFICE  HERE?

I MEAN,   I ASK THAT KNOWING THAT HE JUST GOT REELECTED SO  THE POPULATION DIDN'T EXACTLY BLAME HIM FOR CRIME AND HIS  RESPONSE BUT HOW MUCH RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD THE  MAYOR BE HELD TO HERE?

Tom: YOU'RE GOING TO PAINT  ME INTO A CORNER ON THIS ONE.

YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR IS  ADDRESSING IN THE BEST WAY WE CAN ADDRESS IT AT THIS POINT.

HE HAS HIS PLAN.

LET'S SEE HOW THE PLAN PLAYS  OUT.

I WAS ENCOURAGED WHEN  MR. STANLEY JOINED THE POLICE FORCE, HE IS NO LONGER A PART  OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, WHICH I THINK IS NOT A GOOD THING.

LET'S SEE HOW CHIEF MEDINA HAS THINGS WITH HIS OWN SHOP,  SEVERAL YEARS INTO THE PROCESS.

SO, YOU KNOW, I AM GOING TO TAKE A PASS ON THIS ONE.

Gene: THAT WORKS.

TJ, DOES THIS MOVE UNDERCUT ANY  POLITICAL MOMENTUM GAINED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE CRIME  PACKAGE LAST WEEK?

TJ: SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.

Gene: DOES THIS IMPACT THE GAINS MADE, THE POLITICAL  GAINS MADE SPECIFICALLY, FROM THE PASSAGE OF THE CRIME  PACKAGE LAST WEEK?

THESE TWO THINGS DON'T EXACTLY  GO TOGETHER.

TJ: I AM STILL DUBIOUS  ABOUT THE PASSAGE OF THE CRIME THING.

I AM NOT VERY PLEASED WITH HOW THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WENT  WITH THAT.

I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT  THEY DID.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE  THINKING.

I JUST DON'T THINK THEY WERE  LISTENING TO ALL OF US VERY WELL WITH THE CRIME PACKAGE.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY -- I SAY WE HAVE A CRISIS  GOING ON, WE HAVE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT.

SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO GET THE FIRE PUT OUT.

THEN LET'S LOOK AT OTHER THINGS BUT WE HAVE TO FIGURE  OUT HOW THE FIRE NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT.

Gene: THANKS AGAIN TO OUR LINE PANEL AS ALWAYS.

THIS WEEK BE SURE TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ANY  OF THE TOPICS OUR LINE COVERED ON OUR FACEBOOK, TWITTER OR  INSTAGRAM PAGES.

BEFORE WE GO THIS WEEK, WE  WANT TO SHARE PART OF THE RECENT INTERVIEW ON FACEBOOK  LIVE WITH THE NEW DIRECTOR OF UNM AFRICANA STUDIES PROGRAM  ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING A FULLY FLEDGED ETHNICS STUDIES  DEPARTMENT.

WE TALKED ABOUT HER GOALS FOR  THAT NEW DEPARTMENT WHICH WILL SOON INCLUDE A MASTERS DEGREE  AND EVENTUALLY A DOCTORAL PROGRAM.

PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY KIRSTEN PAI BUICK.

SHE IS THE NEWLY NAMED DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF  NEW MEXICO'S AFRICANA STUDIES PROGRAM AND WELCOME AND  CONGRATULATIONS.

Pai Buick: THANK YOU.

IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

Gene: ABSOLUTELY.

LET ME GIVE THE FOLKS MORE SENSE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

YOU DIDN'T JUST SHOW UP IN THIS POSITION.

YOU HAVE BEEN A PROFESSOR OF ART HISTORY, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF  EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE, A SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO DEAN OF  ARTS AND SCIENCES AND RECENTLY TOOK OVER THE POST OF AFRICANA  STUDIES AND YOU BRING ALL OF THAT TO UNM OVER 20 YEARS.

I HAVE TO SAY IT IS AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT WHEN YOU THINK  ABOUT ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH AFRICANA STUDIES OVER THE  YEARS.

IT HAS REALLY BEEN BUILDING.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO TEACH IN  THE AFRICANA STUDIES?

Pai Buick: IF THEY ARE  THEMSELVES GROUNDED IN AFRICANA STUDIES, THEN  EXCELLENCE IN THAT AREA.

RIGHT?

WE HAVE HAD EXAMPLES.

CORTEZ WILLIAMS, FOR EXAMPLE,  GREAT EXAMPLE.

YOU KNOW HIS PIONEERING WORK  ON BLACKS IN THE SOUTHWEST WHICH WE HAVE RETOOLED SO THE  AFRICAN DIASPORA IN THE SOUTHWEST.

SO, SOMEONE WHO, IF THEY ARE GROUNDED IN AFRICANA STUDIES,  DEMONSTRATING THE EXCELLENCE OF WHAT THAT MEANS, IF THEY  ARE JOINT APPOINTMENTS, THEN MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW  THEIR MAIN DISCIPLINE  THOROUGHLY, SO THAT WHEN THEY COME TO AFRICANA STUDIES THEY  BRING THE RICHNESS OF THAT OTHER DISCIPLINE INTO AFRICANA  STUDIES BUT UNDERSTAND THAT KIND OF OTHER DISCIPLINE  THROUGH THE LENS OF AFRICANA STUDIES, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A  PEOPLE.

RIGHT?

WHO HAS A VERY UNIQUE AND COMPLEX AND COMPLICATED  HISTORY, GENEALOGY -- WE ARE THE DEFINITION OF  COMPLEX.

Gene: IS THERE -- LET ME  PUT IT THIS WAY.

IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THE  SOUTHWEST AND OUR PLACE IN IT THAT ACTUALLY SORT OF NARROWS  YOUR CHOICES?

THIS IS JUST MY IMAGININGS.

I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, BUT, YOU'RE GOING TO  NEED SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE SOUTHWEST, I AM IMAGINING  AS WELL.

Pai Buick: THE REASON I  TOOK THIS JOB OVER 20 YEARS AGO WAS BECAUSE WHEN I  INTERVIEWED, THE WAYS IN WHICH THIS INSTITUTION AND THIS  STATE UNDERSTANDS ITSELF TO THE AMERICANS IS VERY  DIFFERENT THAN EITHER COAST.

SO, I HAVE STAYED FOR OVER 20  YEARS BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF HEAD SPACE HERE.

I HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO THINK, TO RESEARCH, TO WRITE, TO BE  CREATIVE.

AND MY TEACHING, MY SCHOLARSHIP HAVE BEEN ENRICHED  BY THIS PLACE, RIGHT?

BY MY CONNECTIONS AND  OBLIGATIONS TO FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE, MY CONNECTIONS AND  OBLIGATIONS TO HISPANIC PEOPLE.

Gene: YOU WERE ALSO PART OF THAT RECENT CEREMONY BY THE  SMITHSONIAN IN DC FOR THE U.S.

POSTAL SERVICE.

IN CASE FOLKS  DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, THE 45TH HERITAGE STAMP FOR ARTIST MARY  EDMUND -- EDMONIA LEWIS.

THAT PART OF YOU I AM GOING TO  IMAGINE IS NEVER GOING TO LEAVE YOU.

YOU ARE AN ARTIST, YOU CAME UP THROUGH THE ART DEPARTMENT.

HOW DOES THAT INFORM WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH AFRICANA  STUDIES?

Pai Buick: IN TERMS OF ART  HISTORY I AM MORE EMPATHETIC TO SCULPTURE.

I AM MORE SCULPTURAL IN MY THINKING SO I PICTURED HER AS  A THREE-DIMENSIONAL ABSENCE AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT  AFRICANA STUDIES AND I THINK ABOUT HER POWER AND HER  CREATIVITY IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE RACISM AND SEXISM,   WE SURVIVE.

WE KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE.

AND SO I SEE AFRICANA STUDIES AS  HELPING PROVIDE THOSE TOOLS AND NOT JUST TO AFRICAN  AMERICAN STUDENTS OR STUDENTS FROM THE BLACK DIASPORA, BUT  ALL STUDENTS.

SO, MY COMMITMENT IS REALLY TO  ALL STUDENTS THAT YOU CAN ALL COME TO THIS SPACE AND LEARN  SOMETHING AND LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT SURVIVAL AND CREATIVITY  IN SURVIVAL.

Gene:   I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING I HAVE LOOKED FORWARD  TO MORE AND THEN SUDDENLY NOT SO CRAZY ABOUT IT ALL AS THE  MASK MANDATE.

NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED IT  LAST FALL, LET ALONE LAST SUMMER DURING THE WORST OF IT,  BUT I THINK WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS MY EYES ARE OPEN TO THE  MANY AND VARIOUS WAYS INDIVIDUAL BODIES REACT TO  VIRUS.

I THINK THAT IS TRUE FOR A LOT  OF US IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

WHICH IS WHY THE LIFTING OF THE MANDATE HAS BEEN MET WITH  A MEASURE OF DREAD BY SOME.

MEANING, NOTHING HAS MAGICALLY  GONE AWAY ABOUT IT.

INFECTIONS ARE STILL HAPPENING  AND WITH THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF CATCHING IT.

SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT FOLKS WITH IMMUNOCOMPROMISED SYSTEMS  MIGHT FEEL A BIT LET DOWN RIGHT NOW.

SO, WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE OUT AND ABOUT WITH A MASK, LET'S  HOLD A PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING IN OUR HEARTS FOR THE   REASON WHY.

FOR ME IF I FELT DURING FLU SEASON WEARING A MASK IN  CERTAIN SITUATIONS WOULD KEEP ME FROM GETTING THE FLU, I AM  IN.

THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING US  AND STAYING INFORMED AND ENGAGED.

SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK IN FOCUS.