Your May 26 article, "Forget not," about Memorial Day observances, discredits all the previous patriots and all the people at the National Cemetery commemorating the dead soldiers in accordance with President Lincoln's proclamation for "Decoration Day" — a day to honor Civil War dead by decorating graves. After World War II, when we knew where most of the dead were buried, Congress chose the name "Memorial Day," and later changed the date to the last Monday in May to create a three-day holiday.

Your story of civilians commemorating the deaths of "suicide victims" at Rosario Cemetery desecrates all the honorable soldiers' deaths at National Cemetery next door.

The stigma created by this dishonorable article can never be erased from the minds of the patriots commemorating the deaths of their soldiers.


'Crossing' the bar

In response to William Geoghegan's May 27 letter, "Honor all soldiers," which criticized a Memorial Day cartoon depicting only cross-decorated grave markers at a veterans cemetery: The cartoon offends only those who have not, or will not serve, but who talk a good pile.

Anyone who has served knows the cross is a symbol of the final resting place of honor, and not of religion. Every national cemetery displays the symbols of every religion on the different stones, as per that fallen soldier's request, even blank ones for the "nonbelievers." So, if Geoghegan wishes to honor them, he should stop "piling" on them; the grass is green enough.


Filling a need

Regarding "Laudable effort toward state dental school": As a dentist and the former executive director of the New Mexico Health Policy Commission, I read your May 23 editorial with enthusiasm and hope.

Staff members of the commission presented the concept of a dental school for New Mexico in 2006. The then-members of the commission were very enthusiastic and supported the endeavor to request legislative funding via the governor's call for a feasibility study.

As executive director, I requested of the commission to authorize our own internal research. We formulated various scenarios for a dental school and an innovative new approach for a dental school curriculum, which was custom formulated for the state. However, at the eleventh hour, the request was scrapped by the governor's office. However, as you mentioned in the editorial, "better late than never."


Portal to the past

Thank you so much for the recent heads-up on the re-opening of Puye Cliffs at Santa Clara Pueblo. My husband and I spent a few hours there and found it to be beautiful and fascinating.

I thought, through my many readings, that I knew a lot about the past and the culture of these descendants of the ancient people who moved down from Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde. Well, the terrific guide, Porter Swentzell, proved me wrong as he spent over an hour explaining so much we had not known.

As a pueblo-pottery collector, I was awed by the many, many beautiful pottery sherds from those people from so many centuries past lying all about us in the ancient soils. I also had the pleasure of having a long and interesting talk with a lovely young woman from Santa Clara, Tina Whitegeese, descendant of many of the most prominent potters in that pueblo. What a wonderful day! How lucky we are to live amidst such history and beauty. I strongly urge people to go, to learn, to see and to enjoy.


Blind justice

" ... How many times can a man turn his head, pretending he just doesn't see?" Bob Dylan's lyrics apply to the situation of Santa Fe Police Sgt. Michael LeBlanc, who has been charged — again — with domestic violence.

To date, the Santa Fe Police Department has failed to take away his badge. Unfortunately I wrote about this same subject a little over a year ago. At that time the chief responded with "we will take appropriate action accordingly." Perhaps now is the time to take the appropriate action and act accordingly. How many times can an officer be charged, and not lose his badge? How many times can the Santa Fe Police Department turn its head, pretending it just doesn't see?


Correction

Payments to poor had been higher: Seems we had our figures wrong in Monday's editorial about Gov. Bill Richardson coming to the rescue of the poorest of New Mexico's poor:

We said those 1,500 or so had been getting $245 a month — but the actual amount was $266.

Either way, the state was about to cut payments to $170 before the governor decided to use federal economic-stimulus money to keep the cut from being so dire.

The new monthly General Assistance Program payments will be $245.