I have recently had a number of conversations about positions taken by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. From these conversations it has become apparent to me that there are a number of misapprehensions about chambers. The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce is an independent nonprofit organization with around 1,000 local member businesses and a board of 21 directors representing hospitality, arts, manufacturing, media, finance, real estate, restaurant, insurance and other industries.

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce has no affiliation with the U.S. Chamber. Any position taken by the Santa Fe Chamber is approved by the board of directors. At no time does the Santa Fe Chamber take direction from the U.S. Chamber. In fact, the Santa Fe Chamber rarely, if ever, takes positions on national issues.

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce is committed to creating local jobs and prosperity for all Santa Feans.

Who, indeed?

When Anne Hillerman and Don Strel gave their gorgeous presentation on Tony Hillerman's Landscape last weekend at the Convention Center, they generously donated all proceeds from the event and booksigning to the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library, for which we are enormously grateful.

And the dedication of the teen patio at the Southside Library in honor of Tony Hillerman was most moving and impressive.

We hope that in the future many teens (and others) will wander around there, observe the engraved red stone monolith, and perhaps ask, "Who was Tony Hillerman?"

Then they can just go inside the library and request one of his wonderful books to check out.

A big family

Name-calling serves no purpose, but maybe it helped Bob Taylor and Gary Krino feel better by venting anger against a perceived wrong, albeit a misunderstood one ("Church holds social services hostage," Nov. 14).

The Catholic Church in every generation provides institutions to advance the common good of all people. The spiritual and corporeal works of mercy prescribe such, but these works must be accomplished within the boundaries of its own teachings.

The church teaches that every person's action has an effect on the condition of mankind since we are all brothers and sisters in Christ; he redeemed us, we are his. It is a big family, a royal family to which all are invited to belong.

If the Catholic Church admonishes its members or takes actions which appear detrimental to others, it is because the church must be true to its own teachings, and political correctness is not one of them.

Broder bit

A recent column in The New Mexican by The Washington Post's David Broder criticized the economic viability of the proposed health care bill.

Broder usually writes intelligently and thoughtfully. But this article was totally devalued when he quoted twice from the Lewin Group, a so-called "independent" research group which the GOP often quotes in support of their anti-health care arguments. Broder should know much better.

The Lewin Group is an Ingenix company which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the United Health Group. The United Health Group is the parent of United Healthcare, one of the largest health insurers in the U.S. and one that has had several large class-action lawsuits opened against it. So far, United has paid $400 million in out-of-court settlements to New York state and to the AMA in cases involving defrauding consumers and not paying out-of-network benefits.

Broder and the GOP should choose their research sources a whole lot more carefully.

Boys being boys ...

In the Stupak amendment for health insurance, abortions are banned. But insurance companies and Medicare continue to cover penis pumps and erectile aids.

Seriously, check it out online. You can''t have it both ways, boys!

Local talent

Local Balkan/Middle Eastern women's ensemble Rusalki (myspace.com/rusalki
sings) held a fundraiser to help pay production costs for a planned CD release.

It was a sweet night of great energy and an amazing display of young talent and abilities.

It was really nice to see them all being so creative and channeling that talent productively.

Rusalki sang with voices of angels. Other groups, including Proboscis Jones (hopefully they can stay together in spite of the College of Santa Fe debacle scattering them to other schools); See Saw Sailors and their Dixieland Jazz; DNA Project (the fire dance was spectacular); and Djami rocked the house.

I hope that the project's goals were met, and I wish them super success in the future.