Editor: “Animus?”
Editor:
Anyone looking at my public presence and actions could justifiably use the word “animus”—as you did ona few days ago— to characterize my feelings toward local politicians (and they toward me), the local newspaper, some hateful churches, gas station owners, and animal shelter big wigs. My dictionary uses such words as prejudiced, malevolent ill will, and spiteful to define animus; I’m guessing that these words basically represent your definition, as well.
In fact, with the possible exception of the people who have controlled the animal shelter for the last several years, I harbor little if any animus for the people who I hold accountable for the wrongs in this community. I expect people to be bullies, liars, thieves, substance abusers, cheaters, child/elder/domestic/animal abusers, money-grubbers, fools, incompetents, materialistic, racists, bigots, lazy, pompous, rude, deceitful, and who knows what else. This is the nature of mankind in the United States, and it is what I expect to find in everyone I meet.; few people can claim all of the above, but I expect the worst, particularly if the individuals speak of a religious connection. Luckily, most people I come to know well harbor few of these traits, as I shed the undesirable characters pretty fast. I have a very small, but wonderful, group of friends. (Mayor Cordova, at the town council meeting a few days ago, wondered how I could truthfully claim to love animals when I hold him and some others in such low regard— it may take me another day or two to come up with an answer).
A small part of my cynicism came from my parents. You knew of my father, but I don’t believe you ever met him. He came to this country at the age of 18 in 1932 as a German Jew who witnessed and feared the rising prominence of Adolph Hitler; my dad’s wealthy family had a close friend in St. Louis, Mo., and my dad went to live with his family, and work for him. He never went back to school, and soon he was on his own, supporting himself, without anyone’s help, until he died in 1977. I proudly inherited his independent streak and workaholic nature. He was totally apolitical, and made a good living, providing well for my family, which included myself and four sisters. I did not know him very well, for he worked so hard. He never once yelled at me or laid an angry hand on me; my childhood was ideal. He smoked, but drank rarely, always in moderation. His only vice was that he was a skirt-chaser, and this did cause considerable strife in the house from time to time.
My mother, who you did know slightly and who died in 1995, was a legal secretary at the age of 17, working for various law firms in downtown Chicago. One of her tasks was paying off judges and various politicians on behalf of law firm clients. She was, basically, a bag lady; she’d drop off envelopes stuffed with money. Spending time in government buildings doing this and other legal chores, such as collecting or dropping off documents and other government/lawyer business, she spent a good deal of time around government bureaucrats, be they the grunts to the big shots. In general, she found them to be lazy, somewhat incompetent, clock-watchers, indifferent to surly, mostly interested in reading the newspaper, and gossipy. Using her ample physical attractiveness and willingness to display it, she could get work done in the government offices quicker than most.
With great humor, she often spoke of those days working in “The Loop.” Just as kids who grow up in a religious home listening of the Lord and Satan become indoctrinated and close-minded, so I grew up hearing of crooked business and government people. However, as an adult, I became always suspicious, but not really close-minded, of those in the working world. I would say that the moral character displayed in the workplace by most people, regardless of the sector they work in, is poor. In the private sector the consumer can usually go elsewhere for whatever they need. But we’re kind of stuck with government people—- and they know it. Judges tend to be totally arrogant. Elected politicians seem to have a particular belief that they are above the law, and will lie and deceive no matter how obvious their misdeeds are; often they will speak of transparency, as though slapping you in the face with their transparent dishonesty somehow makes them honest and their misdeeds honorable.
Politicians do seem to hold “animus” towards those in the media (and I, in a general kind of way, am part of the media as I publicly inform/question –through my signs, occasional writings, and speaking at government meetings) who investigate the actions of elected officials. Politicians embrace their job security, knowing they cannot be “fired” until the end of their term, unlike the rest of us who are lucky if we get two weeks’ notice when we are not performing. And, theoretically, we are the employers of the politicians, but uninformed employers. Few of us have the time, the resources, the information, the knowledge, or the courage to monitor their activities.
Much is hidden within the “public” workplace. Efficiency is difficult to assess, as financial profit— a very useful evaluation tool in in the private sector– is rarely a goal. Often the executive/legislative body will go into “executive session,” totally hiding their decisions, and decision making process, from their employers (us). Politicians have a certain hubris and sense of self-importance that insulates them from the real world. Those who might question their activities are labeled as un-American on the national level, more likely disgruntled, uninformed, divisive trouble-makers at the local level. The Catholic Church has its infallible Pope, and small towns have their infallible mayors. Mayor Cordova’s call for “harmony” would be better characterized as a call to “shut-up and do it my way.”
Frequently my picket signs address my disappointment with the Taos News. The Taos News is a private business, and can print anything they wish, and are in no way legally or otherwise beholden to me or anyone else for what they write, or choose not to write. If they become a “Penny Pincher” or “Thrifty Nickle” or “Porn News” it’s up to them. I’m being totally arrogant, selfish and self-indulgent when I picket them with my dozen signs. I expect them to be a responsible member of the community and do what Jeff thinks newspapers are supposed to do.
I expect ones’ local paper to cover the political/judicial scene with an unbiased, unprejudiced, and even jaundiced eye. Historically, world-wide, an aggressive media is the best hope, and only hope, for citizens’ protection from government abuse; we must know who is doing what. I selfishly expect the Taos News to do this (Mayor Cordova’s four DMC radio stations are obviously focused on hiding his many sins and shortcomings). Instead, we have a paper focused on advertising and, for the most part, downplaying — if not completely hiding— the irresponsible and often illegal activities of town government. They completely ignore evaluations of the court system, including the doings of the DA’s office, untruthful sworn testimony of government employees, and judges’ work ethics and legal knowledge.
Our kids are being condemned to lives of poverty, fear, and ignorance; the Taos News ignores……. and on and on it goes, with their irresponsible (according to Jeff’s rules) lack of interest in our community, especially the children. The Taos News owner, Robin Martin, lives in Santa Fe, and comes from an extremely wealthy family; she also owns the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper; she has no apparent interest in our community. The tempestuous publisher, Chris Baker, came to Taos for this job about ten years ago, and previously had no Taos connections. Dull Editor Joan Livingston moved to Taos around five or six years ago from the east coast, and, like Baker, has no understanding of Taos and its history, past or present. Similarly, their three reporters are new to Taos, and will undoubtedly move on when a better job appears. The Taos News goes through many reporters, and two of the three they have now are incompetent.
Mayor Cordova’s personal character (and possibly professional) is undergoing close scrutiny as rumors swirl around town. As long as the mayor “denies everything” a black cloud will hang over town government. Something obviously happened, and the question revolves around with whom. Certainly, we will think the worst until certain people step forward and come clean.
Bill, I know you’ve been sued by government officials too many times, all the while being truthful. I don’t expect you to visit this issue, especially as you no longer are a part of the front line media. It’s hard to envision the mayor’s DMC news department or the Taos News ferreting out the truth, which is to be expected; his number one shill and hired gun, Nancy Stapp, is taking one of her frequent vacations next week. I’ll leave it alone, only because I am not one who investigates the unknown…… I look at what’s in front of my face and then comment. If I had animus, I’d be all over this story; as it is, I’ll leave it to others to uncover the truth.
Yours sincerely,
wasting away
Jeff Northrup