Category: politics

news, politics

Vying for Native American Votes

Becca

ALBUQUERQUE — Native American voters, often treated as an afterthought in presidential elections, are receiving an unprecedented amount of attention from both presidential candidates this year in the battleground state of New Mexico.

It’s a development nearly two decades in the making in which a handful of Albuquerque–based activists have been working to create a well-organized and powerful Native American voice.

Today, with 63,000 registered voters, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, Native Americans may well be the swing constituency in one of the most politically volatile states in the country.

The Sacred Alliance for Grassroots Equality (SAGE) Council, founded in 1996 by brother and sister Sonny and Laurie Weahkee, was formed to protest the construction of a road through the Petroglyph National Monument on Albuquerque’s fast-growing westside….

For the rest of the article, see The New Mexico Independent.
Or cross-posted at The Huffington Post

politics

Ticket Ticket Ticket

Becca

In March, I contested a red light ticket I had received in the mail. You know, those ones where a camera took your picture and a few weeks later you get a ticket in the mail. I filled out the paper work, wrote a check, and dropped it all off at the Beverly Hills Court House in a drop box.

Today, I realized I hadn’t heard from them yet, so I went online to check the status of the ticket only to find my case had been forwarded to a collections office. I called, and apparently they never received my paper work or check. Well, clearly, someone lost it from the time I dropped it in the drop box. I explained to her that I turned it in on time, and that someone at the court must have lost it, and her response was,

“Well, sometimes we have to pay for someone else’s mistake.”

And by paying she means $700. She means that I have to pay $700 because THEY lost my paperwork.

Oh, and by the way, she says they are suspending my license. (I then called the DMV and they said my license is completely fine, so I’m thinking that was just a fun little threat she threw in for kicks.)

My choices are: A. Pay the $700 or B. Wait for my court day in about two weeks to try and prove to the judge that I did in fact turn the paperwork in on time.

As enraged as I was, I almost paid, just to get it over with. BUT my principles got the better of me. Why should I pay for someone else’s mistake? Why am I the one to be punished?

I’m sure the traffic division and the city make a WHOLE lot of money from people who just don’t have the time or energy to fight this kind of injustice… but I am both poor and still young enough to be convinced that the world is a fair place.

So, I’ll take that court date, no matter what you threaten me with.

I’ve always thought bad things come in three. If that’s so, I’m pretty much done here, but I still find it amazing that it all happened in a week. I don’t really want to get into it, so let’s jsut leave it all behind like the sunset….

sunset

politics, travel

Update on cell phone law

Becca

Driving in Santa Monica yesterday, I forgot–for about 30 seconds– about the new hands-free phone law. At a stoplight, I picked up my phone, dialed, and after one ring hung up when I remembered. It was only then that I noticed the taxi driver in the car next to me screaming at the top of his lungs for me to get off the phone.

I also have yet to see ONE person breaking this law, although I’ve heard about a few people getting tickets. It amazes me that people are following this law so religiously. Maybe it’s the novelty of it. If only people were as careful to follow the rest of the laws.
In the same day, I saw a car run a redlight, cut me off on the freeway (without a turnsignal) and one person not wearing their seatbelt.

politics, travel

Spending time on the Rez

Becca

Today is my last day in New Mexico. I returned from Navajo Nation today. I got my story, which was my ultimate goal, but I also got an eye-opening experience after visiting Navajo Nation. I had a great guide to take me around. It is difficult to put into words the conditions that exist on the reservation. Some people don’t have running water. Some live right next to an electricity pole, but don’t have the money to get it installed in their home. Meth abuse is on the rise. Domestic abuse is nearly twice the rate as in the general population. Their local government is fighting corruption.

There are some amazing people working hard to help those around them. And there are some amazing things going on. But the level of poverty is overwhelming.

There are plenty of people in the country who complain about having it tough. I hear it everyday at home. But after traveling to the reservation and seeing the struggle between living in the present and still respecting their cultural pasts, I am sure that the Navajos are some of the strongest people out there.

My guide actually helped out with an episode of a FX show called 30 Days. The premise of the show is about this filmmaker who spends 30 days with people in different living situations. So, he goes to Navajo Nation. I can imagine that it will be a great learning experience. Check out the episode on July 8 at 10 pm.

news, politics

Finally…

Becca

No one can say that Obama didn’t fight hard for this. And maybe we can be grateful for Hillary’s stubbornness because she made Obama really fight for this. Finally, he has reached 2,158 delegates, and he is the Democratic Party candidate.

Months ago, I was at an Obama rally in Los Angeles, where Michelle Obama, Oprah and Maria Shriver spoke in support of him. I felt at that moment that I was possibly witnessing something historical. Now I know.