The Ooze of Goodness

         
                                                    

One would think that the Mayor of Las Cruces would be able to recognize, at least be familiar with, the historically ingrained bigotry in and about Las Cruces, plus that supporting baggage dragged in by all the favored newcomers.  From his comments recently reported in the weekly folksy/newsy My Las Cruces for Black History Month, Mayor Miyagishima appears to only recognize color as the only category subject to local, state, and national bigotry.
          When Mayor Miyagishima stated, "....Las Cruces is probably one of the most tolerant cities in New Mexico.", he apparently forgot his personal mayoral plaques he hands out.  The ones with the white rays of light emanating from the center cross of the three undeniably Christian Trinitarian crosses.  Also forgotten in that statement is the recent well-known history of Las Cruces, when the local faith-biased mob leaders guided the federal court, to deprive the plaintiffs especially, and many other citizens, of their civil liberties.  That cloud still hangs over the city, not to be removed by additional Latin crosses.
           His silence can still be heard when the Latin crosses were put on the three sides of the purposefully-built tower of the new City Hall.   Mayor Miyagishima was there when the building was strangely inscribed "City of Las Cruces City Hall,"  which intones the English translation of the  Spanish "Ciudad de Las Cruces (City of the Crosses)," and that keeps at least half of the bigots happy. 
            It's obvious Mayor Miyagishima just doesn't get it. 

ROTC Proselytizing at New Mexico State University

      Can you and your children expect anything less, after the bought evangelical blessing of the local federal court in Las Cruces, that Christian symbols are perfectly OK on government and other public properties?  You may think Latin crosses in any configuration (especially three) are Christian-religious.  Not in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where the cry from citizens echoed across the chile and cotton fields, "They're not religious, they only represent our culture and our community."  Duh.  Translated in Las Cruces-speak means, "If you are not an abiding Christian, Catholic or Protestant, we will only tolerate your presence."  As long as you keep your head down.
      New Mexico State University has several departments that have been engaged in proselytizing the students and general public for years.  Several professors are known to lie about their involvement with the evangelicals employed by the university and the promotion of Christianity.  And all the while the unsuspecting students from a variety of cultures and religions, even no religions, are being subjected to Christian proselytizing.  The current triangular logo of the university reeks of sectarian Christian fundamentalism and the university leaders bask in that knowledge, that lends tacit approval of promoting the Christian religion.
      Recently I attended the US Army SROTC (Senior ROTC) commissioning/graduating ceremony on campus.  Since I served in two branches, Navy and Army, enlisted and officer, I totally expected an uplifting "Duty, Honor, and Country" ceremony for the newly commissioned officers. 
      I had read that there was a rabid influx of Christian evangelists doing all they can to turn our military forces into obedient, slavish soldiers of Christ.  This is exactly what this ceremony reflected.  The guest speaker was a retired Army officer active with the ROTC.  His speech was nothing but a Catholic sermon using the fictional character in the fictional book, The Vicar of Christ, an American Marine who became the Catholic Pope.  The book title was referenced several times in the Elmer Gantry-like energetic presentation seen in revival tents, and of course, on evangelical TV shows.  Excerpts from the book had been copied for the new officers with an admonishment to read and reflect on the ideas on the pages; blatantly assuming in the fashion of evangelists that all were good Christians, and if not, they should be.
       Next up was the Commanding Officer of the SROTC unit at the university.   His equally evangelical proselytizing sermon was not so animated, but he did not fail to get his fundamentalist Christian message out to the new officers. Surely they had heard this many times from their commander and fearfully feigned obedience. The unsuspecting audience of parents and friends sat stoically as he repeated "So help me God," from the oath of allegiance, over and over.  Even though I was present, I failed to grasp the sermon's point, it being illegal anyway.
       The 'chaplain' nervously gave the opening and closing prayer. Even though it was Christian, it was almost benign as compared to the two sermons the new officers and attendees were forced to bear.
        
      

Our New Centennial High School

It's almost time for our new Centennial High School to open.  A long-awaited inclusive project that would make any city and school district proud.  But....with the grand opening this Fall, a seemingly overlooked problem needs to be corrected.  Now is the time for the city, county, and school district to divest itself from the  current street name of  'Sonoma Ranch Boulevard' (SRB) to something more appropriate for the setting.  Even 'Centennial Boulevard' would be pleasing and not give the impression that it is connected to the Sonoma Ranch Empire.

The new school is about two miles from the large, ever-growing, jammed-up housing development.  The Dona Ana County Commissioners were probably strong-armed to allow the road from Highway 70 to Las Alturas to be named 'SRB.'  At the time, it probably appeared to be OK, it just being a line on a map in the sand dunes..  But the land from the school to the City Dump, near east Lohman, has most likely been spoken for by the 'Empire.'  (A map in the Sun-News showing the disposition of the land would be good.)  Any new housing or commercial development along the currently unpaved portion of the SRB, and attaching the name of Centennial High School to it, will add millions to the Sonoma Ranch Empire.  

In-Your-Face Religious Prejudice by City of Las Cruces

If you haven't already, run out to your mailbox.  The federal post office has been duped into delivering the City of Las Cruces' IN YOUR FACE CHRISTIAN PROSELYTIZING by way of the 2012 City's Reference Guide.  The bright, glaring Trinity crosses should make federal Judge Robert Brack doubly proud of his insulting, illegal, prejudicial Christian-based decision, accented by the City of Las Cruces Mission Statement.

Neither the Christian front page symbols nor the statement convey any respect for the various cultures, the variety of religions and non-believers in deities, that make-up this city and its surrounding environs.

That industrialize Mission Statement dismisses the heartfelt desires and personal needs of the citizens. Cost-effective services!  What a joke.

Spanglish at its Best

Most free-thinking people know as they drive around the downtown area of Las Cruces that the Latin crosses on the tower of City Hall are there specifically to proselytize the people. A Christian beacon, if you will.

Many observers laugh at the seemingly redundant wording on the front of City Hall: City of Las Cruces City Hall. Pretty funny. Any moron knows Las Cruces is a city. But what's not realized is the influence of Spanglish - that illiterate sounding of local Spanish interspersed with English.

But here Spanglish was intentionally used to mask the intent of the message: City of Las Cruces translated in the local proselytizing Spanglish it means the 'City of the Crosses,' all the while knowing 'las cruces' means the crossroads. This comes from the attempt of the city to distance itself from its collaboration in the misdeeds of the local federal judges' illegal rulings about using public funding for religious purposes.  All those known to be involved have been rewarded.  

Truth and Justice in a Federal Court

On 11 January 2012 a great senior federal Judge Ronald R. Lagueux of the First Federal District of the United States ruled that "no amount" of "history and tradition" "can cure a constitutional infraction." Judge Lagueux did his duty to the people and our Constitution. This judge did not join the religious bigots that harassed the plaintiffs. He did not join the religious bigots and make a ruling to satisfy their outrageous demands.

Judge Lagueux did not use his Catholic religion to justify a wrongheaded ruling that would have only brought shame to his court. Every court, from low to high, belongs to all the people equally, and there by should be shameless. Any judge who brings shame upon his or her court, should immediately resign.

Every citizen should read Judge Lagueux's Decision and Order. It is written in simple language and can be found, among other places, on the New York Times web site article dated 31 January 2012 under the story line of: "A Brave Stand in Rhode Island." Also, Case 1:11-cv-00138-L-DLM Document 27, Filed 1/11/12.

The cases and reasoning behind his final decision are the same that was presented to the local federal Judges Robert Brack and Lourdes Martinez, which they chose to ignore and rule for the local religious bigots.

Or contact me and I will email you a copy. It is 40-pages long - double spaced.

Another New Mexico Lie Exposed

Shortly after that fool of a governor, Billy Richardson, appointed a coreligionist, Rhonda Faught, Deming/Las Cruces, as the NM State Engineer, she changed the NM Transportation Department's logo to represent the Christian Holy Trinity. This Trinitarian design is now seen on all Transportation Department signage and documents throughout the state. Of course, denials abound when questions arise about its religious intent. Just another in-your-face example of the religious prejudice emanating from Santa Fe.