Democracy for New Mexico

Vigil Wednesday for Kidnapped Peacemakers

Editor's Note: Kathleen O'Malley is a long-time peace activist who has traveled to Iraq three times as part of the Christian Peacemaker Teams and Voices in the Wilderness. As many of you may recall, she gave a moving talk about her experiences in Iraq at our DFA-DFNM Albuquerque Meetup this past September. She sent out the following email urging participation in a vigil in support of the peacemakers who were recently kidnapped in Iraq.

Dear All,
As many of you know by now, 4 Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) people were kidnapped last week in Iraq by an insurgency group. Last Friday, the group released a videotaping threatening that if the U.S. did not release all detainees by December 8, the hostages would be killed.

I have travelled and worked in Iraq with two of the people taken, Jim Loney and Tom Fox. Two others, Norman Kember and Harmeet Sooden, were delegates on their first visit to Iraq. They came to learn about the situation there and then return home to tell others about their experiences.

This is a horrendous situation, one of many in Iraq that reveal the desperation of those who would threaten the lives of innocent people - in this case, people who are there in opposition to the occupation and in support of the Iraqi people.

Please join in a vigil this Wednesday, December 7, from 5:15 to 6:00 PM at the Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center, 212 Harvard St. SE (corner of Silver and Harvard). Feel free to forward this message to others interested in joining the vigil. Also, bring a candle if you have one. For those living out of town or otherwise unable to attend, please join the vigil by lighting a candle and sending your prayers or other thoughts for a peaceful resolution of this dire situation and the war that spawned it.

In Hopes for Peace,
Kathleen O'Malley

Urgent Action Alert: Voting Machine Purchase & Press Conference

From Verified Voting New Mexico:
I am asking for your help with a time-urgent matter on election reform. New Mexico county clerks have been given a deadline of Monday 5 December to decide which voting machines they will purchase to meet Help American Vote Act (HAVA) requirements to provide accessibility to disabled voters. The two largest counties in New Mexico are planning to buy touchscreen voting machines built by Sequoia that are seriously lawed. These machines have switched votes, they lost 12,000 votes in Bernalillo County in the 2002 election which were "recovered" in Denver by the voting machine company, they failed to record votes on Spanish language ballots, and they have not been federally certified to meet the HAVA disability requirements.

Because of these problems, there is a lawsuit in New Mexico that is in the discovery phase asking that these machines be enjoined from further use in New Mexico. Ms Herrera has been blocking access to persons on her staff that could provide information in the discovery phase, and she has not made herself available for this process either.

We in the election reform community have been working to get county clerks to buy a superior machine which does meet the HAVA requirements: the AutoMark ballot marker, which the disabled community is able to use to mark paper ballots. This machine is favored by most disabled voters. A number of New Mexico county clerks have already decided to buy the AutoMark. A group of us decided on Friday that we should make a last effort to encourage Ms Herrera, the Bernalillo County clerk, and Ms Espinoza, the Santa Fe County clerk, to buy the AutoMark machine.

We are asking as many people as possible to do three things:

1) Before Monday, e-mail or fax both Ms Herrera (meherrera@bernco.gov Fax: 505-768-4190) and Ms Espinoza (vespinoza@co.santa-fe.nm.us; Fax: 505-986-6294). I would encourage you to use your own words, in a message like the following:

Dear _____________,

I have been informed that you have been told to make your decision by next Monday, December 5 regarding the choice of voting machines that will meet HAVA requirements for access of disable persons. For this purpose, please buy the AutoMark ballot marking machine, a choice that has already been made by a number of your county clerk colleagues. Please do not buy touchscreen machines in an attempt to meet the HAVA deadline. These machines have not performed well. They have switched votes from the desired candidate to an opponent, and they lost 12,000 votes in Bernalillo County in the 2002 election, which the voting machine company was asked to "recreate". The machines are also known to make errors on Spanish language ballots.

[For Ms Herrera only]
I have been further informed that you have been blocking efforts to obtain information relevant to a lawsuit to enjoin the use of the touchscreen machines that malfunctioned in the 2004 elections in New Mexico. This information, including voting data on the touchscreen machines, is important for making decisions regarding the reliability of the voting equipment. Please stop blocking these information-gathering efforts. If voters are to have confidence that elections are fair and their votes will be counted, their chief election official must be open with them.
[End for Ms Herrera only]

Your response to this request will have a major impact on my decision to vote for you or your opponent in the upcoming elections for Secretary of State.

Respectfully,
(Signed)
cc:
tjennings@abqjournal.com (Trip Jennings, ABQ Journal)
djfrosch1@yahoo.com (Dan Frosch, Santa Fe Reporter)
jimwilliams@kunm.org (Jim Williams, KUNM)
nmns@publicnewsservice.org (New Mexico Public News Service)

2) Call Ms Herrera and Ms Espinoza with a brief version of the above.

3) Join us at a press conference at Ms. Herrera's office in the City/County offices in Albuquerque at One Civic Plaza, NW, 6th Floor, to be held at 4:30pm Monday 5 December. Bring friends. This press conference will cover in more detail the information summarized above. A big crowd will make a big impression. Here is a map: https://tinyurl.com/acqx5

We will meet at the northwest corner of Civic Plaza at the the east entrance to City Hall. If you have trouble finding us, call Laura Stokes at 328-1767, or Barbara Grothus at 235-9529.

Thanks for your help. If you have questions, please call.
Paul Stokes, 898-1237

Meet New MoveOn Organizer Sunday Morning in ABQ

MoveOn has sent another organizer to NM. He'll be here for an undetermined amount of time and will meet with all interested persons on Sunday, December 4 at 10 AM at the Flying Star at Montgomery and Juan Tabo. His name is Garrett Monaghan and his cell number is 330-412-3357 if you'd like to contact him for more information.

Iraq Vets to Speak Against Occupation Saturday

Veterans for Peace member Tina Garnanez, a 24-year-old  Dine (Navajo) Iraq occupation vet, will speak at the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice this Saturday, December 3rd, from 2 to 4 PM. Tony Garcia, an Iraq war veteran and medic, will also speak. A press conference will precede their presentation.

These two Iraq war/occupation veterans will answer questions you might have about the occupation and why they are speaking out against this war. Please honor their courage in "going public." They will also be speaking to various high school classes in the Albuquerque area. The two vets will be guests on IndyMedia TV Community Cable Channel 27 this Friday night at 7:00 PM. For further information please call 304-3144.

ACTION ALERT: Last Election Reform Task Force Meeting 12/14

From Paul Stokes of United Voters of New Mexico:

The last meeting of the NM Legislature's Election Reform Task Force will be held in Room 307 of the Roundhouse at 9 AM, Wednesday, 14 December.  A good crowd in the gallery to show support for our key issues will be really important in getting our key concerns addressed.

Our top issue is likely to be paper ballots.  Another important issue that we are likely to raise is assuring that the paper ballots or paper audit trails are hand counted rather than machine counted.  A third issue that concerns us is that the Task Force is recommending that correcting problems in the audit provision can be put off until the 2007 legislative session because that would still leave time to be ready for the 2008 presidential elections.  We want to be sure that delay won't result in dropping the matter.

Click the link to download a paper prepared by New York Verified Voting that provides excellent background for the advantages of paper ballots over DREs (Direct Recording Electronic), which are the touchscreen or pushbutton electronic machines: Advantages of Paper Ballots (PDF)

In order to meet the new New Mexico law for "voter verifiable and auditable paper trails", the DREs would need to be retrofitted with printers.  These printers produce a paper tape similar to a grocery receipt, which is kept by the state as the record of the vote.

Personally, I think the key reasons to prefer paper ballots that can be counted with optical scan machines or by hand  over the DREs that count the ballots electronically and produce a paper trail are that with paper ballots:

• The paper ballot is inherently verifiable by the voter as part of filling out the ballot,
• There is considerable good experience in NM and across the country with paper ballots and optical scan machines,
• Paper ballots and optical scan machines have demonstrated fewer errors than DREs,
• Paper ballots are a much more intuitive, easily understood medium,
• Paper ballots are much easier to recount by hand for audits and recounts,
• Voting systems using paper ballots and optical scan machines cost much less than DRE voting systems.

See the PDF download above for additional reasons and rationale.

NM R.A.I.N. Presents Forum to Contrast Religious Right

From New Mexico R.A.I.N. and Equality NM:
The New Mexico Religious Alliance for Inclusion and Non-Discrimination (R.A.I.N), composed of leaders of New Mexico's Faith community will host a forum on December 8th where the subject will be "Living Faith." Members of New Mexico's clergy will give a historical and theological presentation on scripture to debunk the prevailing information used by the religious right to justify hate and discrimination against members of the Gay Community in the United States. The forum will feature various elected officials including Representative Danice Picraux, Councilor Martin Heinrich, and Senator Linda Lopez. 

The forum will be held at St. Michaels and All Angels Church (601 Montaño Rd., NW) in Albuquerque on December 8th, 2005 from 7-8:15 PM. 

"At our first meeting, we had over 300 people. The momentum is growing and we are beginning to change the direction of the debate. No longer will people have to suffer discrimination in silence or in the name of the Lord. We are making RAIN in New Mexico and people are paying attention," stated Rabbi Joe Black of Congregation Albert. 

New Mexico R.A.I.N. was formed out of the exclusionary and hate filled debate that dominated the last US Presidential Election. A single religious position has dominated media attention and leaders of NM's faith communities are expressing a different point of view: the belief that faith and religion is based on 4 major tenets: Tradition, Scripture, Reason and Experience and not discrimination and exclusion. 

"We will present the facts without bias or individual interpretation. We want to counter the hate filled debate carried out in the name of faith. We would like to show that our faith traditions are meant to unify and not divide. We strongly feel that targeting of specific groups for discrimination is in contrast to the Biblically mandated principle that we are all created in the image of God."

The organization has membership from throughout the state and includes lay and ordained members.

For More Information Contact:
Ellen Novak RAIN Co-Chair
Rev. Lee Albertson, RAIN Co-Chair (505) 265-5749
Rabbi Joe Black
Rev. Brian Taylor
NMRAIN@MAIL.COM

SAGE Organizes March to Give Homage to the Petroglyphs

From Laurie Weahkee, Executive Director:
Stand With Us! As the City of Albuquerque commemorates its tricentennial, a celebration of our multicultural heritage, it simultaneously begins construction of the Paseo Del Norte road extension through the Petroglyph National Monument, a Native American sacred site.

SAGE Council asks your participation in a March to Give Homage to the Petroglyphs, to commemorate those who have fought this 10-year struggle and to acknowledge the difficult work of sacred sites protection here and elsewhere.

WHEN: Sunday, November 20th, 2005
TIME: 1:00 - 4:30 PM
WHERE: The March begins at Pueblo Montano Park at the entrance to the bosque open space, off Montano just east of Coors.

The March will culminate with a rally at the Petroglyphs with speakers, prayers and song. Transportation will be provided back to Pueblo Montano Park. Restroom services available. Please dress appropriately. Click for a map and more information. Invite your friends and family!

Shop at Cottonwood Mall Sunday Evening and Help Local Charities

On the evening of Sunday, November 20th, Cottonwood Mall in Albuquerque will be reserved exclusively for shoppers who have purchased Simon Evening of Giving Tickets from participating charities. The event includes discounts from over 90% of the retailers, family entertainment, food sampling and door prizes. Tickets can also be purchased at each entrance after 6:30PM. Christina Kent Day Nursery (CKDN) will receive a portion of the proceeds from all the tickets sold that evening. The tickets are $10 and the charities receive $7 from each ticket.

CKDN is a non-profit daycare center that provides low-cost daycare, education and nutritional services to the children of low-income working families.

CKDN plans to use the monies earned at this fundraiser to purchase Real Turf for two areas of the playground at CKDN.

PLEASE SUPPORT THIS FUNDRAISER!

Editor's Note: Mary Ellen is on the board of the Christina Kent Day Nursery (CKDN) and hopes many of you will shop at Cottonwood Mall this Sunday evening to benefit local charities including CKDN.

REMINDER: Rep. Bernie Sanders in ABQ Saturday

A Forum of Successful Progressive Candidates

Guest of Honor:
The Honorable Congressman Bernie Sanders, U.S. Representative, Vermont, Independent
and
NM House Rep. Mimi Stewart and Senator Cisco McSorley
Plumbers Hall, 510 San Pedro SE
Saturday, November 19, 1:00 - 4:30 PM

These energetic and successful progressive elected officials will share their stories of why they ran for office and how they won. Anyone interested in running for public office should attend! You will learn how to be elected even when you won’t or can’t generate huge corporate or special interest contributions. Win with vision and grassroots support while maintaining the moral high ground. 

Join us to learn VALUABLE lessons from these DYNAMIC elected activists. They chose to run because they had the dream and motivation to represent their community and a PASSION to contribute! Candidates, campaign workers, interested citizens, and PATRIOTS are invited! Free admission. Tables for organizations to distribute materials, enlist activists, educate and motivate are ONLY $15.

Community Partners: Central New Mexico Labor Council, Gray Panthers of Albuquerque, Plumbers & Pipefitters LU 412, Albuquerque Teachers Federation Union, World Voices Newspaper. Need more Info? Martha at 275-0597, Luis at 463-3774, or marthacd@earthlink.net 

PLUS:

Activists, Patriots and YOU Are Invited Meet US Congressman and Senate Candidate Bernie Sanders

Saturday, November 19, 2005, 6:30-9 PM
324 Richmond  SE (corner of Coal and Richmond)
Food and refreshments
It’s only $20 per person and $35 for couples (BYOB wine or beer)

Meet the longest serving Independent Representative in the House of Representatives! THE TRUE Representative of the People!

"A victory for Bernie Sanders is a win for Democrats, but he is not a Democrat “ – Howard Dean

Listen to Bernie take unscreened calls on Thom Hartmann’s radio show every Friday during the 10:00 hour. You are invited to call in. Simply click on “listen live” at www.thomHartmann.com (It’s the finest talk show on radio: 10:00 – 1:00 daily)

Bernie Sanders for the Senate: THE Independent Voice for People! RSVP to 505-275-0597 or marthacd@earthlink.net

Year End Push for the Valle Vidal

From the League of Conservation Voters:
As we approach the end of a full year of hard work here in the Land of Enchantment, all of us in the New Mexico field office want to encourage you to help us with our year-end push to help protect the Valle Vidal and make sure our representatives support sound national policies.

Little did we know at this time last year how important our energy policy would turn out to be. Since then, we have experienced the passage of 2 vast pieces of energy legislation that benefit Big Oil and leave consumers to fend for themselves; the harsh realities of our dependence on fossil fuels; and the renewed effort to drill in our nation's most precious places.

Before the year is out, there are important things you can do to help us protect the Valle Vidal and ensure that our representatives vote for sound energy policies:

Attend a Valle Vidal Public Hearing in Santa Fe
Sponsored by LCV Education Fund, Sierra Club, and the Coalition for the Valle Vidal, this hearing is your opportunity to register your concern for the future of the Valle with the US Forest Service -- before they finalize their management plan for the area.
What: Public hearing on the Valle Vidal
Who:  New Mexico citizens, US Forest Service, Congressman Udall (invited), Senator Bingaman (invited)
When:  Wednesday, November 16 - 6 - 8:30 PM
Where: College of Santa Fe, Tipton Hall
To attend click here

Sign Up Your Business to join the Coalition for the Valle Vidal
Elected officials such as Senator Domenici have become impressed by the growing list of business support for protecting the Valle. If you own or work at a business -- or know anybody else whose business might be interested in joining the Coalition -- this is a great way to show your support!  Joining the coalition is free and you will get a handy-dandy packet including a window sticker.
To sign up a business, or for more information, click here to email me.

Write a letter to Rep. Wilson and Senator Domenici
We are banking on Rep. Wilson and Sen. Domenici's support for legislation proposed by Congressman Udall and Senator Bingaman to permanently close the Valle to mineral extraction. If they hear a groundswell of opposition from New Mexico constituents, they can be persuaded to support this legislation -- and it needs their support to make it!  Rep. Wilson has already publicly opposed drilling in the Valle, let's ask her to put her vote where her mouth is!
For more information on writing letters click here to email me

Thanks for all your help and support, always.  We can't do it without you.

Maggie Toulouse
Campaign Manager, Southwest
League of Conservation Voters