Taos needs leaders that exhibit and teach tolerance to community, children

In my 27 years as a resident of the Taos valley, I’d be hard pressed to find two more ridiculous “My Turn” submissions than what I read in the Nov. 30 issue of The Taos News — one by an elected official and the other by a school teacher.

I am dumbfounded that councilwoman Judi Cantu has so much angst, so much bitterness, so much vitriol, such an holier than thou attitude and no common sense and decency — penning a “My Turn” that contributed so little in 735 words.

As an Anglo living amongst Native Americans, Hispanics, Mexicans, Black Americans and a myriad of other nationalities, ethnicities and varying religious backgrounds in Taos, never once have I heard a Taoseña or Taoseño speak in such a manner to me personally, nor to anyone within my hearing, whether at the grocery store, in line at a movie or a public event. If she wants to drive a 15-year-old vehicle and live in a one-room casita and consider those as a badge of honor, so be it.

I am embarrassed and ashamed of her. Do you really expect us to believe you are a Taoseña, with such an intolerant attitude? I have lived in and through Taos politics and continue to do so with its nepotism, the good, the bad, the ugly, the ups and downs, the snakes and saints and you stand at the head of all that is wrong with our nation’s politics and intolerance.

You are the epitome of the wrong side to be on — the side that is part of the division of our nation instead of the healing side; the side that continues the digging and picking at the scab still fresh from a two year war of almost unimaginable intolerance.

Then we have a school teacher ready to self destruct because she doesn’t know whether she can bring herself to get out of bed and face her students because Donald Trump will be the next president. Do what you are being paid to do. Teach! Teach the children by leaving your own fears and prejudices behind and help that child begin building a foundation upon which to build her own character and develop his own view of the world and their own voices.

No 4-year-old child came up with, “I’m half Native and I know Trump doesn’t like me, he doesn’t want me here,” on her own. That thought was placed by an adult, and if true, I can only hope and pray it was a parent and not a teacher. If a teacher, we have far greater problems than Trump. If that child is afraid of Trump, then we have done that child a great disservice. We have saddled that child with our own fallacies, our own prejudices and our own fears. And if so, we should be ashamed of doing that to any child.

May I suggest we teach our children leadership skills and how to be great leaders, not cowering behind some perceived fear that may never materialize. We should be their heroes and mentors, not weak, scared examples.

We should teach our children that when the winds of deception and deceit start blowing, one steps back, surveys the situation and acts on facts — not someone else’s speculation of coming events. In other words, we start teaching them now to be honorable women and men so when they become our future leaders, they will be strong, moral and ethical leaders. We certainly need a new crop. The ones we have seem to be sorely lacking.

So much for tolerance in our community.

Dunnam is a resident of Taos.