New Mexico Mercury

Vacancies in Our Morality

On Monday, the city issued three-day eviction notices to the people living in tents along First Street. The notices are based on nuisance abatement laws, statues allowing the removal of something or someone deemed to cause an inconvenience or annoyance. The posted notices state that the city will file a complaint in Metropolitan Court “to eject you” from the city’s property or right of way. As we know, the strategy of the city’s leaders to eject the nuisances near the Rail Yards will only shuffle Albuquerque’s most-needy population to other locations where these individuals will be less concentrated and less visible...

The Christmas Truce 100 Years Ago and Today

A century ago on the holiday’s eve, weeks of miserable rain gave way to the stillness of a freeze. Tiny ice crystals held the earth, and, with the sun long retired, warm breaths condensed into motion.

“English soldier, English soldier, a merry Christmas, a merry Christmas!” Frederick Heath, a British private, wrote in a letter home as he remembered hearing the greeting in his trench along the Western Front. “Come out, English soldier; come out here to us.” Heath’s 1914 letter continues describing what is known as the First World War’s Christmas Truce...

Albuquerque’s Homeless Murders and Our Ordinary Passing Violence

Two men who had been beaten to death with cinderblocks were found this weekend on Albuquerque’s Westside. These men were homeless, and police have only recently identified them because they were beaten beyond recognition. Three teenage boys--ages 18, 16, and 15--have been arrested and charged with two counts of murder. These acts are horrifying, disgusting, and stomach-turning. At the same time, I wonder if I have anything in common with these boys...

Emerging Voices: Michelle Gullett

Editor’s note: “Emerging Voices” is a new, ongoing segment featuring young writers from New Mexico.  Pieces will be presented by various mentors and teachers working with students across the state.  If you work with young writers and would like to highlight a standout talent, please contact us.  Essays, poetry, creative writings, personal experiences, or other projects are welcome.  Thanks to Stevie Olson for presenting this week’s Emerging Voice...

An Attempt to Understand Protest

On the way to work Monday morning, I turned on the radio hoping for music, but the morning show host was discussing Sunday’s protest. I am usually irritated by talk radio, but I found myself interested because I was at the protest the previous night. By the time I came to the first stoplight, one caller had ranted about how the “riot was out of control.” The host agreed saying, “the protest definitely picked up some riffraff as the day went on.” Another caller said the “delinquents were taking over the city” and “deserved to be thrown in jail.” Waiting for the green arrow to turn left, I pushed the radio off. A sinking feeling told me these perspectives dismissed the movement I had witnessed, but I too struggled to articulate what had happened...

Section K: Another Coaching Change?

After a devastating end to the basketball season, the last thing we need is another emotional roller coaster, but here we are.

On Thursday, CBS Sports columnist Gary Parrish reported that Craig Neal had emerged as a “legitimate target of South Florida’s ongoing coaching search.” While only citing “multiple sources” as evidence, Parrish connected the dots: USF’s new athletic director, Mark Harlan, was hired this March from UCLA where he was the associate athletic director; Harlan’s interest in hiring Neal comes from Steve Alford’s recommendation...

Section K: Alternative Histories to the 2013-14 Lobo Basketball Season

A familiar feeling revisits us with the end of the basketball season. A Lobo team with the potential to advance to make history exits, what seems to be, early from the NCAA tournament. We are disappointed. Some are distraught. A few curse about years past.

Regardless of where you were Friday after the game--emotionally, not physically--we must realize that this season had the potential to be much different based on decisions made nearly a year ago. Here are some alternative histories to the 2013-14 season...

Section K: Scouting Report - Stanford Cardinal

With a lot to discuss--how the Lobos won in Vegas, why they received a seven seed, and if this team will make the historic run to the Sweet 16--we need to focus on the obvious goal: sending Stanford home and advancing to the next round.

After last year, I doubt many Lobo fans will dismiss this game as a guaranteed win, but Stanford’s 10-8 conference record and sixth seed in the Pac 12 Tournament are not all that impressive. If the Cardinal had lost one more conference game, we would not be talking about them.  A 9-9 conference record and seventh-place finish in the PAC 12 would have elicited a coaching change, not a ticket to the NCAA tournament...

Section K: No Unfinished Business in Vegas

Unfinished Business

The Lobos adopted the mantra after the season-ending loss to Harvard, and, ever since, it has been the rallying cry of this team’s focus: to make a historic, post-season run. On senior night, Kendall Williams cited the motto, saying the Lobos were on a mission to complete unfinished business: win the regular-season outright in San Diego, continue on to Vegas for the tournament title, and then to the Big Dance to make history. The Lobos are saying all the right things, but, after falling short on Saturday, the team had to realize they did not fail to complete any unfinished business. And this week, the Lobos don’t have any unfinished business in Las Vegas...

Section K: So, Who Are We Saying Goodbye to on Wednesday?

The Pit will fill Wednesday night to honor seniors Kendall Williams and Cameron Bairstow. With both players as candidates for Conference Player of the Year, their distinct journeys have converged this season.        

Growing up as a UCLA fan, Williams committed to the Bruins as a sophomore in high school, but UCLA rescinded the scholarship offer in July before his senior year. Less than four months later, Steve Alford signed Williams, and he made an instant impact starting as a freshman...