Letters to the editor - Oct. 7

Gary Johnson best choice for senator

I recently moved to Portales to attend college. Politics is something that I find very interesting. Since I am now legally a resident in the state of New Mexico, New Mexico’s politics are now my politics.

This year, the state has some great candidates. Aubrey Blair Dunn, son of Libertarian State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn Sr., is running for attorney general. Portales native Ginger Grider, a good friend of mine whom I met when I first moved to New Mexico, is running for secretary of state.

However, the most vital candidate in these mid-term elections is former Gov. Gary Johnson. If elected, Johnson would effectively put an end to the two-party system as we know it.

Johnson has been a heavy hitter on important issues like the debt and deficit, welfare reform, tax reform, balancing the budget, and individual freedoms. These are issues that I am just not seeing the two main party candidates — from any state race with the exception of a select few — talk about.

A Sen. Gary Johnson is what this country needs. We desperately need to have real conversations about the debt, deficit, and budget. We are tired of politicians who tow party lines and accomplish nothing; constantly falling short on their campaign promises.

A Sen. Johnson would help usher in a new era of peace of mind, fiscal responsibility, and individual liberties.

This is why I feel Gary Johnson is the senator for New Mexico — and America.

Zechariah Nathaniel Harvey

Portales

We’ve strayed from due process

Presumption of guilt?

Here, in America, we have, what is called, “due process.” A part of that due process is the component called presumption of innocence: Coffin vs. United States (1895).

As law-abiding citizens, we have a legal and civil duty to abide by such tenets to ensure accurate legal proceedings.

It seems we have strayed from this in recent days and months, pertaining to the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

No matter what side of the crooked isle we tend to lean, adjudication based on unsubstantiated allegations only harms the legal process. Opinion is meaningless. We all have them, and want to stick with them, but must fervently seek truth.

When the evidence, simply, isn’t there, only one conclusion can be made — innocence.

This is where we stand with the SCOTUS nominee. A mere accusation does not warrant guilt. Setting this precedent undermines us as Americans, and the process we hold dear, as citizens of this great nation.

Accusations, without evidence, are reserved for childhood playgrounds and sibling disputes. Such games have no place in legal or civil proceedings, especially when involving a highly qualified, unbiased Supreme Court nominee.

Investigation into a case, to look for evidence, is a must, and should be thoroughly conducted. When the investigation has concluded, with no evidence found, the presumption of innocence must be considered ... innocence.

Jared Piepkorn

Clovis

Cannon has no position on racino

It has come to our attention that individuals not affiliated with Cannon Air Force Base and/or the 27th Special Operations Wing are attempting to incorrectly attribute a position to our wing with regards to the racino referendum.

We wish to correct the public record and state in the strongest manner that we remain completely neutral in this matter.

To be clear, Cannon AFB is prohibited by law and policy from endorsing or rejecting any non-DoD commercial entity or activity. Any individual who implies they are stating Cannon’s position, either officially or unofficially, is unauthorized and unsanctioned by the 27th SOW.

Thank you for allowing us this opportunity to officially correct the public record for inaccuracies.

Col. Stewart A. Hammons

Cannon Commander

Keep filth in dumpsters

I’m writing this in regard to certain individuals who have no regard of how they put the trash around the dumpster.

When there are dumpsters all up and down the alleyway, you would think they would have common sense to know to put trash in another dumpster if the dumpster by their house is full.

I am getting sick and tired of going out there and cleaning up around the dumpsters with overflowing trash.

If I don’t, it’s going to be scattered all over the alleyway.

Last week my wife and I went out and cleaned up around the dumpster; as I write this, garbage is once again stacked up around the dumpster.

Such filth. Such not caring about the appearance of your neighborhood. If someone wants to live in filth, then move somewhere else to live in filth.

Lonnie Grimes

Clovis