The yearly Fiesta de Santa Fe is almost upon us. Indigenous activists protest the event as racist, while the Hispanic population regards it as a cultural celebration. Euro New Mexicans tend to be quiet about the simmering friction surrounding the event. Across the nation, statues and monuments are being destroyed or quietly changed, like Fitzgerald Square in the attached article. Where do you stand on the issue? Should we make slow, deliberated changes to avoid stepping on toes, or dash to an invisible finish line? And if we do the latter, do we risk losing connection to our collective history – both good and bad?
Slave Owners, Conquistadors, & Irish Soldiers – Which “heroes” do we celebrate?
dailykos.com
Here in New Mexico, we have seen our share of controversy over statues, holidays, and parades. Nearly a year ago, the severed foot of Don Juan de Oñate was shown to Simon Romero of the New York Times. The foot was from the statue — not the despotic…