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The death march is one of those things that give life perspective. The lessons: Be thankful for and enjoy the life that I have. Remember the sacrifices of others and treat people with respect and dignity. Constantly try to be the best that I can be. Continue Reading
NMSU does have a responsibility to make itself as transparent as possible in a number of areas. However, especially with the state facing its current budget crisis, moving to make information regarding all donors available to the public could have dire consequences. Continue Reading
If we can get policies like ethics commissions and campaign finance reform to the same level of public discourse as health insurance, the war and abortion, and then get them implemented, our society’s ability to make good decisions based purely on the good to the community — and not on what benefits the few and corrupt — will be improved, and so will our lives. Continue Reading
In lieu of a written column, Bill McCamley, a regular contributor to this site, requested that this video from his final speech as a Doña Ana County commissioner be posted. McCamley left the commission at the end of December, and the speech was given at his last meeting earlier in that month. Because of technical issues, the video doesn’t start exactly where McCamley wanted it to. He requests that you begin watching 53 seconds into this eight-minute video. Here it is: Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley“It might be right, it seems; the wrong decision will spoil all our dreams; don’t change horses in the middle of a stream.” – Tower of Power “You love gives me such a thrill, but your love won’t pay my bills; I want money, that’s what I want.” – The Flying Lizards After reading all of the articles recently regarding the search for the next New Mexico State University president, the decision on moving forward seems clear. Current Interim President Waded Cruzado-Salas should be given the opportunity to show that she can take on the position permanently. I have been lucky to have a rapport with Dr. Cruzado-Salas since she became the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. I have found her to be supremely qualified to take over the reins at NMSU. She is extremely intelligent, and has the experience and understanding to manage the complicated logistics of a Division 1 institution. Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley“Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men’s skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact.” – Lyndon B. Johnson “Right, but… but I’ve learned that we can’t judge people based on what they look like.” – Eric Cartman In a recent column, Dan Foley claims the “word on the street” is that New Mexico State University Athletic Director McKinley Boston is not going to consider a coach from the University of Alabama for NMSU’s head position purely because he is white and Dr. Boston only will consider black candidates. After a long diatribe, Foley concludes that “The ‘color’ of a person you hire is irrelevant. Anyone who tries to tell you it should be a factor used in considering a person is not only wrong, but is also, sadly — consciously or unconsciously — a racist. There’s no place for that in the 21st Century.” This sounds great, but there are two problems with this hypothesis. Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley“‘No’ is such a simple word…. only two letters. Yet saying ‘No’ out loud is harder for most people than saying, ‘I’ll be glad to…’ (11 letters) or ‘When do you need me to…’ (17 letters).” – Linda Tillman, PhD When I joined the student government at New Mexico State University in 1999, there was a senator named Jeremiah Johnson. No, he isn’t the character from the movie AMC showed over the weekend, or the running back who had 219 yards and a touchdown in Oregon’s win over Oregon State on Saturday. This guy was a student at NMSU for nine straight years, many of them spent in the Associated Students’ Senate. Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley“We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it.” – Edward R. Murrow After the Nov. 4 election, the Las Cruces Sun-News showed a front-page picture of a man hanging a flag upside down protesting the election of Barack Obama. This is the final sign of a shameful strategy used by some Republicans in recent elections. What is it? Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley So I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the government’s bailout of Wall Street, and whether or not it is a good thing. As much as I’ve tried, it has been very difficult to come up with a definitive opinion. On one hand, without this action the amount of credit available for everything from student loans to mortgages to small businesses will be completely cut off. This would probably lead the economy to a grinding halt. On the other hand, I share the reservations of many that bailing out the greedy Wall Street fat cats responsible for much of this problem is not right. Furthermore, I’m no communist, and I do not think that the proper role of government in a market economy is to run the very platform on which most business is based. Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley Stephen: If I risk my neck for you, will I get a chance to kill Englishmen?Hamish: Is your father a ghost, or do you converse with the Almighty?Stephen: In order to find his equal, an Irishman is forced to talk to God. [Heavenward] Yes, Father. [To William Wallace and the others] The Almighty says don’t change the subject; just answer the f****** question.”- “Braveheart” OK, I admit it. I am sick and tired of the debates. I want answers to the questions the moderators are asking. Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley It’s finally here… that time in an election where running mates have been chosen, money has been raised and policy has been debated. Now that we are close to the last month, most people have decided who they are going to vote for. There are only a few “swing” voters left to decide the election. David Prior, a former governor and senator from Arkansas and a mentor of mine, once had a conversation with me after the 2002 election. After I regaled him with how Democrats could do better as a group through messaging and logistics, he said to me, “Bill, I’ve been in politics for nearly 50 years now, and you know the one thing I learned? Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley “I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.” – Helen Keller “I’m taking what they giving ‘cause I’m working for a livin’.” – Huey Lewis and the News For the past two months I have been looking for work here in the Las Cruces area. I haven’t been able to find anything in my field yet, so to make ends meet I took a job at a nursery in the southern part of Doña Ana County. I have never worked so hard for so little. Working outdoors in New Mexico during August is seldom pleasant, and the mud and humidity associated with a nursery make it more difficult. I have learned that Off works, thick shirts help you avoid getting torn to shreds by Mesquite thorns, and drinking three to four liters of water a day prevents dehydration. Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley “Politics is the only game for adults.” – Robert Heinlein On Sunday, the 2008 Summer Olympics ended. On Monday, the real race for the presidency began with the first party convention of the election. The sporting world and the realm of politics share many similarities. But in politics the determination of the future of a community, state, nation or world is made, while in a sporting event no such importance exists. So why do more people seem to care passionately about the outcomes of games than the results of elections? Continue Reading
By Bill McCamley “The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.” – Arthur C. Clarke Change. It is an easy thing to talk about. Our society holds the concept up high. Words like audacity, courage and vision are used to bestow praise. Yet change is a hard thing for most to accept when actually presented. Continue Reading
“In a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, ‘holds office;’ every one of us is in a position of responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve.” — John F. Kennedy “We the People of the United States… do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” — Preamble, U.S. Constitution By Bill McCamley Last week, I went to the bank to cash my economic stimulus check. The lady at the counter said, “It’s nice to finally have the government do something good for once, isn’t it?” That phrase, “the government” got me thinking about our society, and what government in a democracy should mean, what it does mean to many people, and why there is a difference. When the United States separated from England, the reason for this action was abundantly clear: They wanted more of a voice in their governance. Most of the people in the 13 colonies were proud to be English. Continue Reading