Letters

Editor,

I recently learned that the Biblioteca plans to install air conditioning in its Teatro Santa Ana, thanks to a generous grant by a donor.

Although I certainly think the theater desperately needs better ventilation, I cannot support putting in a massively expensive and environmentally incorrect solution. The “carbon footprint” of such an AC system—not to mention the long-term operating costs—would be massive.

Almost no structure in San Miguel needs AC. At our elevation, the air is always dry and temperatures relatively comfortable, certainly out of the sun. This means the problem in Santa Ana is stagnant air not being recycled, not hot or humid air that must be cooled as in, say, Florida. Plenty of cool air is right outside our doors, just waiting to be invited in.

At Shelter Theater, we have installed a large extractor fan at the building’s highest point which draws air in from the downstairs café and swirls it through the audience, up and out. A constant supply of fresh air is all that is needed to keep our audiences comfortable.

Likewise, Santa Ana simply needs to exhaust its stale air from the top of the theater and draw fresh air in through any of its many entrances. A large but quiet fan, readily available from Home Depot, is all that is necessary, a far cheaper and less ecologically intrusive solution.

If any Biblioteca representative cares to examine our ventilation system, I invite them to contact me for a tour of our highly effective solution.

John Wharton
Shelter Theater

Editor,

I wonder if I am the only person who has been sickened every day I walk around town and see/hear these dreadful people touting their “circus” from at least two pick-up trucks, each with an unfortunate llama and miniature pony tied in the back. One can only imagine the suffering of these animals, since llamas are from the Andes where normally they are at altitudes of 7,000 feet or more. As for the little ponies, they look half-dead—I’m sure if they could talk they would tell us they wish they were dead, standing on red-hot metal in temperatures up to 40°C. This sort of wanton cruelty beggars belief.

It will come as no surprise that animals are no longer allowed in circuses in any European country. It is considered barbaric, which it is. I wish that Amigos de Animales would start a campaign to outlaw them here also. It would be quite a challenge, but a very worthwhile one.

Anne C. Rusling

Editor,

As a permanent San Miguel resident, and a pedestrian, I am increasingly aware of the change in drivers’ habits here: the honking of horns; the use of cell phones while the vehicle is in motion; the decreasing courtesy of “giving the right of way.” The “impatients” should look at Querétaro to see where we are heading. Do we really want to see the advent of stoplights and more Transport Police? This city has always been known for its atmosphere of tranquility. I fear we can accept that term no longer.

Jean Harper

Editor,

As an artist, a scholar, and most importantly, as a resident of this magical town, I am outraged by the recent artistic censorship by the Biblioteca. (I refer to the library’s mandated removal of certain nude paintings by local artist Lourdes Cordero.) It is my understanding that other letters of protest have been submitted to the Atención, so I will not waste time here re-stating the facts. This letter is a “call to arms” to denounce artistic censorship in San Miguel de Allende. If this town is going to continue to be a thriving arts community, we must protest every action that attempts to deny self-expression. 

I will give the Biblioteca the benefit of the doubt and assume that its leaders meant no harm. I will assume the decision to remove the art was a hasty decision made without full consideration of the damaging consequences. However, I feel that I must give voice to my belief in the dangers of artistic censorship. The silencing of self-expression in art or any other form of communication can lead to the death of souls, living beings, and societies. 

Although I do not mean to compare this one action taken by the Biblioteca to broader historical atrocities, I do believe it is important to vigilantly guard against the cruelties to humanity that can occur when freedom of expression is denied. Since ancient times, censorship has been used as an attempt to control the moral and political character of certain societies by placing limits on the expression of certain ideas and beliefs. Neither the scope of this letter, nor the scope of my knowledge, allow for a thorough treatment of the devastating effects censorship can have on individuals and societies. However, one only has to recall certain historical events where censorship was used to justify cruel, often murderous, actions. Recent examples are easy to point to, such as the actions of Nazi Germany, Apartheid censorship in South Africa, the endless abuses that continue to occur in the Middle East, and the recent socio-political environments in both the United States and Mexico. 

In an attempt to bring the issue of censorship “closer to home,” I would like to mention the work of artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña. Gómez-Peña is a world renowned Mexican-American performance artist who moved from Mexico City in 1979 to San Francisco in order pursue his art in a culture that he hoped would be more open to artistic expression. In his article “Notes on the Death of the American Artist” (2006), Gómez-Peña discuses the repressive climate in Mexico during his childhood during the 1960s. He states, “As a child in Mexico, I heard adults whispering about blacklists and those who named names. My older brother, Carlos, was involved in the 1968 movimiento estudiantil, and several of this friends disappeared for good. During my formative years in Latin America, censorship was indistinguishable from political repression and often resulted in the imprisonment, displacement, exile or death of “dissident” intellectuals and artists.” 

Over the years, Gómez-Peña’s hopes for greater artistic expression in the US were dashed—most recently during the Bush-Cheney administration. He states, “The imposed culture of panic, prohibition and high security permeating every corner of society?including our arts organizations?has created an incendiary environment for the production of critical culture…These new conditions are similar to those we face in Latin America, but without the community spirit and the humane environment we find there?without people’s willingness to be always present and donate their time and skills.” In my opinion, there was certainly no community spirit or humane treatment given to Sra. Cordero when she was mandated to immediately remove her paintings.

As Jeff Chang, an American journalist and music critic states, “The existence of cultural diversity is now widely recognized as crucial to the realization of human rights, minority rights, freedom and peace. A rich and broad range of artistic and cultural expressions often signals the presence of unfettered creativity and healthy societies.” 

We must work together as a community to protect the right of self-expression so that San Miguel will continue to be a community that “signals the presence of unfettered creativity” and remains a healthy, thriving, and humane society. In the words of American author Henry Miller, “Instead of asking—‘How much damage will the work in question bring about?’ why not ask—‘How much good? How much joy?’” 

Dr. Laurie J. Sandefer 
(Ph.D. Aesthetic Studies)