Sticking to rules matter of fairness

The actions and decisions made regarding Darren Cordova, his band, and their involvement in the fiesta celebration were the correct decisions!

As a Nuevo Mexicano with an appreciation for New Mexico music: the rancheras, cumbias, heart-felt ballads, polka instrumentals and the corridas are all unique to our heritage. I have been a fan and will continue to be a fan of the music by Darren Cordova y Calor.    

Having said that, I applaud the decisions made by the fiesta committee, the event planner and liaison to the fiesta committee, the City of Las Vegas and Mayor Alfonso Ortiz; neither the status of Darren Cordova as an award-winning artist nor his status as the mayor of Taos warrants any special treatment. His group should have followed the rules and submitted their application to perform and entertain us just as the other artists had to do.

Planners and city leaders made a good-faith effort to afford Darren Cordova y Calor an opportunity to entertain us and to continue their involvement in the city’s Fiestas celebration. It is simply too damn bad that Darren and Junior did not appreciate the 10 a.m. slot the mayor offered up to accommodate their failure to submit their application.

The way I see it, Mayor Ortiz and the Las Vegas Fiesta Committee made a good-faith effort for the people to also be entertained by Darren Cordova y Calor. Unfortunately, Darren Cordova y Calor did not do their part to be part of the celebration. Having read the Las Vegas Optic’s story that contained remarks by Junior, I can only logically surmise that Darren and Junior’s priorities coupled with their supposed preferential status outweighed their desire to entertain us.

Oh well, I will still attend the city’s fiesta celebration and I will still enjoy the equally important and capable performers that did follow the rules and protocols to be part of a great celebration.

Great job, Las Vegas leadership! The decision to stick to the rules in the name of fairness to all, and on behalf of the people of Las Vegas and the surrounding areas was the right decision!

Lorenzo Jaramillo
Rociada