Gilbert Roybal, another victim of homicide

Another homicide only 1 week later, my heart feels bruised, which is nothing compared to no longer having a beating heart, or one on life support to be donated to someone in need! My condolences to the family of Gilbert Roybal, 44, owner of the Ancient Spirit hair and nail salon, located in downtown Santa Fe, off West San Francisco, in the same courtyard as the Sakura Japanese Restaurant.

To all accounts this was a good man, with no enemies who could pride himself in our Governor having frequented his business. The news says after work, still during Fiesta weekend, he stopped by the Eldorado Hotel to enjoy some Salsa music and somehow got involved in an argument. I sure hope it is not a gender related hate crime, as this is the first question that comes to mind to many when hearing of a hair dresser in trouble.

Hate seems though in the ether. Again the news discussion boards were filled with hateful commentaries. Many are ready to blame the illegals, the day workers, the transients for crimes committed in their community. Others want to throw out the baby with the bathwater and stop Fiesta festivities cold, keep them strictly to religious ceremonies. Always there are those to blame the politicians and police for not doing their job. One or two bemoan the lack of a death penalty when needed! It seems that anonymous comments illicit a flow of unmitigated hatred.

We are all for free speech, but with freedom comes responsibility! I do imagine if the boards were no longer anonymous the posts would become more temperate. Meanwhile a good man has been on life support only to harvest his organs, our community experienced another loss, this time of a treasured member and the question remains what are we not doing that we could to make Santa Fe safer? I wish I knew the answer.

You may want to check out my post on Chris Rose and the crime that happened only 1 week prior. http://uomis.blogspot.com/2009/09/chris-rose.html

maybe to be continued ...