Kilmer dissed northern New Mexico?

NM county wants Val Kilmer to explain remarks

By Sue Major HolmesCounty commissioners want actor Val Kilmer to show up in the next 30 days to explain derogatory comments he's been quoted as making about northern New Mexico, where he's lived for more than two decades.

Residents complained about Kilmer at a commission meeting in Las Vegas, N.M., this week, alleging he's made disparaging comments in the past about San Miguel County and has chased away people fishing on the Pecos River at his ranch.

"We had a group of people who came in and were really upset," Commission Chairman David Salazar said Friday.

The controversy erupted after Kilmer's Pecos River Ranch sought to open three guest houses to paying customers. The county zoning and planning commission approved the proposal 3-2 in March, but Rowe resident Abran Tapia appealed to the commission.

Salazar said commissioners want to be fair, and asked Kilmer "to give us his point of view and tell us what he said or he didn't say."And:Northern New Mexicans have been upset with Kilmer since an October 2003 Rolling Stone article quoted him as saying he lives in the "homicide capital of the Southwest" and 80 percent "of the people in my county are drunk."

Kilmer denied the statements, saying he bragged about New Mexico during the interview. Rolling Stone stood by the article. Days later, Kilmer took out an ad in the Santa Fe New Mexican, saying he loves New Mexico and Pecos.Comment:  Val Kilmer is part Indian and has shown an interest in Native-themed projects. San Miguel County is about 2% Native (double the national average) and 78% Latino. So his quotes or misquotes are relevant here.

Given that Kilmer starred in the stereotypical Comanche Moon, he doesn't seem that sensitive to Native concerns. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a typical American "love" for Indians. I.e., "Love 'em in the distant past; don't like 'em now."

For more on the subject, see Val Kilmer for Governor?