Letter writers’ points well taken by reader
Looking back at the newspaper’s letters to the editor, Ralph Correll was right.
The potholes on U.S. 19 are astonishing. Thanks to Correll, I know to avoid wrecking my car suspension in them. Linda Newcome is also right that democracy is a flower that can be crushed, either by the avalanches of anarchy or the foot of totalitarianism.
Conceivably, as she asserts, the democratic process could be used against us so that the ultimate irony of a vote to end freedom could become a reality.
But the over-reaction to increasing diversity of our democracy is also dangerous. Rather than believing in our system, and that the vast majority of people coming here want to be free, we may over-tighten our borders and suppress voters within.
We should be vigilant to protect our democracy, but not so much as to strengthen reactionaries.
Steven Knudsen
Morgantown
Tolerance, kindness and
honesty family values
I was thinking about principles like honesty, justice and fairness. And then it occurred to me that we don’t talk about principles as much as we used to.
Now we talk about values, and I’m not so sure what that means since value used to be more about the worth of something — like a car.
And “family” values are a vague concept for me. Terry Hagedorn writes letters all the time about them, but in his latest letter regarding the “Arthur” episode of Mr. Ratburn’s wedding, it seems that he is calling “chastity, the two genders” traditional family values. Oh, and homophobia, apparently. How is that?
It seems that he has never watched “Arthur.” Arthur is an aardvark who is considered so honest that the kids decided that only he could be trusted to call the game after the referee was called away. He is kind, patient, hard-working and obedient.
The show’s message is relentlessly upbeat and hopeful. The kids (who are animals) are taught and teach each other to be honest and kind, to help each other, that hard work pays off, that their differences don’t stop them from being friends, and that family is more important than any thing. How are those not family values?
Jane R. Menear
Arthurdale
