What to do?

Dear Editor:

As bewildered as I was with Leslie Watkins’s letter last week, suggesting we left wingers want a “1984 Utopia,” etc., I was in agreement with Merrill Ring’s sardonic suggestion and with Elizabeth Tulac’s very thoughtful piece. But, I do have one complaint.

Ms. Tulac besmirched Charlie’s (our Schnauzer’s) character. Charlie, even though having descended from German heritage, never snarls. He barks at squirrels and reacts to anything negative or offensive, but he never snarls. What I wish is that more of us were like Charlie.

Anytime he’s afraid, displeased, defeated by escaping squirrels, all it takes is a treat and a tummy rub and he’s in bliss again, cuddling on any lap he can find. I very much wish more of us were like Charlie. Truly,

Chris Rubel

Claremont

Inclusion

Dear Editor:

“Life isn’t always fair”

Claremont, California is a long trip from my home in Michoacan, Mexico.

Yet sometimes we visit New Mexico or even New England

during their summers. However, our Family especially likes California.

But maybe not me, not after what

happened last summer.

We cross and re-cross the border once every year, with no difficulty.

We don’t know anything

about walls or papers.

Our very large Family actually

numbers in the many thousands,

all from Michoacan,

all amazingly beautiful.

The human creatures we visit call us Monarch Butterflies,

 not an unpleasant naming, I guess. Humans aren’t perfect.

But I just had a very unpleasant

experience there and this old guy

saw it happen and seemed

very frustrated and regretful.

Actually I may have seen him in our home forest long ago,

with a pretty lady human

and a beautiful smile.

Well anyway, I arrive behind where he happens to live now and I scent

this heavenly aroma emerging from a blue gizmo on a pole.

Guess what? Only those twitchy, very, very long nosed creatures can feast.

They don’t even hum that well.

They aren’t even that pretty!

Maybe the ole guy

will figure something out, to practice more peace and justice among us,

promote more beauty all around.

Sabemos muy bien la importancia de la paciencia—y el valor.

We Mexicans know well that

“Life isn’t always fair!”

Jim Lamb

Claremont