Readers comments 2-2-18

Making the Gold Line golder

Dear Editor:

As a student without a car, I utilize public transportation to explore places in LA County and would like to share my perspective on the Metro Gold Line construction.

First, Metro should end the line at Pomona instead of Montclair. Overlapping the Pomona to Montclair stretch that Metrolink currently covers on the San Bernardino Line would be counterproductive because it will do little to attract new users. Metro’s $279 million shortfall to carry out its current plan risks construction delays, or worse, the project’s elimination.

Trimming the line would substantially reduce time and costs associated with building new stations and massive parking structures and relocating existing train tracks. Rather, Metro should team up with Metrolink to ease connections from Pomona to Montclair.

Second, in order to increase ridership, Metro and Metrolink need to build lines that cut long-distance travel times significantly. For example, the quickest trip from Claremont to Anaheim takes 30 minutes by car but at least two hours by train, because it has to first stop in LA.

A solution to form more direct paths would be to construct a circular line that surrounds LA, such as London’s Circle Line.

Furthermore, Metro and Metrolink need to make public transportation far more attractive if they truly want to boost ridership. Metrolink should reinstate express trains to cut down travel time. Rail lines that connect people to LA’s major airports would be a welcome addition.

Metro and buses should not only increase frequency but also put more effort into reliability and safety. My wish for public transportation is that it will prove one can go green and save money without making sacrifices.

Christopher Hu

Claremont

 

Ellen Browning Scripps

Dear Editor:

I would like to express my deep appreciation to the COURIER for putting the story of Ellen Browning Scripps into my hands, to Professor Gayle Green for writing the story, and to Molly McClain for doing the painstaking research that it took to document the remarkable life of the founder of Scripps College.

As I participated in the Women’s March this month I felt very keenly the spirits of our foremothers who had marched before us for safe working conditions, the vote, an end to child labor, and so much more. Yet I did not realize, until I read your article, that one of our feminist foremothers had brought us the beautiful college that graces our city, and that this was just one of her pioneering accomplishments.

Hopefully now that the story is known, Ellen Browning Scripps will be given the honor due to her by her college and by our community.

Nancy Mintie

Claremont

 

The meaning of Christmas

Dear Editor:

“Humbug!” to your correspondent from Colorado (Letters, December 22). The Grinch did not steal Christmas, though he tried. Nor did the organizers of Claremont’s tree-lighting ceremony, who didn’t try. They couldn’t.

As the Grinch came to realize—though not your correspondent, alas and alack—Christmas is not the trappings of Christmas, nor even the word “Christmas.” Christmas is “a little bit more.”

Charles Young

Claremont

 

A silver lining

Dear Editor:

There is a famous saying that every dark cloud has a silver lining. This metaphor simply denotes that there exists a hopeful comforting aspect of every ugly event.

This phrase was well presented in a film I saw at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, The Sultan and the Saint.

This story is a drama that was played during the Crusades when the dialogue took place between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik al-Kamil. Unlike the hateful environment of killing and violence, the role of the Sultan and the Christian leader St. Francis of Assisi, was an incredible act of reconciliation and affection amidst the looming clouds of hate on both the Muslim and Christian side.

It appeared that the clock started turning backwards, and certainly love and affection overpowered the warring factions. I recommend every one to watch this PBS film. We are indebted to St. Mary’s church for sharing this great piece with us.

History and these meetings are a living example that no mater what the magnitude of hate or propensity to fight, love still can over come and all the dark clouds that give rise to unstoppable rage can calm down and bring humanity to reign supreme.

My friends, our motto, “Love for all, hatred for none,” is the best slogan to live by especially in these days of selfishness and cut-throat competition.

May God help us all in this new year of 2018.

Anwer Khan

Chino

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