Correction: The Sun mistakenly reported last week that Patricia Savoy’s name was drawn for the top line for mayor on April’s ballot. In fact, Erica Sparhawk’s name was drawn first.
Keep writing, Pat
In 1969, 23-year-old U.S. Army Specialist Patrick Hunter took issue with his officer’s declaration that a moustache was “a sign of dissent,” and, as such, moustaches “would neither exceed the corners of the mouth … nor have individual hairs longer than one-sixteenth of an inch.”
Rather than comply quietly, Pat wrote a letter to the military newspaper. “It is difficult to imagine anything quite so small,” he observed, before making a persuasive — and humorous — case for the company’s right to reasonably sized moustaches. And dignity.
Fifty-seven years later, he is still writing letters.
As Pat, my father, celebrates his 80th birthday this week, I am writing my own letter of gratitude for how he has modeled what it means to be an engaged citizen. A lifelong learner and student of the world, he understands keenly that meaningful change happens at the local level. He’s worked to better our community and protect the environment through service on numerous community boards, and through his countless letters to local newspapers.
I’m sure you’ve read them! Maybe they affirmed your own views, or maybe they challenged them. Hopefully, they made you think, or even sparked a conversation.
And more conversation is exactly what we need these days. If we value our freedom to converse freely and speak truth to power, then we must enthusiastically exercise those rights and fiercely protect them.
We must also celebrate and support our local newspapers. We are lucky to live in a valley with strong local journalism, an essential ingredient of democracy. I don’t take this for granted. Thanks to my dad’s example, I endeavor to be an informed, engaged citizen — and I always read the Letters to the Editor.
Here’s to many more years of letters from Patrick Hunter, Carbondale!
Christy Garfield
Aspen
Unintended consequences
“The Librarians” was an enlightening and difficult documentary about political and ideological interference with our libraries, especially in Texas and Florida. Hard to imagine, since libraries have always been in complete service to us.
Since age 6, I’ve had a library card and used it constantly. That’s a lot of years and a lot of pages of adventures, stories, research and enchantment. How lucky we are to live in a country where we have the freedom to access a full diversity of information. It is no accident this is part of the First Amendment.
Eighty-percent of Garfield County residents approve of our libraries. Six-percent don’t. The Garfield County Commissioners’ determination to control our Library Board, a move that reflects a very, very small faction, may have unintended consequences. I’m reminded of a favorite quote from Mark Twain, “There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.”
Kay Clarke
Carbondale
Leash ‘em up
So many things on my mind this week, but one that got to me yesterday is the lack of respect for the trail workers on Red Hill. My beef at this moment: dogs off leash. I reminded two groups yesterday that, yes, dogs are required to be on leash on town-owned portions of the trails. The Red Hill Council recommends dogs stay on leash even on what is BLM land.
With the first group, angry, I stated the rule and walked on. One person gave me an eye roll and “yeah whatever” look. The second time, I encountered a young couple with a dog off leash and I calmly asked, “You do know dogs are supposed to be on leash, right? Do you know why?” One of them answered, questioningly, “To protect the wildlife?” Looking around at the no wildlife here anymore, I answered, staying calm, “Yes, that and the plant destruction. Your dog goes off trail to poop, you hopefully go off trail to pick it up. That’s four trips off trail, destroying fragile vegetation.” They looked at each other, put the leash on the dog and we all walked on.
And if you don’t pick up that poop, shame on you. Those purple flags that show up in the spring? That’s where someone either didn’t see their dog go or decided it was okay to leave their dog’s poop in the woods.
Red Hill now sees over 70,000 users a year! The abundant disrespectful use has damaged plants and created erosion channels. Trail workers have spent hours of hard work and money to try to revegetate areas and reduce the erosion of social trails.
So, I sincerely ask, if you knew the reason for the dog-on-leash rules, would you abide by them? Do you follow norms of good community behavior when no one is there to enforce them? Do we need bigger signs, “YES-DOGS ON LEASH HERE,” leashes to borrow at trail entrances? Do we need trail ambassadors to educate the public?
And, I know, it’s hard for us old timers. These places used to be ours, only a few of us used them regularly. But as more people come to the valley, locals have to acknowledge the game has changed, and to protect and preserve these special places, we have to change our ways.
Susan Rhea
Carbondale
Minnesotans stand together
It is amazing and wonderful what the citizens of Minnesota are doing; their commitment to each other, their incredible degree of organization, on and on. Thousands of individuals (yes, thousands), people just like you and me, are trying to protect neighbors, students, friends, to provide safe transportation to work, to deliver groceries, medications, on and on. Meanwhile the terrorizing of neighborhoods continues, abducting children — as young as five year olds, students in grade school, high school — detaining parents and leaving children abandoned at home, detaining people who are legal, have papers and are waiting for court appearances. Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues with criminal acts.
Thousands of Minnesotans have joined nonviolent, peaceful protests and attended evening vigils, singing together as temperatures dropped way below zero. Our son described that for him the most emotional scene was at the airport protest — peaceful, solemn, singing, chanting. The Minneapolis police had hot chocolate for the protesters (“to keep them warm and feel safe”). At the end, the 99 ministers knelt in a long line. One by one, four police officers first handed a minister a “bullhorn,” then let each person speak. One minister read part of MLK’s letter from Birmingham jail. Then the officers quietly and gently helped each person stand up, applied handcuffs and escorted each individual to the police bus waiting to take them all to jail. Slowly. Carefully.
Such a contrast to the terrorizing behaviors of ICE, which is detaining not only “criminals,” but people like you and me.
I hear that ICE is now here in our Valley in Colorado. May we Coloradans have the courage to stand together and be good neighbors.
To support Minnesotans, visit www.standwithminnesota.com
Nancy Bo Flood
Four Mile
ICE in Glenwood
I have been pleased to see how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been operating here in Glenwood. Colorado is a smart state that seems immune to radical measures employed elsewhere. ICE’s mission is easily held to the rule of law by gathering police records on undocumented persons that have been charged and found guilty of felonies (as Trump has) and obtaining warrants for the rare, actual worst of the worst. Most likely, it seems that sort of a person would be in lock up. They should be apprehended respectfully and taken to a court to get a hearing if an order to deport is called for.
The person apprehended in Carbondale had a judicial warrant out for him, setting him in jeopardy of becoming a deportee. All persons in America have a constitutional right to a proper hearing before being detained or deported. Especially, I should think, the wonderful Indigenous people who roamed the continent trading and hunting with enough respect for the land that after 15,000 years of occupation the Europeans were able to commandeer a pristine environment from them 500 years ago. I love my Latin neighbors and their gentle, generous ways, and I applaud our bilingual outreach to our historic hosts.
John Hoffmann
Carbondale
Letters policy: The Sopris Sun welcomes local letters to the editor. Shorter letters stand a better chance of being printed. Letters exclusive to The Sopris Sun (not appearing in other papers) are particularly welcome. Please, no smearing, cite your facts and include your name and place of residence or association. Letters are due to news@soprissun.com by noon on the Monday before we go to print.