letter to the editor

Is the question why or why not?

Tue, 02/20/2018 - 4:00pm

Dear Editor:

A question was once asked “Why do you write letters to the editor?”  If my father were alive he would ask why don’t you write letters to the editor. So here I sit writing letters because I am curious, because it is in my genes or because I am called to do so. Recently three remarkable coincidences are pushing me not to stop.

First a wrong number was dialed to my son.  A woman meant to call her grandson, but instead miraculously called my son. Forty-six years ago she was his “other mother” from age 6 weeks to 4 years.  The second followed my letter introducing California’s hispanic culture. The letter responder found it to be a remarkable jolt as she was leaving for Los Cerritos, California, where she would be enjoying a variety of loving and kind attributes known to her through statements and Biblical text. The third coincidence was the receipt of an email from my cousin within minutes after I sent out the “Gift of Music” letter. It turns out she had just sat down to write a check to a home that took care of her Mom, that was now starting a music treatment program for patients.

I cannot ignore these unusual events nor horrific ongoing events in our country and the world at large. All of this leads me to research the meaning and use of bribery and the differences between ISIS and the NRA. 

My primary sign of hope comes from the kids in Florida. The kids in Florida with posters and protests, have signs that they might be able to stop mass school shootings. Adults with elected power seem fearful to stop taking enticing bribes ranging from $2,861,047 to $7,740,521 in the Senate, and $137,232 to $1,089,477 in the House with expectations they will vote in favor of the NRA.

Huffington Post notes in 2015 ISIS killed about 6,000 people. During the same period there were approximately 33,600 gun related deaths in the U.S. (60 percent suicides and 10,000 plus from gun related homicides). Pay attention to those kids who survived. They have the answers.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb