This is a reaction to two letters to the editor published April 20 and 22. Both fall into the category of hate mail that incites hatred among groups in the county.
Seems to me your editorial board should think long and hard before printing this kind of material, which is totally without redeeming value and is, in fact, counterproductive to maintaining the warm and friendly society most of us enjoy here in Lake County.
The April 20 letter (?Not about political correctness? by Raphael Montoliu) struck out at Randy Ridgel in a personal way and demeaned his pride in his Native American heritage.
I know Randy. He is a good human being. Very conservative. A prolific, sometimes even humorous, author of letters to the editor. He also has made major contributions to the county with his volunteer work for the county museum, the historical society and the Ely stagecoach building. Disagreeing with his politics is fair game. Attacking him for his proud Indian heritage is not.
The April 22 letter (?They ended the mascot nightmare? by Michael A. Pena) was a meandering, almost incomprehensible diatribe against all those of European ethnicity. The writer didn?t even bother to get the facts straight.
Example: Kelsey and Stone were long gone when the army committed the killings at Bloody Island. The writer has the temerity to stick in the sentence ?Stop the hate and start the healing.? I sure agree, but that letter doesn?t contribute to the process.
Let?s put a stop to the hate mail. In the famous words of Rodney King, ?Can?t we all just get along??
David L. James
Clearlake Oaks
