Readers write: Hopes for an exiled journalist, and a thank you for natural beauty
Letters to the editor from the Oct. 6 issue of the Weekly. Readers discussed a recent cover story from a journalist exiled from El Salvador and features on nature鈥檚 beauty.
Safety for an exiled reporter
A thousand thank-yous for the Sept. 1 Weekly cover story, 鈥溾�楶reemptive exit鈥�: A journalist in exile鈥� 鈥� for the courage to publish it, for the calm voice of an exiled journalist whom you featured, and for the assessments by organizations that are monitoring the state of democracy worldwide.聽
Of course, we can read between the lines regarding the treatment of journalists and the perils for democracy in Russia, Gaza, and the United States. That there are more autocratic leaders than democratic leaders in the world now was a key, sobering fact.聽
I hope that Nelson Rauda Zablah finds a safe haven in whichever country he ultimately flees to. It sounded like he would not be able to stay in the U.S. A follow-up article on the ways that the U.S. might be following the path of antidemocratic autocrats in El Salvador and elsewhere would be welcome.聽
Jerry McIntire
Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan
The beauty of the Yukon
Among all the articles, the In Pictures 鈥淢aking it to the mighty and majestic Yukon鈥� from the Sept. 1 Weekly stood out. What a picture it paints. Can you imagine going down a gravel highway and simultaneously racing by a grizzly? I am ashamed of myself for often saying I鈥檇 never live anywhere that didn鈥檛 have an Apple Store! This is a beautiful piece, reminiscent of Johnny Horton鈥檚 old song 鈥淣orth to Alaska.鈥� It is nicely written, magnificently photographed, and just plain fun.
Chris Johnson
South Portland, Maine
Treasuring fall
I鈥檇 like to thank the Monitor for that beautiful poem 鈥淔all in New England,鈥� which ran in The Home Forum in the Sept. 8 and 15 Weekly. It was so beautiful. It reminded me of my first encounter with New England fall. A friend and I ran around聽taking pictures every second. We couldn鈥檛 get enough of the beauty that was surrounding us.聽
Altea Matteson
Auburn, Washington
Trump鈥檚 growing influence
Thank you for the excellent article 鈥溾�楾hank you, thank you, thank you鈥�: A diplomat鈥檚 guide to dealing with Trump鈥� in the Aug. 22 Daily.聽
It highlights the dramatic, fundamental shift in diplomacy the world is learning to 鈥渄eal鈥� with right now. The influence of President Donald Trump is summed up well here in the quote in the story by Peter Mandelson, then Britain鈥檚 ambassador to the United States: 鈥淚鈥檝e never been in a town or a political system that is so dominated by one individual,鈥� he says, describing Mr. Trump鈥檚 Washington. 鈥淯sually, you鈥檙e entering an ecosystem rather than the world of one personality.鈥�
Kate Gibson Oswald
Kelowna, British Columbia
An evenhanded approach
I was distressed reading 鈥淪ome decry Trump disruptions. These voters exult in them.鈥� in the May 19 Weekly. Reading how people 鈥済ather to talk and graze overstuffed platters鈥� as they praise President Donald Trump roiled my stomach. It seems they鈥檝e elevated Mr. Trump to demigod status without compassion for how his policies affect those who cannot build homes in the Blue Ridge foothills.聽
Nevertheless, I applaud the Monitor鈥檚 evenhanded approach to covering these dangerous and chaotic times, even when stories make me queasy.
Michael Caudill
Seneca, South Carolina