Mistreatment of the flag
Nancy A. Stuhr
I am extremely offended by the condition and treatment of the American flag drooping at the Los Altos First Street post office. This flag has been hanging at half-mast for days. Its condition is a disgrace! It is faded and torn in many places. It is left out after dark, and all night (apparently for days on end) without a light at the pole! Unless I missed something, this nation is not currently in a state of official mourning. Shame, shame on you, post office! If you can’t treat it properly, then don’t fly it.
Our flag means a lot to me, and I cannot even adequately describe all that it stands for. It stands, at least, for all of the United States of America. It is never OK to disrespect our flag, but these days, it seems to me to be especially important to keep the faith. Our flag commands respect and deserves no less.
Since the post office apparently doesn’t care and doesn’t seem to care what I think, perhaps a little public input would help.
Republican responds
Gene Sinclair
Donald Rumsfeld and Condi Rice, “incompetent buddies?” Have you read their resumes?
Freeing 25 million people from a heinous dictator - who repeatedly violated the terms of his 1991 UN armistice and compromised France, Germany, Russia and China through the corrupt UN Oil for Food program - is “murdering defenseless people in an unnecessary war?”
Restoring the world economy from the Clinton recession, the tech bubble bursting, the corporate scandals and 9/11 is “fiscal irresponsibility?”
I’d like to see any president meet Ms. Orta’s standards (”Calling All Republicans,” Letters, Dec. 14 Town Crier)! Certainly not President Bush’s predecessor, who twice had Bin Laden in his sights but could not find the nerve to pull the trigger.
But overlook all that for a moment and think of what failure in Iraq would mean. Democratic hopes in the Middle East would be crushed. The lives and families of all those brave Iraqis, Lebanese, Egyptians, Saudi Arabians, Jordanians and Iranians who voted and spoke out for freedom and peace would be forfeited. America, the West and progressive ideas would never be trusted again.
Israel would be forced to immediately attack Iran before it goes nuclear and would be lucky to survive with a Pyrrhic victory. Worst of all, the Islamo-fascists could say we told you so.
Closer to home, the American military would be forced to draft your kids and grandkids as only fools would voluntarily trust their lives to cut-and-run American political leadership. As the American military disintegrates, the Islamo fascists could determine the time, place and weapons of the next battle in their global war against all free people. With all the momentum and advantage on the side of evil, it would take hundreds of thousands of American lives - your kids’ and mine - to stop them next time.
Planting the light of freedom in the heart of darkness was a bold stroke that is paying dividends throughout the Middle East and the world. Ms. Orta and other well intentioned, but badly informed “patriots” need to stop their blather about “holy wars” and “blood for oil.” For the sake of America’s - and the world’s - children, Ms. Orta needs to cancel her membership to moveon.org and let America’s victory bring freedom to Iraq and hope to repressed people everywhere.
Response to Neutra criticisms
King Lear
I would like to respond to John Burr’s letter on the Neutra house. Mr. Burr is correct, this is the “before” picture for this facility.
There were similar reservations when the DeMartini house was moved to become the Community House, a home for the Los Altos Community Foundation. Today it is a charming historic house with a wonderful yard.
When the Neutra house project is completed it will have a natural oiled redwood exterior instead of the green paint. The landscaping will be quite attractive and the front door will look like a proper front.
The house and its yard does take some space formerly used by the Children’s Corner preschool at the Hillview Community Center.
However, the school is quite happy with the change. Our project paid for a new play area, fences, and new storage shed and we have worked diligently to avoid any negative impact on the school.
The Neutra house was built in 1939 on Marvin Avenue and is a very early example of California modern residential architecture. The style was used later by Joseph Eichler with great success in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and Los Altos.
The house belongs to the City and will complement the city’s supply of meeting rooms at the Hillview Community Center. The project is totally funded by donations. The house will also host some architectural history exhibits on Richard Neutra and other notable architects in this area. The uses, like the house, will be modest.
The value of making this a California historic facility will be high since there is a lot of interest in saving Richard Neutra’s works in California and elsewhere in the nation.
Do an Internet search on Neutra if you wish to learn more.
