LETTERS: Boulder is not racist; Ballot counting; gay marriage; and more

Boulder is not a racist town

Wayne Laugesen alarmed me by his statement in his “D.A. takes on Boulder’s race problems” that “Boulder has, for minorities, resembled the Old South before the civil rights movement.” I just unsuccessfully scurried all over Boulder trying to find KKK banners, nooses from trees with and without bodies of blacks, “whites only” signs for rest rooms and restaurants, warnings that Boulder is a “sunset town,” racially segregated schools, bombed or torched black churches, etc.

I have to admit that your perceptions are much sharper than mine. I would therefore very much appreciate all help from you to point out to me such items anywhere in Boulder which must be a very clever town indeed, having very successfully hidden all such venomous evidence of racial hatred.

I am sure that Colorado Springs is much more liberal than Boulder, since all it has in terms of hatred are mere rants against baby-killer liberals, crypto-socialists supporting a foreign-born U.S. president in order to destroy our American capitalism, atheists who wish to eviscerate all religion from the country, male homosexuals who surreptitiously propagandize our young children to be like themselves, lesbians plotting to destroy real marriage, etc.

Perhaps it is time for me to leave this vipers’ nest of burning racial hatred and find a nice peaceful place in Colorado Springs?

Walter Plywaski

Boulder

Editor’s note: Gazette Editorial Page Editor Wayne Laugesen knows Walter Plywaski. The two met at a Ku Klux Klan rally in Boulder. Laugesen covered the rally as a reporter; Plywaski was there to protest it.

Decision may have been right

I don’t know the rules or laws. But it seems to me that if the election judges would have counted through the night, up to 24-plus hours, then there would be those that would have claimed errors were made by tired workers. It seems like the decision may have been a sensible thing. How much did those few more hours really change?

Kim Mitzel

Colorado Springs

Raising autism awareness

Thank you for the April 10 article about the research being done to learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder. There is so much that is not known about autism, and it is exciting to see the different research that is being done to learn more.

Not only are the causes not understood, it is very difficult to identify and diagnose autism in very young children.

The sooner autism can be diagnosed the easier it is to make decisions about the best treatments and interventions for the child.

Navigating both the services and financial supports for those services can be very challenging for families. Early diagnosis and intervention can help families to access insurance coverage and other resources for services including applying for the Medicaid Waiver for Autism.

The Resource Exchange Early Intervention Program is part of a statewide pilot around ensuring that evidence-based practices are used in providing services to infants and toddlers with Autism. Early intervention that is based on evidence-based practices is very important to a child’s improvement in skills.

With early intervention we are also able to support children and families as the child transitions at age three years to preschool special-education services to ensure those services are appropriate to the child’s needs.

Thank you again for raising awareness of Autism during Autism Awareness Month.

Colleen Head, The Resource Exchange

Colorado Springs

Take this criticism and use it

This letter is meant to only focus on one very specific aspect of the many surrounding civil unions, gay marriage, etc. It is important to note a couple of the points that those in favor of these arrangements make. First of all: the divorce rates among heterosexuals. These rates are a reason for shame, and their reality should not be denied.

Heterosexual couples should see this as an opportunity to take this criticism and use it for change. Despite the fact that they are many books and sources out there in regards to marriage, it is important to note that when it comes to marriage, it is not an issue of information, but of transformation.

For example, churches definitely should not be in the “marrying business,” but rather in the business of guidance and support in order to form strong and sustainable Christian, Jewish, etc., families. Second, if the church criticizes homosexual adoption for its negative implications on the children, then they need to support their stance by leading the way in heterosexual adoption. They must set an example and show compassion to those children that desperately need stable, loving households.

Alina S. Lugo

Colorado Springs

‘Day of Silence’ for all students

We are writing in support of area students who will on Friday, April 15 get quiet for a cause during the Day of Silence, one of the largest student-led actions in the country. The purpose is to silently and peacefully protest anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) bullying, harassment and name-calling. 

For the 9-10 LGBT students in our region who daily deal with harassment, assault and discrimination because of who they are and who they love, the Day of Silence is also a day of hope.

But this protest goes far beyond gay students. Youth who are targeted for anti-gay or anti-transgender bullying often do not identify as LGBT. For every student bullied because they are gay, there are four students assaulted because some bully thinks they “look gay” (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network).

Here in the Colorado Springs area, we estimate that more than 400 students will participate. With supportive school officials, students can complete their scheduled academic responsibilities while leading and learning about diversity.

We urge support of students who participate in Day of Silence because it is about safety and respect for all students. We also remind administrations and parents that while schools have the right to limit student speech in some instances, they may not prohibit students from engaging in free speech under the argument that it causes other students to be disruptive. The law is clear that school officials may not censor peaceful expression solely because other students will have a hostile reaction (Butts v. Dallas, 1971).

Liberty, security and safety, self-expression, freedom of religion, freedom of speech — or to not speak — we support students and all citizens in the rights and privileges of being an American. 

Shawna Kemppainen, Inside/Out Youth Services

Colorado Springs