Astute, sensible and humane
My oldest three children will begin their senior, junior and sophomore years of high school in the next few days. As much as I would like to give a pitch about how they need to see leaders who look like them in positions like HD10 to admire and emulate as they start to imagine who they would like to grow up to be, I must make a small confession.
I was not much older than the age my children are now when I had them, and the journey of providing for them and finding my own social justice voice has involved a lot of trying, a lot of shut professional doors and a lot of grief from candidates that have not lived up to the stances they negotiated their votes on and/or who are trying to bail before they’ve even found their footing in their current roles. I need Junie Joseph to win this Democratic seat for me, and for people like me, who are raising families and scared for their safety, who are working multiple jobs yet struggling to survive here and who share in the weight and impact of actively trying to fix enduring systems of long-held racial and social inequities.
I have canvased and called on behalf of Democratic candidates for the bulk of the last two decades and know we will not find someone so astute, sensible and humane as Junie Joseph. Junie is advocating beside parents in the peak of the largest trauma that many of these families will ever face. Junie is out there in the streets marching for reproductive health rights with us. Junie Joseph means what she says, and she is more than just talk. Junie’s rise to HD10 will be the least disruptive and frankly, Junie Joseph is what Boulder needs.
Martha R. Wilson/Boulder
Community concern over economic ambition
The University of Colorado’s thirst for expansion speaks more to its success as a corporate business than as an institution of higher learning. Boulder was a pioneer in environmental protections. Height restrictions, a “Blue Line” preventing development in the lower foothills and the acquisition of open land were enacted to preserve a quality of life for residents. An eight storey hotel is under construction on the Hill, with a convention center planned kitty corner at the intersection of University and Broadway. As in its push for a South Campus, CU is interested only in itself. The disregard of increased traffic congestion and pollution in neighborhoods and the climate issues of a larger carbon footprint and water use in a future of rising temperatures and extended drought is disrespectful not only of the citizens of Boulder but of the quality of life across the Earth. Sadly, the current City Council is on board. With the uncertainty of future climate change, broader community concern should be at the forefront, not economic ambition.
Robert Porath/Boulder
Not just any dog can dine
I walked by McDevitt Taco Supply and there were five dogs in the cramped outside patio dining area by the door. I would not want them inside any local restaurants.
I’m a dog lover, have had several, and my last one of 15-years was a service dog who was always with me in restaurants, calmly parked under the table. She was with me at work, on public transportation, medical offices, etc.
Somehow people in restaurants felt entitled to come up to me and tell me my dog wasn’t allowed and they didn’t like it. Or their kid was allergic and more important than me. My disability isn’t obvious but my certified service dog had noticeable identification.
Now, though, there’s more understanding, acceptance and signage regarding service dogs in public places. I think going the other way, letting any dog into a restaurant is foolish. In general, pets are not trained to remain in place in a busy, noisy environment, to ignore other dogs and people, to not go after food on the floor or elsewhere. Service dogs have many months or years even to adapt to distractions and to answer their owners’ needs. Letting untrained pets into restaurants is a recipe for disaster.
An interesting topic, John.
You are one of the main reasons I faithfully pick up the Weekly.
A. Pruitt/Boulder
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Email: letters@boulderweekly.com
