Letters to the editor (6/8/10)

Recently, while getting an MRI, I had handed my wedding ring to a family member to hold during the procedure, after which, we discovered the ring had been accidently lost. We alerted the staff, should someone turn it in, and advertised a cash reward for its return, without success.

Returning to the facility to retrieve my records I asked if, by chance, it had been turned in. Still nothing. That afternoon the receptionist called and informed me that shortly after I left, a patient came in and asked if anyone had recently lost a ring. Amazingly, it was my ring she had found! Arranging its return, I offered her the reward, which she declined, in hopes that someone would do the same for her one day.

After its loss, I had thrown away the diamond warranty to it, then retrieved it, because deep down, I have this undying faith in humankind and the possibility that someone, somewhere, would come through. And she did. Thank you to the lady who returned my ring.

-- Kay Thon

Palmer

Idling car runs through idle time

On Wednesday, May 19th, I went to the Tudor/Muldoon Kaladi Coffee house. I decided to drink my coffee outside while I talked with some friends. I noticed when I sat down that there was an Anchorage Fire Department battalion chief Suburban running out front with its lights on. I figured that the driver was picking up a coffee for her long day of work, but after 30 minutes I went inside to use the bathroom and witnessed a group of fire department employees sitting around a table drinking coffee and talking casually.

When I went back outside I noticed other fire department vehicles parked, with the engines turned off. I was at the coffee shop for a total of an hour and the vehicle was there the entire time with the engine running.

I am concerned because it is not healthy for the environment and because those are our tax dollars paying for the gas. Why didn't she just turn of her vehicle?

-- William F. Rannals

Anchorage

Israel was right to board flotilla

Mark Bonfield's letter of Sunday regarding the "Peace" flotilla was dead wrong on all counts ("Silver lining of flotilla attack," June 6). Israel has always allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza. It offered to allow the aid on the flotilla in and five of the six ships agreed. (Incidentally, Hamas has refused delivery.)

Hamas is an enemy state devoted to Israel's destruction. They have lobbed several thousand missiles into Israel. Both Israel and Egypt have legally blockaded those waters. When the soldiers boarded, they were immediately beaten and stabbed by passengers. (See "Censored Flotilla footage" on YouTube.)

Israel is 100 percent in the right here.

-- Pam Siegfried

Anchorage

Befriending wildlife is dangerous

Re "Juneau residents remember 'friend,' " June 6:

Leave the wildlife alone.

Yes, it is exciting to encounter wildlife up close and tempting to reach across the invisible barrier between man the natural world of the animal kingdom, but it's the very people who did just that and gave the wolf called Romeo a sense that all men are good and safe. They contributed indirectly to his suspected death by illegal hunting.

Well I hope those people who befriend wildlife and habituate them to humans have learned a heartbreaking lesson. Don't make friends with the wildlife, keep them wild, respect their wildness. Until all men can be trusted by the wildlife, don't contribute to potential tragic deaths of your wild "friends."

-- Carol Montoya

Anchorage

Vote yes to protect kids

In response to Ms. Richards' compass piece ("Vote No on Measure 2 for teens' safety," June 4):

Parents/friends of families, be sure to vote Yes on the ballot measure Aug. 24! Abortion is the only procedure which a young girl of 13 must decide for herself, without her parents' knowledge or guidance. If the law acknowledges that parents can guide children in every other area of their lives, then we must acknowledge it with abortion.

Let's use our common sense. Vote yes!

-- Carole Hart

Anchorage

Protests at funerals disrespectful

I just read Paul Jenkins' commentary where he claims that "Silencing protests of gays at funerals unconstitutional" (June 6). What about the family's right to respect during a time of mourning? Paul even cites the First Amendment saying "... or the right of the people to peaceably assemble ..." Mr. Jenkins, where is your humanity? Every time something like this happens, it is a tremendous disrespect to our military. Just because the military gives us our rights of speech, press, etc. does not give people the right to then turn around and treat those who gave their all that way.

And to the Daily News, for running that on D-Day Remembrance -- I would have thought your staff had more decency than that.

-- Jason Karpinski

Anchorage