An onslaught of noise pollution
Re: “Denver fireworks for 2023,” June 25 feature story
The story reports that “Colorado laws prohibit all personal fireworks that explode or leave the ground.” Someone should inform the Aurora Police Department of the law.
For the past 10-plus years, from the last week in June to well after the 4th of July, fireworks are set off from sundown to the early morning hours on the public lots on E. 25th Avenue from approximately Elmira to Kingston streets.
Every year, many people call the Aurora police; when they do bother to answer the phone, they do nothing! Every year! It is horrible! If an Aurora city official lived over here, this would never happen.
Ward Burn, Denver
The tolerance of hate
Re: “Students drew swastikas – our response is love,” June 23 commentary
I just read the article about how “students in Cherry Creek School District drew swastikas on their arms and made antisemitic taunts to their Jewish classmates after watching a presentation about the Holocaust.”
I almost had to pause and re-read that since it seemed unimaginable that such a thing could occur among students who had actually just seen first-hand information about the Holocaust. How does such callousness and seemingly profound hatred come about? When and by whom were they taught such things? Certainly, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson took the high road when he advised “acts of kindness.”
The school has “disciplined the offending students and is working to implement a training program educating people about antisemitism.” And yes, the Biden White House has released a “National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.” But again, I have to ask, why is all of this even necessary? Why do we have to tell people that such vitriol is not OK?
I have heard people say, “Well, that is not really who we are!” But it is becoming who we are.
Being “kind” certainly has its place. But we must do more than that. We must speak out whenever we can, that there is a higher ground to which we must strive. It is never, ever, OK to ridicule or abuse another person or a group who has been the victim of extreme trauma and relentless hatred.
If we follow the path of hate, our days of self-governing in a “free” America may be very self-limiting.
Jean C. Lindsey, Denver
Time to collect on those expired tags
Re: “Police blitz targeting drivers of vehicles with faulty registration to start,” June 23 news story
While I applaud the efforts of metro Denver law enforcement agencies focusing on expired registrations, I don’t think it should be a blitz. It should be happening every day without exception.
I drove 16 miles one day recently and saw 14 expired registrations. I didn’t count those that were less than 90 days past expiration. The oldest expiration I saw was for June of 2021 and it was a temporary plate. Most of them were between six and 12 months old.
Perhaps if law enforcement took the time to ticket everyone that they see, we would have money to repair our streets and highways.
Cal Switzer, Castle Rock
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