Letters to the Editor

Editor,

I picked up Tuesday’s Metro section of the Post to read about a new initiative of Fairfax County to address the growing shortage of affordable housing--and I could not help but ponder again the fight over the new senior citizen's development and the West End Park. It saddens and frustrates me that residents living near the park dug in and got their “victory”--at the expense of at least a dozen senior citizens who would like to stay in their community. I go by the West End park area often and what I see is a lot of people who are already blessed with so much, including large homes and yards. Indeed, one home that posted a Save Our Park sign also had a sign posted on a tree to Stay Off the Grass. This corner lot, from my perspective, is large enough to be a park for those of us not so fortunate to afford a home.

It is a shame that instead of conveying to their children the sense of how fortunate they are and to think about helping those less fortunate, the opponents of the senior housing effort are teaching their kids that “We've already got ours, and nobody else gets some if it impinges on us.” Oh, right, I forget--these residents aren't opposed to affordable housing--but just not next to them. Not once have I read about any of the opponents suggest an alternate site. The fact is, Falls Church is blessed with several park areas--which, unlike the West End park, are not privately held: Cherry Hill Park, and the park behind the Post Office come to mind. Is it so much to suggest getting some exercise and walking to those parks?

C. Raymond Falls Church

Editor,

I was appalled at the disrespectful, irresponsible and inappropriate attitude of the demonstrators at yesterday's inauguration. Somehow, the demonstrators felt they had the right to keep ticket-holders from their seats as they interrupted a solemn event being broadcast around the world.

I wonder how these demonstrators would feel if I, as a gay man, brought 500 of my rowdy friends to protest their daughters' weddings; or if we sat down on the church steps protesting heterosexual marriage?

I wonder how these demonstrators would feel if 1,000 activists barred them from burying their mother because the activists felt it was inappropriate to use the earth to bury the dead?

I wonder how these demonstrators would feel if 600 home schooled students protested at the demonstrators' high school graduation because home schooled felt that public education was a waste of tax payers' money.

I wonder how these protestors would feel if the Klu Klux Klan marched in full regalia as they demonstrated along Pennsylvania Avenue on Dr. King's Birthday? I wonder why these ill-mannered louts feel it is so necessary to tarnish the reputation of the greatest nation on Earth.

I wonder if there isn't as much an appropriate time to demonstrate as there is an inappropriate time to air dirty linen in public.

Scot Walker Falls Church