Reader confesses love for "animals"

Dear Editors,

I'm writing today to express my profound gratefulness for the return of the "When Animals Attack" cartoon in the back section of your newspaper. Even though none of the characters show emotion, or even move for that matter, it sure beats whatever the hell had occupied that spot this summer. I believe it was called "Pooka." God knows how that mutilated piece of cartoon monstrocity escaped the depths of hell to taint and destroy the minds of your readers. With it's indecipherable mumblings and obscenely huge foreheads I found myself reaching for the rat poison. If you ever find yourselves in such a jam again, I know plenty of kindergarteners that would be delighted to contribute art that would amuse your readers rather than lower their I.Q.'s. That goes for Shan Wells' political embarrassment as well. Anyway, glad to have the motionless bear back in my favorite newspaper.

- Sincerely,

The Jackal

Cookie Monster strikes Colorado

Dear Editors,

I used to think that the Midwest was one of the last bastions of decency and moral values but when I read the AP story of the two Durango, Colorado, teenagers sued for delivering cookies - this was the last straw. One might expect this behavior in the courts of New York or the land of fruits and nuts on the West Coast - but Colorado. Where has the sense of right and wrong gone; has this wonderful state lost its appreciation for kind deeds?

Judge Doug Walker has sunk to new lows and is dragging the reputation of Colorado down with him by allowing trivial law suits to be perpetrated on well meaning teenagers. We often hear of the youth being dragged into court for drugs and vandalism, but for delivering cookies! The Colorado court system must not have enough cases with misbehaving youth; it now has redefined the word "Cookie Monster" and applied this to late night gifts of chocolate chip morsels. Girl Scout cookie season is just around the corner - will the Durango courts go after these young people too?

Colorado needs a set of new signs for I-70 and I-25 where tourists entering the state can be warned: Colorado - where no good deed goes unpunished.

- Frank Pratt

Vandalia, OH

A prescription for Wanita

Dear Editors,

I read about this in my local paper yesterday, and also on CNN.com this morning.

Taylor Ostergaard and Lindsey Jo Zellitti should be congratulated on their effort to spread enjoyment.I hope random kindness and senseless acts of beauty are still alive in Durango, in the wake of Wanita's self-pity.

Here's a prescription for Wanita: have a daily Prozac cookie.Have several.That oughta keep her quiet, and allow everyone else to enjoy the dance of life while munching T&L products.

- Robert PoredaTulsa, OK

Beware of standardization

Dear Editors,

The Colorado Commission of Higher Education is attempting to set a standardized core curriculum for all colleges in Colorado to follow. Under this new program any class that is going to count for general education requirements must be approved by the state. If the course is not approved than it can not count for general education requirements at the college. I understand that with the rising cost of higher education students who think they may want to transfer schools want to take classes that will count for general education requirements at the school they will transfer to, but I feel that setting a standardized core curriculum for each school to follow is the wrong way to go. Each school in the state is different, and should remain as diverse as possible; therefore a compromise should be made. Each school should offer courses (approved by the CCHE if needed) that will be guaranteed transfer to other schools in the state, but at the same time should be able to offer courses for their own general education programs that do not need to be approved by the state. This would allow students who want to transfer schools some guarantee that the courses they are taking will transfer, and allow each school to maintain their diversity. I encourage any one who has an opinion about this issue to comment on it before it is too late.

- Justin Crump

via email

Censorship in San Miguel County

Dear Telegraph:

How terribly embarrassing to have a school insult its students and its community by censoring (and maybe even book burning) one of the great Southwestern classic novels of our generation, Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me Ultima.

Two weeks ago, at the request of a small group of parents, the Norwood School Superintendent Bob Condor confiscated two dozen copies of Anaya's books from freshman English students, forced the teacher to write an apology to the parents, and then gave the books to the parents to burn - only notifying the school board after the fact.

The Norwood Post broke the story Wednesday. And I'm in shock.

Of all the many books to discriminate against, why would they choose such a magical, dazzling story with its powerful moral understanding of this land's deep Hispanic roots?

A professor emeritus of English and Creative Writing at the University of New Mexico and "widely acclaimed as the founder of modern Chicano literature," Anaya received the National Medal of Arts from Pres. George W. Bush in 2001. Rudolfo Anaya is a national treasure.

But since a clique of narrow-minded parents and administrators seem to have not yet graduated from the racial small-town prejudice of their youth, some of us have gotten together with the perfect antidote. Norwood-based Western Wares and I will be instituting the first annual Wrights Mesa Prize of $100 (along with ten $10 runner-up awards) to those 11 Norwood High School students who write a winning review of Anaya's book.

And for those that need a local unburnt copy, we'll be giving them away free to all who request them (so long as they have their parents' permission).

If our schools fail to educate, it's up to us to teach our children well.

- Art Goodtimes,

Norwood, CO

(Editors' note: Goodtimes is a San Miguel County Commissioner and will be performing in this Saturday's Wild Words, along with Dolores LaChapelle and Ken Wright.)