I write this, my first-ever letter to the editor, to say three things about the confrontation in front of the federal building in Los Angeles that took place on Saturday, June 14.

1. From what I observed in live news broadcasts in the days before the confrontation, I was amazed that the commander in chief felt obligated to deploy the Guard or the Marines. The local authorities had tight control of the situation, in spite of a few vandals who were dealt with immediately by local authorities, and people who felt the need to protest were doing so without violence or damage to that building.

As a veteran, I understood that the commander did not have the authority to send any help to the city unless it was specifically requested by the authorities in charge of the National Guard, and that military troops do not deploy against citizens of this country. The commander took matters into his own hands to redirect our attention from other news that threatened him. He was wrong. The U.S. Constitution is very clear about by whom and where our military resources can be used.

2. I want to speak up for the troops that were forced to follow their orders as they had been taught to do. They did as their commander told them with honor and dignity, in spite of their own political leanings. They stood strong. They showed that they are soldiers — honorable and dedicated to their corps. It wasn’t perfect, but overall, both the Guard and the Marines should be thanked for being forced into such an impossible situation.
3. I also want to address the “peaceful” protesters. We are all aware of the many, many unconstitutional things that the commander has done in less than six months in office. I, too, spent that morning participating in an organized protest. But when I watched the protesters chanting at our soldiers, “Shame!” I thought, “For what?” For doing the job that they had signed away several years of their lives to do? To protect all of us? Facing the chance of losing their lives for the people of this country?

I saw quite a parade of big, strong, fearless people making their way to the top step to get a selfie of their bravery in front of the line of armed soldiers. My heart went out to those who chose to serve the people of the U.S. These people, our soldiers, did their jobs. I am proud of them, but those young people were forced into a position where their own people shamed, ridiculed and taunted them. They deserve more from us.

Jane King, Rulison

Reclaim our heritage and reconnect Glenwood to its roots

Glenwood Springs has always been more than a scenic stop on I-70 — it’s a town with deep roots, strong values and a real sense of community. But over the past several years, we’ve felt those values shift.

The cost of housing has pushed out working families, and the Roaring Fork Valley as a whole is wrestling with how to stay livable for the people who keep it running — teachers, guides, nurses, small-business owners. Amid these changes, we risk losing the culture that made this valley special in the first place.

That’s why it’s time to reconnect with our roots, starting with Strawberry Days. For over a century, this celebration reflected the heart of Glenwood. Families lined Grand Avenue for the parade, then headed to Sayre Park for strawberries and live music. These weren’t just venues — they were symbols of belonging.

When we closed Grand Avenue for Strawberry Days, it sent a clear message: This town makes space for community. It prioritized people over traffic, celebration over convenience and local life over business as usual. That statement mattered.

Today, the parade runs through side streets and the festival has moved away from its traditional grounds. That shift may seem small, but it mirrors a broader loss of connection — a slow erosion of our small-town feel.

Let’s reverse that. Let’s bring the parade back to Grand Avenue and the festivities back to Sayre Park. Not just for nostalgia, but to remind ourselves and our next generation that Glenwood still values community, tradition and shared space.

In the face of change, heritage becomes even more important. Let’s bring Strawberry Days home in 2026.

Ken Murphy, Glenwood Springs

How lucky we are: Our fruit now comes direct from Mexico, thanks to brilliant policy moves

Ah, what a time to be alive in America! Thanks to some forward-thinking policies and a dash of good ol’-fashioned nationalism, we’ve entered a golden era — one where we can finally enjoy our fruits and vegetables without all that bothersome “local labor.” Who needs farmworkers picking tomatoes in California when we can just get them shipped from thousands of miles away in Mexico?

Thanks to bold leadership and a streamlined deportation strategy, we’ve effectively outsourced the entire American agricultural workforce — accidentally, of course. But hey, happy accidents happen all the time! Like discovering penicillin. Or realizing that without undocumented workers, entire U.S. farms would wither like week-old cilantro.

With millions of formerly essential workers now back in Mexico, they’re free to do what they do best: grow the crops that we love to eat — just not grow them here. It’s a win-win situation. We get the produce, they get the jobs (again), and American farmland gets a nice long nap.

Forget “farm to table.” We’re now in the era of “border to table.” Sure, it might take a little longer for your avocados to ripen, and yes, the carbon footprint has been upgraded to a carbon stomp, but the important thing is: We stuck to our principles. Who needs food security when you can have ideological purity?

Of course, prices may go up a bit. And supply chain hiccups might mean your strawberries arrive in December with the texture of damp cardboard. But just think — every time you bite into that slightly suspect tomato, you’re tasting freedom. Or, at the very least, a complicated and ironic result of aggressive immigration enforcement.

So let us raise a glass of imported orange juice (product of Jalisco) to the hard-working folks who are now legally employed back home, doing the same jobs they were doing here. And to the visionary policies that made it all possible.

After all, why support local farms when we can support foreign ones with American money?

Douglas Brown, New Castle