RIFFRAFF: Who are you referring to?

I read about how tough it will be for Northwest Village, a gated community, to sustain the influx of “Riffraff” to their area if a bus stop were placed at their street corner. I wonder if that term includes the man mowing their lawn while the husband goes to play golf, or the cleaning lady in their house while the wife plays bridge with her neighbors? Maybe the riffraff is the family who comes to attend church with the member of this community.

I smack my head in frustration with such an attitude. I believe most of the residents of Northwest Village are my age and can remember when we all had bus stops on every corner of our cities. I had to ride the city bus because my mother could not afford a car while she worked long hours to put my brother and me through school. We probably qualified to be called riffraff.

Then, to read that nobody from Northwest Village even attended the public hearings! If I were in the decision-making position I would tell you all, “Tough. You had a chance to dance but you forgot our date. The bus stop goes in.”

I wonder how each member of the Village can attend church this weekend? Jesus spent most of his life and ministry with the riffraff of his time. In fact, it is the riffraff of our communities where He is most likely to be found ministering today.

Riffraff indeed!

CHARLES FINAN

Coeur d’Alene