CAMERON: Let them grieve, Steve

In the Coeur d’Alene Press article “Where there’s water, danger lurks” by Steve Cameron, he talks about the Lancaster family’s comments about a barrier being installed at Hayden Lake boat ramp. I understand what the writer is saying about the gate. What I don’t agree with is why Cameron picked the brother’s words to write an article about.

This was a tragedy. The man had just lost his brother in a drowning, when his car went into Hayden Lake. To publicly ridicule and mock a family, who is mourning a loved one at this time, is despicable. Couldn’t you have written about something else and left this family alone? They are grieving, Steve, and these are words coming out of a family tragedy. Of course they feel this way; let them grieve in private. Whatever they feel or say is OK.

What’s the need for you to say, “unless the state spends billions building walls around every lake.” Why are you mocking a grieving family in your paper? I feel for the family. After 35 years as a firefighter, I have seen too much tragedy and seen what families feel and go through. You didn’t need to write about this.

Steve, if you can, do a ride along with the Fire Department to help gain some firsthand experience about family tragedies. I’m sure you will then understand. No, I have never met anyone from the Lancaster family.

WILLIAM ZARING

Coeur d’Alene