INSULTS: Confused being insulting with being straight-forward

I’d like to thank Kaye Thornbrugh for her excellent article, “After nasty note, veteran raises awareness of invisible disabilities.” I’d also like to thank Bethany Stanley for her service, and for the trauma she’s enduring every day for that service. I finally want to let the Parking Police Wanna-Be know that they owe Bethany and the community an apology for their rant. The article raised my awareness not only of “invisible disabilities,” but of the sorry state of our common life. Recently, we have confused being insulting with being straight-forward.

It’s especially sad that a combat veteran felt compelled to explain that she is actually appreciative of the area’s patriotism, and why she was “shaken” by the slur, which was an unthinking and cowardly stunt. Nasty notes are simply self-justifying slams that are intended to “shake” the recipient, whatever the cause or context. They are no better than road-rage retaliations.

Folks who abuse Disabled Parking privileges are disobeying the law, and taking a space from someone who needs it, but they don’t compare to those who imagine they are right and the other guy is wrong; period. We can do better, and we need to.

GRANT MACLEAN

Dalton Gardens