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Reporter used term 'riffraff' irresponsibly

I must register my extreme disappointment in Steve Enders' article in a December issue on "Bars abound in city's revitalized downtown."

Mr. Enders begins his article with a useless, patronizing and probably incorrect assessment of the Murphy Avenue of the 1960s and '70s.

The phrase "taverns and sex shops began drawing the attention of the city's riffraff" stunned me. It's not very important, but if we were to know exactly which respected citizens and town authorities also frequented these or similar "businesses" in the '60s and '70s, we would at least have a more complete understanding of the topic being presented.

My dismay is regarding his use of the phrase "city's riffraff." In fact, I'm appalled that anyone who is living their life in this favored city, in this favored state, in this most favored country, on this glorious Earth, has in his repertoire and consciousness such a term for another human being. And uses it in his favored position in a public media, supposedly reporting objective news for literate and civilized readers.

I hope that the children and young people looking for their names and the names of their schools, clubs, and sports teams overlooked that article. But if not, I hope you will print this letter, so that the they can know that at least one resident of their city does not accept derogatory labeling of others. It is incorrect, and it is wrong!

Mary Nelson
Sunnyvale

Bay Area wind blows from north to south

A letter I submitted to The Courier in opposition to air traffic at Moffett had a serious typo in it. My letter, which ran Feb. 11, stated "flights into Moffett must land...into the wind, which, in this area, blows predominately from south to north." The statement should have read, of course, "which, in this area, blows predominately from north to south."

Carl Orta
Los Altos

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, February 18, 1998.
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