Letters

Send your letters to the editor to letters@atencionsanmiguel.org, Atención will not publish offensive, defamatory or anonymous material.



Editor,
I would like an explanation for several sentences I read in the article "San Miguel Opera House Announces Major Changes." The article says: "RWR Productions will lease land to build a new opera house … and will own the theater on behalf of the resident opera company … The theater will be developed and managed by RWR Productions and its principals … The funds to build the opera house will come from music and opera lovers."

It seems to me that this is a private enterprise that wants funding from the public. Can anyone give me an explanation for this?

Miranda Nadel



Editor,

I would like to share some experiences with your readers. The last week of June, my mother became very ill. She had difficulty breathing, so we took her to Hospital de la Fe. She was met by Dr. Maxwell, and he immediately put her on oxygen, did numerous tests and x-rays. Over the next few days she worsened very quickly. She was diagnosed with ARDS-Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. It is a killer, and it comes on so quickly that often the patient dies before anyone knows what the problem is. But the staff at the hospital here diagnosed her quickly and managed to keep her stable. The only problem they had was when their equipment failed and we were forced to move her. She spent 19 days in Intensive Care here before we sent her to Canada in an air ambulance. During this time she received very good care, both from Dr. Maxwell, who basically never left her side, and from the nurses, who were caring as well as efficient. My thanks to all of them and to the many friends (and strangers) who rallied forth to help w
here they could. Mom is still in critical condition in ICU in Vancouver, and we don't know what each day will bring. But we do know that thanks to the staff of Hospital de la Fe, she has a chance to recover. 

My mom didn't have health insurance in Mexico, she always said to put her on a plane and send her back to Canada if she started to get sick. Unfortunately, illness doesn't always give us time to plan. If you decide not to have health insurance that covers you here, remember that your family ends up with the stress of raising the money at a time when they are more concerned with keeping you alive. I learned my lesson quickly. After we received the first bill from the hospital, I immediately purchased health insurance for myself, because I had let mine lapse as well. Insurance coverage for one year cost less than one day at the hospital. 

There are also policies available to cover you in the event you need to be taken by air ambulance back to a country where you do have insurance. To have a plane come from Vancouver, BC to pick up my Mom cost $40,000 (Canadian dollars). Luckily for us, a family member stepped forward with the money. Otherwise, we couldn't have done it. 

So, please learn from our experience-insurance is worth every penny when you need it. 

Sue Bolli





Editor,

Last week, there were two letters regarding the "rapist of San Miguel." The second, long one, included the writer's conflict with his own sexuality. That struck me as curious. I wondered why someone's personal identity issues that were folded into the letter were felt to be a community issue. I don't disparage his conflict; I just thought there are other venues available in this community for coming to grips with our emotional, sexual and spiritual dilemmas besides a letter to the editor. I agreed with his opening statements that it was a misguided decision by the paper to not have the rapist story on the front page.

It concerns me that this paper felt info about a situation here in San Miguel that the press worldwide thought was significant enough to put in their papers did not merit front-page coverage here. The defensive position by Atención, that the front page contained a referral to page 8 about the rapist story, is not acceptable. The front page also had various kinds of information, like the omnipresent notice about what time people can go to a local restaurant and start drinking for half the price. So, in that sense, the sense of what is important in San Miguel, the rapist coverage is reduced by being a front page "referral."

As a woman living alone here, I realized I was more relieved when the rapist was caught than I had been scared while he was at large. I do not go out much. But the reality was that the rapist sighted, followed, and stalked his prey, before he managed to enter their homes in the middle of the night wielding a knife. So, in effect any woman who left her home to buy groceries was a potential target for this man to prey upon. That is stressful, and many women had to live with that for a long time.

I think the paper could provide a forum for people who were directly and indirectly deeply affected by the presence of this man in our community. Soon, the women so assaulted have to go before a court and the accused man and relive the traumatic moment when they found themselves home alone with a man with criminal intent. Rape is a violent crime. I think it should be front and center until it is resolved, and support and coverage needs to be ongoing. Then, as a community we can put it behind us and know that there is justice here in San Miguel.

Nancy Clarke



Editor,

Recently, a lot has been written and discussed about San Miguel's parking crises and automobile/truck congestion in the Centro. While the traffic authorities have been refining ways to alleviate some of these issues by opening the new parking structure on Cardo and widening some streets, I, as a homeowner on Diezmo Viejo (opposite Parque Juarez), have seen further traffic volume and parking on both sides of the street. It is almost impossible to either get into or out of my garage, and my neighbors are experiencing the same problems. Added to that is the presence of the oversized "San Francisco trolley car" that barely negotiates its way around the park, stopping for 30 minutes at the Chorro lavaderos location.

I suggest at least making Diezmo Viejo (from Chorro to Sollano) a no-parking area on the right side of the street, thereby creating a wider thoroughfare and providing more access to the six private garages that support off-street parking. This certainly will not alleviate the parking crush in the town but will allow a smoother flow of traffic on a very busy and important street.

Thank you for your consideration and that of the traffic commission in San Miguel.

Stephen Spaulding



THANK YOU

This issue of Atención was made possible by contributions from …

John Barham

Terresa Beck

Robert de Gast

Joseph Dispenza

Margaret Failoni

Mauri Formigoni

Christine Foster

Jean Gerber

Pat Hirschl

Charles Miller

Gary Mitchell

Phyllis Pitluga

María Laura Ricaud Solorzano

Doug Robinson

Carol Schmidt

Linda Sorin

Natalia Williams

Holly Wilmeth



Editing & Proofreading

Kendal Dodge Butler

Darryl Clifford

Robert de Gast

Jack Najork

Rhonda Vlasak



Photography

Holly Wilmeth

Carlos Soberman