Letter: Let’s feed our own people first

Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2001 | 8:45 a.m.

A homeless man came to my door two days ago, begging. Two days before that I saw another man sleeping late by the bike path by U.S. 95 at Maryland Parkway. About a month ago a woman beggar knocked on my door at 5 a.m. as I worked early.

I hear that since Sept. 11, donations to local homeless shelters are down. Shelter beds have closed, soup kitchens have shut down.

When the planes take off for Afghanistan from Nellis Air Force Base to deliver humanitarian food rations over there, why don't they drop a few hundred packages routinely for the war refugees over here?

Failure to take care humanely of our own leaves us as a nation at war vulnerable to propaganda of our enemies. Ultimately the war on terrorism shall be, and is, a struggle about human rights.

JAMES RICHARD LUCAS

archive