We’ve gone too far opening up public venues to animals
When did pets become more important than people in our society? I love dogs, cats and birds, but at what point do we draw the line?
Animals do not belong in the grocery stores or restaurants (I accept the outside patio is alright — I don’t like it but I accept it).
I should be able to go to the grocery store or restaurant without having to have your dog’s hair in my food or be concerned that I will have an asthma attack because of someone’s pet.
There is a reason it was not acceptable for pets to be there in the first place! If you don’t remember why, ask the health department.
A study published in Emerging Infectious Diseases in November reported that zoonotic infections — diseases transmitted between animals and humans — are on the rise, and some will make you so sick death will be almost certain.
These sorts of ailments are spread by parasites, fungi, bacteria, and viruses that originate not from pigeons, rats and other varmint scum, but from within the warm bodies of our beloved household pets.
Keep your pet’s hair, germs and parasites away from my food.
Still debating Mexican-American War some 170 years after the fact
Regarding Joe Diaz’s Friday letter: First, the United States did not start the Texas Revolution or War of 1848. Mexico did.
The Texas Convention was trying to negotiate issues with the Mexican government as late as October 1835 when word was received that Santa Anna was raising an army “to put down an uprising” that didn’t exist.
The Texas Convention issued a “call to arms” in November 1835 for colonists to defend themselves when it was learned the Mexican army was marching.
Note that the defenders of the Alamo who survived the battle were executed and their bodies burned on the plaza. Also 300 men who had surrendered to one of Santa Anna’s generals were ordered executed. By contrast, the Mexican survivors of the battle of San Jacinto were allowed to return to Mexico.
Mexican troops invaded the Republic of Texas twice and were defeated by citizen soldiers. Again the Mexicans were allowed to return to Mexico.
In 1848 Mexican troops attacked American troops on the east side of the Rio Grande River four times before President Polk ordered Taylor to march on Mexico.
Mexico started both wars. I have documentation to prove everything I have said.
English immigrants came to this country to escape persecution
I don’t know where Mr. Diaz, a letter writer from Tempe, found his book of “authentic” U.S.-Mexico history. In the 1700s European immigrants did not come to America because they “were too incompetent to make it in Europe.”
English immigrants were Puritans who came here, in fact, to escape religious persecution from mainstream Christians in England. As an Englishwoman, I advise him to check his facts in a non-partisan history book before expressing his inaccurate, offensive, vitriolic opinions.