LETTERS: WE'RE ALL MADE OF THE SAME CLAY

To the editor:

As usual, Tamara Zellars Buck in her weekly column "Bucking the System" on June 19, was the voice of reason, passion, love and concern in her assessment of and suggestions for our struggling Cape society."Listen to each other" is her mantra, and listen carefully, closely, and attentively. We all are just trying to live life as best we can, I hear her say. Those who are more financially secure do have more power and tend to be heard more easily than those who don't have their own -- that's how our system generally works. But understanding and respecting distinctions, differences and realities takes real time listening, releasing anger and patiently working to solve problems, not people. Tough stuff for us mere mortals.

But Tamara is right-on when she says that we must not only "get beyond past positive or negative incidents ... to the real issues," but also that until people (and I think she would agree everyone, not just one faction, but all of us together) "have substantive ideas that would improve our community, you will be ignored." People are people, trying to live their lives, happily if at all possible, respectfully if we work at it.

It's the problems that must be solved by the people. Let us pray for guidance, strap on our boots and use this as an opportunity, folks. We're all made of the same clay.

MARC STRAUSS

Cape Girardeau