I just watched President Obama meeting with the families of the victims of another senseless act of violence. His grief was palpable and undeniably authentic. He’s had to do this too many times. He’s a real, feeling human being.
But that is not the point of this letter. I look forward each morning as all old retirees probably do, to reading The Recorder. I like the national and world news, but I also look forward to all of the information about what’s going on in Happy Valley. Sadly, this morning I read about a cowardly attack on another real, feeling human being, one of Greenfield’s finest citizens, Penny Ricketts, by an anonymous emailer who (and I hope you are reading this, whoever you are) has not a shred of decency or intelligence.
You have disparaged a person who has worked tirelessly to make Greenfield and the world a better place. You have, in your insipid weakness, picked on a fine person, one who has always put others first. If any good comes out of your inane infantilism, it is that you have made Penny stronger, and have made others see just what a wonderful person she is.
I feel sorry for you. But again, you have ironically done a service by your abject stupidity, and that is to magnify what the rest of Greenfield thinks, and that is this: THANK YOU, Penny, for all that you do and do so well.
Barry McColgan
Greenfield