Dear Editor,

Last Friday evening I experienced a moment of comedy… The routine was about words and phrases that Americans use in our daily conversations, from the point of view of our neighbors at the northern border — the Canadians. One of the words is PERIOD. I have used this myself to bring a discussion to an end and make sure my point was well heard.

This brings me to another event that happened this past Friday evening. Some concerned citizens held a rally on the corner of Market and Fourth, one of the major crossroads in our city (could this be symbolic of the crossroads we are at as a nation?). I missed this rally but was moved to see that there was a great turnout. This rally showed the sincere concerns that many citizens have about the treatment of those that are seeking asylum at our nation’s southern border.

I was reminded about a message that Gracie Allen left her husband George Burns after she had passed. “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.” When I think about it the use punctuation can have a large impact on the message that is being made.

An American leader once gave encouragement to wary and disheartened followers — “This is just a little pit stop. This is not a period. This is a comma in the continuing story of building America.”

My friends, do not be disheartened, I believe the treatment of the asylum seekers is not the period it is … a comma. The hurtful policies that are being used to deter those seeking asylum will eventually change, there will be an awakening. These are times in our nation’s history that will stain us for years to come but, I believe it will change. We will start to welcome the refugee and the asylum seekers again.

Douglas Hearn,

Warren