Reality Check

Regarding Diane Sarmento's letter in the June 10 issue, she nailed it on the head. The protesters of Psycho Donuts are completely misguided. I just learned from one of the PD employees that some protesters are flying in from the state of Washington to protest during the morning of July 11! I will be there with some friends to counteract this ridiculous gathering. Why aren't they protesting the living conditions or the proper resource care or (as Diane stated) "insurance companies that don't support proper hospitalization and cover the medication." Are these protesters even aware that PD have sent donations to mental illness organizations (at least one of which was returned!) This is yet another example of an overly sensitive, humorless group of people that aren't looking at the sources of where the true issues lie. This is a donut shop! Enjoy the food offerings but move on to the true source of mental illness issues.  Stop wasting time and energy. As Diane Sarmento so eloquently put it, "Really? Donuts?"

Jim Rauh
Santa Clara

Cambrian Days

I take extreme umbrage to the article written about "The Cambrian Era" by Gary Singh (Silicon Alleys, June 17). The only "suburban wasteland" in the Cambrian neighborhood 25 years ago was in the heart and soul of the writer whose apparent darkened spirit clouded his vision of this beautiful community which was near the center of the "Valley of the Heart'ss Delight."

The writer based his opinion on one small strip mall which is not a reflection of the entire community. I was born and raised in Cambrian in the 1950s, and I have lived here ever since. Who can forget the miles of fruit orchards ablaze with colorful springtime blossoms? The beginning of summer was always marked by the smell of fresh fruit being cut, dried and packed in the nearby canneries and the plethora of butterflies that fluttered through the air, frequently landing on the many varieties of flowers seeking their nectar. 

Cambrian Park was a safe and wholesome community to raise children for it was blessed with little if any crime and moderate weather. Summer evenings were spent with the neighborhood kids who gathered together every day for softball games in the street, neighborhood carnivals, Hide-and-Seek and Mother-May-I until 9:30 at night when we would all hear our parents yelling down the street for us to come in.

Regardless of the religious affiliation, most people attended church services on Sunday 25 years ago. Being Catholic, I attended Mass at St. Frances Cabrini Church which began in a small red barn (still standing today) and then grew into a large Mission-style church located in the heart of Cambrian along Camden Avenue. Cambrian Park has no gritty past to be ashamed of as described in Mr. Singh's article.

The orchards may be gone but not the memories of a community that was a "slice of the all American dream" and touched by the hand of God.

Margaret Schillage
San Jose