BY REBECCA HOWARD
Los Alamos

On the Fourth of July my husband drove the Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade’s (now known as Los Alamos Search and Rescue) 1942 GMC Firetruck in the Kiddie Parade. Kids of all ages love to see this classic antique vehicle during and after the parade. He always waves at the parade viewers. A protestor holding a sign saying, “Free America” was standing along the route, and when he waved at her she shouted, “Free America, F***er!”

While I support free speech and the right to protest, I also support human decency and civility. I would like to educate that person to the fact that several of the people on that firetruck are volunteers who go out at all hours in all kinds of weather on their own time, to look for people who are missing, lost, or in need of some kind of assistance (rescue). I would say to the protestor that you don’t know the kind, hardworking, conscientious man who waved at you. I am sorry for whatever made you so angry and unkind. In the future I hope you can offer peace and kindness to anyone you don’t know. Maybe even at your next protest.