Readers Respond to the December 2024 Issue

Love Thy Neighbor

“An American Tale” (December 2024) shows the worst and the best of the American character. One of the worst episodes of racism saw Japanese people sent to internment camps, for no good reason, to live in deplorable conditions. Mary Tsukamoto, however, eventually found that “acts of thoughtfulness, kindness, neighborliness and caring were contagious” there. While rampant ethnic prejudice abused Japanese people in the whole society, Americans like Bob Fletcher lived up to our best ideals and helped his neighbors because “it was just the right thing to do.” —Jane C. Newpeck | Canton, Connecticut

“An American Tale” is a powerful reminder of what doing right means, even when there is pressure to do otherwise. One wonders if we as a people will ever learn and retain the lessons this story shares with us. What a few good people did serves as inspiration for us all. —Bill Clontz | Asheville, North Carolina

Bob Fletcher’s story and that of the Tsukamotos represent the best of what America is about. I have faith that similar tales will emerge from the current difficulties that our nation and indeed the world are now undergoing. We are a social species, evolved to help one another, and we will continue to do so even under the most trying circumstances imaginable. —Bruce M. Smith | Bloomington, Indiana

Sister Site

“The Forgotten Colony” (December 2024) was fascinating because I have visited Jamestown and never heard of this part of its history. You learn enough about the finds in Bermuda to want to know more about how the two sites are connected. —Nadine Roberts | Parkton, North Carolina

Bermuda, known to 16th-century sailors as a “hell,” ended up being a lush place of safety for later shipwrecks and a source of supplies for the struggling new colonies in America. The article makes one wonder how things in the New World could have been better supported if early seafarers had spent time learning more about the island. The archaeological site work is a great insight into the history of colonial America. —Robert L. Starr | Ephrata, Pennsylvania

Raising the Curtain 

Both fascinating and well written, “The Feminist Behind the Man Behind the Curtain” (December 2024) not only told the story of one of the lesser-known mothers of modern feminism (Matilda Gage) but also provided a new glimpse into the life of L. Frank Baum. Plus, the article offered new insights into one of America’s seminal books—The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. All in all, a wonderful read. —Jeff Schnitzer | Lexington, Massachusetts