Thursday, August 11, 2005 - Pasadena Star-News Letter to the Editor

How we remain friends in Altadena . . .

We met a couple of years ago and became fast friends. We had horse fever and always have. We share this passion with our families and friends. This bond allows us to share meals, entertainment, good times, bad times and stressful times. We are sharing our lives with each other.

Some might deem our friendship "odd." One of us is a La Vina resident and one a member of the trails group and a lead plaintiff in the trails access lawsuit. This friendship gives us the unique experience of meeting each other's friends, and it reminds us that anger is not healthy or productive, generalities are not always true, preconceived notions are just notions and the truth does not always set you free.

We ask that if you share our values of friendship, you remember on both sides of the gate there are people and families, not generalities. Each of us has a responsibility to our community to remember this.

Individually, when my friend hurts, so do I. Barbs thrown in one of our directions hurts us both.

This quest for trails will be solved in court, personalities aside, with a decision rendered. But remember, especially those who know us, that when you attack either side you are hurting not only us, but also the whole community.

Marietta Kruells, Altadena, Lead plaintiff for trails access lawsuit Kim Newton Cooper, Altadena, La Vina resident