Letters to Scene

Keeping Chinese history alive

Re "Marysville's Chinese tradition pops with culture," March 6: I would like to thank Dixie Reid for her excellent article.

To Marysville's credit, the city has kept its Chinese history alive with Bomb Day, the Bok Kai Temple and Brian Tom's Chinese American Museum of Northern California. It's not an easy task to keep history alive. It's tough work.

Certainly, Chinatowns across America have been burned, then diagnosed as dying, for longer than some generations live. Every few years, someone writes the obituary for another Chinese neighborhood. But our stories must rise from the ashes and remain. It is time to put names and faces to the sacred places of the Chinese in California.

And, I believe we are at a defining moment, when many Chinese Americans are stepping outside the shadows of the Chinese Exclusion Act and weaving our stories into the fabric of the great American tale. The intersection between our stories and the places they are told is an intrinsic part of our American identity. Marysville is a fine example of honoring California's diverse heritage.

– Steve Yee

Chairman, Friends of the Yee Fow Museum, Sacramento

I have been a resident of the Marysville area for over 50 years and have observed the Bok Kai Festival for most of those years. I want to thank you for a wonderful and informative article about our town and our festival.

People come from all over the world just to see the parade and the temple. We are very proud of the people who work so hard to make this happen every year. Also something that most people don't remember about the parade: It never rains on the parade. It may rain before it starts, but it never rains on the parade itself. It is said that Bok Kai, God of Water, protects us from the rain.

Again, I want to thank you for a wonderful article about our town, mostly about Chinatown, a most historic area.

– Jan Lee

Olivehurst

Great write-up on Roseville gallery

Re "Big space, big show: Inaugural exhibit at Roseville's Blue Line suggests a bright future," Weekend Ticket, Feb. 29: My tardiness in thanking Victoria Dalkey in no way reflects my appreciation for her fabulous write-up.

We are extremely pleased that we have created a space that she finds appealing. And we were so proud to show it to her, along with our outstanding introductory exhibition.

– Beth Rohlfes, curator

Roseville Arts!

More teen swearing than ever

Having read the responses to the recent article on teenage swearing ("Watch your mouth! Teens casually cuss a bluer streak than ever," Feb. 22), I thought a teacher's point of view might be worthwhile.

Of all the teenage trends over the last 35 years, most have swung from left to right and back again; e.g. fashion. Behavior, believe it or not, has remained somewhat of a constant. However, inappropriate language has not swung or been constant – it has accelerated drastically. And not only swearing but sexually explicit language as well.

Because of the media, the Internet, parents' role-modeling or condoning, and because most public schools and districts don't have strict policies, the phenomenon has created at least two generations of people who think it's fine to say whatever the traffic will bear.

Unfortunately, until people really care about cleaning up the situation – whether it be filmmakers, TV producers, radio DJs, parents or schools, this type of language will probably get worse. Someone's gotta care, and it won't be the moneymakers.

– D.S. Miller

Sacramento

Thank you for your article on teens casually cussing. I am a substitute teacher in middle and high schools. I hear it every day on campus. I also hear it in the marketplace.

Like you, I believe that kids pick it up from hearing their parents and friends use such language. I have noticed the steady growth of it over the years.

Unfortunately, we as a society send mixed signals. In the classroom, we control students' speech, but outside, their parents, their friends, the DJ and the talk-show host use language that is gross and unacceptable in polite and impolite company.

Increasingly, the name of the creater and savior is used inappropriately, and when counseled that this is wrong, students begin seeking justification in Supreme Court and appellate court pronouncements.

We are raising a generation of foul-mouthed munchkins, lovable at times, obnoxious at other times. They have the potential, though, to be well-mannered. We as adults can help them. The Bee can help by editing profanity! Thanks for the article.

– Larry Carpenter

Sacramento

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