Ruiz Commended for Wisdom, Understanding

Re Scott Martelle’s article on Ramon Eduardo Ruiz (“A Present From Mexico’s Past,” Nov. 3), how beautiful and wise this man is. We gringos look at Mexico as filled with Mexicans--all of whom, we feel, are gardeners or children of gardeners. We build walls to keep “them” out, forgetting that we are the agricultural leader of the world and that we cannot do it without their hard work. We should be grateful that they bring new generations into our hemisphere, often educated in our colleges, children of parents who are gentle and have a dedication to their kids’ education and comfort. Are they different from us? I hope so.

Ruiz is a living example of the wisdom and understanding of a people whose history is deeper than ours, with much less bloodshed, but with a dignity that even our political mischief and insular attitudes cannot diminish.

SANFORD GOODKIN