Letters to the Editor

To the Editors:

I look forward to every issue and find your articles, photos, and artwork informative and delightful. However, the Mezhdurechensk mine disaster took place, as you state, in the Kemerova region, but your map of “Places mentioned in this issue” places it on the western side of the Urals, a long way from the Kemerova region. Error? Two cities with the same name? I’m puzzled.

Keep up the good work!

Marge McCabe

Marge:

Yes, we did misplace the dot for Mezhdurechensk on the map. It was in fact a case of two towns with the same name. And of course the wrong one got placed. The correct one is on this issue’s map below.

– The Editors

To the Editors:

Congratulations on your recent editorial on Russia’s Children. I applaud your attention to the drop in Russia’s population and its consequent impact on Russia.

Since 2005 I have organized missions to Russia to bring supplies to deaf children. These wonderful children would be forgotten except for caring teachers and parents. Each year I bring laptops, arts and crafts supplies, artist supplies, and school materials to School 20 in St. Petersburg and to other sites. I mention this not to seek any praise for my own efforts but to bring lasting mention to so many of my friends who share the costs and vision of this effort. I hope that Russia’s deaf children know that they have many friends throughout the world.

I cannot praise your publication too highly.

Stephen Menchini

To the Editors:

I’ve been subscribing to your magazine for years, and applaud your coverage of Russian politics, culture, and history, as well as your environmental conscientiousness in publishing. But in “Involuntary Parenthood,” July/August issue, author Vinogradov quotes a Boris Sanin of Zavolzhsky district on adoption: “...these would all be with normal families, not like...on television, with gays harming the children.”

What harms children are not loving homes with straight or gay parents, but bigotry and homophobias.

Irene Barnard