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AmericanWay
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Ifyour letterruns in2016, you’llbeentered towin100,000AAdvantagemiles.
Hello, Editor
I typically ignore the“Editor’sNotes” in
allmagazines,butaboutoneyearago, ina
fitofboredom, Ireadyours,AdamPitluk,
andbecamea fan. Iflipfirst toyoursection
withmusicblasting inmyears, looking
foran installmentofwhateveryou feel is
relevant.Pleasecontinue tospinyour tales
andbrightenmyflights.Pleasealsopassmy
thanks to theflightcrewwho treatedus like
family.Oh, and forget the100,000miles.
DJTrayhan
Greenville,SouthCarolina
EditorAdamPitlukResponds:
This is such a
great letter,DJ.Not just because you likewhat I’m
writing (which I writewithmusicblasting, usuallyon
aflight aswell), but because you recognizedAA’s
crew. Indeed, it’s theemployees thatmake a company
great.AA’s flight attendants, pilots andground crews
are thebest in the industry. I know they read “Air
Mail,” so I’m sure they’ll allowme to thank youon
their behalf.
ExerciseYourRight
RaniaBatrice’sarticleabout the impor-
tanceofvotingreallyhithome forme. I,
too, amafirst-generationAmerican (of
Iraqi-Jewishparentswhofled thecountry
in1949).Asachild living inRegoPark,
Queens,NewYork (ameltingpotofpeople
fromdozensofdifferentcountries), I
remembermyparentsmemorizing the
PledgeofAllegianceandthe“Star-Spangled
Banner.”Theday theycamehome from
theirnaturalizationceremonywasoneof
theproudestdaysof their lives.Myparents
nevermissedasingleopportunity tovote,
and they instilled thatsamesenseofduty
inmeandmysisters. Irememberhowmy
grandmother, atage65,went toschool to
learnEnglish.Withina fewshortyears, she
couldread
TheNewYorkTimes
fromcover
tocover.Andyes, she, too, alwaysvoted.
Ihave impresseduponmysons that it’s
notonly theirrightbut theirduty tovote.
Even thoughweallhaveonlyonevote
each,wehave tosafeguard thisprecious
right.So, toall thosenonvotersout there,
educateyourselveson thecandidatesand
theirpositionson issues thatmatter toyou
most.Wecanmakeadifference.
LiliMahlab
NewYork
WriterRaniaBatriceResponds:
Thank you
somuch for sharing your story, Lili. It is compelling
andbeautiful and such an amazing reminder of
the importanceof not onlypaying attention to the
process, but participating in it aswell. I have to tell
you that itmakesme sohappy tohear that not only
do you take this right very seriously, you arepassing
on the importance to your children. It sometimes
sounds trite, but children really areour future.And
weneed them tobe awareof both thehistorical and
future importanceof their right to vote. I planon
continuing toworkhard toget people involved in the
democraticprocess, and I havenodoubt youwill as
well. Together, we canmake adifference.
Taking ItTo theMat
It isarareand joy-filledexperience toread
something thathas theability to transport
youback in time toyourchildhood.The
February“Smackdown”cover jumpedout
atme,butI try tonot letmyselfget focused
onanysinglearticle, as
AmericanWay
is
always fullofgems. (Reading
AW
hasbeen
theprompt formore thanonevacation.)It
was the“Editor’sNote” that transported
meback in time.Much likeAdamPitluk, I
grewupwatchingwrestlingwithmy father
andbrother. Itwasaweekly tradition that
werarelymissed. Iremembermanyof the
samenamesAdammentioned, alongwith
SuperstarBillyGraham,DustyRhodes,
IvanKoloffandothers.Sittingon thatplane
grinning likea5-year-old, Iamsuremany
ofmy fellowpassengerswerewondering
what in theworldIwasreading.Being
fromIowa, I thinkwrestlingofallkinds
seems tobe inourblood.Thankyou,Adam,
forgivingmea fantasticflashback tomy
childhood.
JeffStrong
Montezuma, Iowa
A.P.Responds:
I just got thebiggest kick reading
your letter, Jeff.DustyRhodes, IvanKoloff… the
memories! I appreciate your reachingout, aswell
as the kind comments.Here’s toTheNewDayof
professional wrestling. (Nonwrestling fans:Google
“WWE” and “TheNewDay” toget the reference that
Jeffundoubtedlygot.)
AIRMAIL
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