LETTER from SAMANTHA DAVENPORT

Mecca ‘Tone-Deaf’

Way To Refer to HoF

To the Editor:

I am a reader of www.AllOTSEGO.com as well as its weekly newsprint companion. Twice now I have seen reference made to the Baseball Hall of Fame as “Mecca” and/or “the Mecca.”

Although I too place great value on the HoF and acknowledge it might be very old tradition to use the word, I think calling it “Mecca” is, frankly, tone-deaf.

I am sorry to be so blunt. For many, including some of our fine Bassett physicians, this would be the same as saying the Hall was just like the Vatican or the Church of The Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. For many others, again including some of our fine Bassett physicians, that term brings to mind Howard University specifically.

I know we in and around your readership value our community, both near and far. I know we wish to be as welcoming as possible and assume your staff and sponsors feel likewise.

Therefore I kindly ask you to consider using other terms of great praise for our fine local institution.

Thanking you in advance,
SAMANTHA K.
DAVENPORT
Oneonta