Letters to the Editor...Trusting mom, stranger owed apologies

Dear editor, Re: Mother was too trusting letter, March 9. While I can understand a newspaper's desire to incite public outrage in the "letters to the editor" section, I am puzzled why you would allow Matt Penny to turn a mother's attempt at thanks into an attack on her, the gentleman who offered the gift to her child and to society as a whole. I am afraid that I must step up to Mr. Penny's challenge and call him "jaded" as he wishes. This world is no different from any other time period. What is different is the public willingness to jump on the bandwagon of negativity promoted by the media and empty people who truly see the world as a bad place. A stranger's offer of a gift to a child in the presence of that child's mother-- given the paranoia that is so prevalent today-- should be seen not only as an act of kindness, but one of bravery. I commend both the giver and the mother. This should be seen as hope that sometimes nice things can happen. Children have that magic ability to warm adult hearts and inspire kindness. Mr. Penny's concept of parenting is skewed by ignorance-- he is not a father. As a parent, I take offense at his attack on a mother and someone simply being nice. What was The Independent & Free Press hoping to achieve in printing this letter? I believe you both owe the "nice man" and the mother an apology.