It is important to respect your neighbors

You can live in a town; you can live in the country. You can own a home or a condo or rent an apartment. You can be old or young, have kids or a dog or live by yourself. But no matter if you are famous, infamous, or a regular person, an important piece of your life is your neighbors. You can respect your neighbors and vice versa even if you have a different lifestyle and set of beliefs.

I am writing an open letter to our good neighbors, Prime Minister Justin Pierre James Trudeau of Canada and President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico. I believe that if we want to put America first, then we need to stand with our neighbors and allies face-to-face, talking, not tweeting inanities, and not threatening them with unthoughtful and ill-conceived threats of tariffs.

Monsieur Trudeau and Senor Nieto: I am sorry the president of our country says the things he does. Many of my neighbors and countrymen and women detest his nastiness and his unthinking, harmful decisions that hurt us and try to hurt you. I understand that Donald Trump's words and actions harm regular people. Even when he changes his mind about some ill conceived vendetta, the fear about and unknown consequences of his actions have me lying awake at night with my stomach in knots.

I encourage you both to take the long view. This will pass. We will remain respectful and united with both of you in friendship.

Nancy Eldridge

Decorah