Letters to the Editor
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History Lessons
Many of the writers suggest that the Kim family's dependence on technology, combined with a 21st century ignorance of the vagaries of nature, caused the tragedy. I agree they made mistakes. But we should recognize that 19th century travelers, like the Donner party and the Mormon handcart immigrants, were well-acquainted with the dangers of bad weather and rough routes and they also found themselves in perilous and fatal situations.
California just saw the anniversary of the January 1857 earthquake. Another such quake in the same location, now well-populated, will surely cause terrible loss of life and property. But, for the most part, we are as unprepared as the Kim family on their ill-fated sojourn into Oregon mountains. We should all heed the lesson.