Saga Comes Full Circle
And so, 200 years later, the battle for the village of San Juan Capistrano continues. The padres fought the wilderness to establish their mission; today the villagers fight the developers and politicians to protect the wilderness and the village.
Has this saga come full circle? Are the padres and the villagers again fighting a concrete wilderness--e.g., the Franciscan Plaza, traffic signals that don’t relieve the traffic congestion, meadows and hillsides designated for high-density housing tracts, shopping malls and a new civic center that would further destroy our environment and mission village?
As more wondrous artifacts are discovered, the politicians voice much concern, then proceed to cover them up with monstrous buildings. Should they not be more concerned with our quality of life?
Although ours may seem a small conflict, it is significant worldwide, for we, as residents of San Juan and citizens of this planet, must learn from our lessons of the past to preserve and protect our future.
JACQUELYN DICKEY
San Juan Capistrano
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