Highs and Lows of the ‘80s

Patrick J. Kiger’s ruminations on the ‘80s brought back wonderful memories (“Moonwalk Down Memory Lane,” March 3). My wife and I consider the ‘80s to be “our era” and have been waiting for a revival for years! The mention of L.A. Gear shoes brought back the strongest feelings. While living in England, we found a local shoe store that ordered them for us. I was so proud, strutting around in my white-and-blue basketball-style trainers, thinking everyone must be green with envy, when, in reality, I was probably the only person in the town who knew what they were! But that didn’t matter--I had L.A. Gear and I was cool!

Niilo Tippler

Los Angeles

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Kiger’s account is lacking in one important fact. The discovery of HIV and the subsequent AIDS epidemic profoundly altered the attitudes of Americans toward sexuality, drug use, morality, illness and life itself. Does Kiger really expect us to believe that mullets and Madonna influenced our culture more than the rise of AIDS? It is a tragic irony that he fails to mention the epidemic once in his recounting of the decade in which thousands were infected and died because America was afraid to talk about it until it was too late. If we are doomed to repeat that period of our history, let us hope that we have learned something from the awful price that was paid.

J. Tucker Baldwin

Anaheim