My hat is off to all who are helping those poor people who have lost everything because of the hurricane tragedy.

That said, I don’t understand why government officials won’t take advantage of the kind gesture of aid from Cuba. The displaced and hurting people wouldn’t care where the help comes from as long as they get it. Cuba may have responded much sooner than the Bush administration.

How long will the grudge go on? The way things are going for the United States throughout the world, our country needs all the friends it can get, and what better way than to accept the kind offer from Cuba? If the Turkish people could accept help from Greece in their time of need after an earthquake, the U.S. should be able to put the Cuba embargo behind it. That would certainly help all involved.

Now that the help has finally arrived, Bush administration officials should save the photo opportunities; they are just getting in the way. They should stay in Washington where they believe they are needed.

Paul N. Roy, Turner