Dear HCN, Florence Williams’ article (HCN, 11/11/02: Behind the gate) on gated ranch communities was probably the least thoughtful article published by HCN in quite a few years. The clear theme of the article was that it is somehow unfair for wealthy outsiders to own land in the West. Contrary to Ms. Williams’ perception, there is nothing new about the social divide that exists between the haves and the have-nots. What is new is Ms. Williams’ attempt to create an environmental issue where none exists.

She asserts that gated communities have somehow closed off lands that were previously open to the public and yet she does not provide a single example to support her claim. She conveniently forgets that the gated communities which are private property today were also private property when held by the previous ranch owners. She also ignores the fact that these gated ranches are still actively involved in ranching, with significant sections devoted to grazing lands, wildlife habitat and open space. HCN consistently publishes articles meeting a very high standard, but this one misses the mark by a wide margin.

David C. Conley Colorado Springs, Colorado