To the editor:

I was amused by Peter Lawlor’s letter in the Saturday paper.

He obviously doesn’t know the Eagles were founded in Seattle by loggers and longshoremen and other working guys, because the Elks (founded by New York thespians who wanted an after-hours drinking club) and Moose considered those kinda folks trash and wouldn’t let them in.

If Peter had much knowledge of the role West Coast loggers and longshoremen had in the history of the American labor movement, he’d hide his head in shame over his ignorance of the Eagles’ traditions, as well as his ignorance about the openness and friendliness of our South End “Aerie,” as Eagles clubs are called.

Today’s Eagles aren’t a pack of fire-breathing left-wing (yes, Peter) Wobs or bailing-hook-wielding Harry Bridges street fighters any longer. There is no political side at all.

Our club, like all Eagles clubs I’ve been in, is just a friendly bunch of people who enjoy company, and I invite Peter to visit. After doing so, he might even want to join. I assure him he is welcome.

I hope one day Peter will lighten up and actually visit what he seems to condemn without knowing anything about. He might be surprised by what he would learn.

George Buehler

Freeland