Stark contrast on page

On Dec. 26 The Times published two articles in the NWWednesday Section reporting on the continuing challenges regional homeless people face trying to survive on the streets [“Help for homeless in cars off to a slow, steady start” and “Olympia is banning camping in public,” NWWednesday]. The stories are linked on page B3 along with an architecturally engaging, almost quarter-page photo of a contemporary home advertising Pacific Northwest magazine. I cannot be alone in observing the sad irony this layout presented to your readers.

Intentional or not, the page left me wondering if the disparity depicted by the photos of homeless youth asleep on the sidewalk contrasted against a multimillion-dollar private residence illustrates the growing socio-economic divide in our nation while also exacerbating our society’s apparent inability to see those in need of basic shelter?

Or might the layout help us see things anew, refocusing our gaze and spurring us to action?

My wish for the New Year is for the latter!

Bruce C. Arnold, Seattle