No Welcome Mat

Golly, I didn’t realize that the state of Washington is becoming a private sector of our nation (“Welcome to Seattle . . . Now Go Home,” by Ann Japenga, Aug. 24 ). Will we be required to have a visa to cross their border? Proof of inoculations? Will this apply only to Californians? If so, what actually constitutes a “Californian”?

Gee, I’m third-generation, but the vast majority of people I’ve known and met weren’t even born in this state. Does having a California license plate automatically make one a native? When did the welcome mat get trashed that was spread before us in 1962 when Seattle held the World’s Fair? The color of our money hasn’t changed.

LaMAE NORMINGTON, Anaheim