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Don’t worsen division
by signing petition
The petitioning has begun to remove two members of the Sunol school board. Emotions have been whipped up for or against flying the gay pride flag. Let’s consider what’s really going on here.
Anyone decent wants children to feel safe and supported emotionally at school. We don’t want kids being bullied and harassed by their classmates. That’s one thing. Very laudable. Quite another thing is for children to be surrounded by a cultural crusade of sexualization, of whatever variety. School is a precious time to develop children’s minds and to assist families in developing children’s maturing emotions.
Does the pride flag represent the benign supportive message or the sexual crusade? I believe many advocates of the flag advertise the former, while their intent is the latter. Consider this before signing a petition and adding to the fury.
Hunter Cobb
Alameda
Preservationists oppose
development proposal
Re: “Campus site targeted for big housing development” (Page B1, Jan. 17).
The East Bay Times is generally a great source of timely and accurate information on local issues. Thus it is disappointing that you have published an article that reads like a news release from real estate developers about this immensely controversial proposed apartment building project.
Emerald Fund and its partners seek to demolish an entire “Area of Primary Importance,” as defined by the Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, on the California College of the Arts campus.
For seven years this proposal has been opposed by both the neighborhood group Upper Broadway Advocates and the historic preservation community.
The glaring presence of the immense empty lot next door, at Pleasant Valley Avenue and Broadway, underscores the arrogance of those who propose this development.
Oakland has surpassed its state-mandated target for building market-rate housing. Few, if any, of the proposed apartments would be affordable for a single-parent graduate student at nearby UC Berkeley.
Amelia Marshall
Oakland Heritage Alliance Board of Directors
Oakland
New tax collector
is most qualified
Re: “Contra Costa supervisors drop ball on racial equity” (Page A6, Jan. 10).
I was shocked when I read the sexist and racial discrimination in the Letter to the Editor in the Jan. 10 paper.
In it, Gus Kramer, the Contra Costa County assessor, stated that the county should not have appointed a white man to the office of county treasurer and tax collector. He stated this appointment should only go to a woman of color. This, despite the new appointee being the most qualified for the position. He is the only one to serve as joint county treasurer and tax collector (in Yuba County). As far as his “being from Yuba County,” he is from Walnut Creek and graduated from Northgate High School.
Equity and equality should guarantee equal opportunity, not equal results. We need new blood and new ideas in the leadership of our county administration.
Stan Johnson
Walnut Creek
Oppose recall’s attack
on Alameda County vote
The Alameda County Registrar says that it could cost $20 million if we have a recall to oust duly elected Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.
This is an anti-democratic effort by people wishing to undo a fair election. One of the greatest freedoms in this country is that we elect our public officials. Trusting and protecting these elections are central to our democracy. Our DA is keeping us safe and bringing a compassionate perspective to our broken criminal justice system, as she promised in her election campaign.
The money spent, if the recall proceeds, will put crucial programs supporting mental health, diversion, police recruitment and youth training all on the chopping block. This threatens our safety as it is these programs that address the issues that most often lead to crime.
To protect these crucial programs decline, to sign any petition for a Pamela Price recall.
Ellen Coffey
Berkeley
Deaths in war zone
don’t equal genocide
Re: “Biden’s support of Gaza slaughter wrong” (Page A8, Jan. 14).
Michael Dunlap’s letter describes Biden’s support for Israel as abetting genocide.
However, in our experience and history books, wars have ended when the defeated surrender, such as Germany and Japan in WWII.
Why do the Gazans not join the fight against Hamas, instead of electing this terrorist organization to govern their territory, and allowing themselves, their hospitals and their homes to be used as shields in this current conflict?
Tari and Bill Nicholson
Martinez
November vote will be
barometer of economy
Numbers can always be used in a manner to justify one’s position. Letter-writers that cite statistics that the economy is doing well are a primary example of this. Inflation may have slowed, but we still have inflation. Prices for food and gas may be slightly up over last year, but they are up considerably.
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I wonder if the economy-is-great fans are well off financially. I know the high cost of tolls, gas and food prices, and costs of insurance (auto and home) are a real hardship for lower and median-income wage earners. That is a fact.
The good news is that data does not rule, but one’s pocketbook will. The majority of Americans believe the economy is not doing well; we’ll see whether people really agree the economy is doing great come November.
Douglas Abbott
Union City
