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Gift to Stanford shows
university’s hypocrisy
Re: “Family gift to Stanford tells conservation tale” (Page A1, April 30).
Nice to hear about the Doug and Kris Tompkins’ great work to create and expand 15 national parks in Chile.
While I am glad to have their work archived for future research on environmental policy, it is really quite ironic that this should end up at Stanford, which has refused to divest from fossil fuels, the greatest threat to the very lands the Tompkins worked so hard to protect.
Stanford with its over-sized influence in higher education and research (and the world) should be a shining example of sustainability and climate change leadership, instead of a tainted contradictory bureaucracy that somehow justifies investments in companies that are destroying our world. Shame on you, Stanford trustees.
David Coale
Palo Alto
Pray for permanence
of peace in Vietnam
The war in Vietnam ended 49 years ago this week, on April 30, 1975. Let us learn the lessons from this tragic war.
This day has been referred to in Vietnamese in different ways: “Ngay mat nuoc” (loss of country), “Ngay đoc lap” (liberation), “Giai phóng Mien Nam” (liberation of the South), “Ngay đoan tu hai Mien Nam Bác” (reunification of North and South). Three and a half million Vietnamese were killed. Millions were orphaned and widowed. Over 58,000 Americans died. The American military unleashed all of its armaments and weapons on Vietnam and dropped nearly 8 million tons of bombs. Agent Orange was sprayed on more than 5 million acres of forests and croplands. The My Lai Massacre was horrific. President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed using nuclear weapons.
Vietnam is at peace. Let us reclaim our belief in the sanctity of human life. Chúc Vietnam hoa binh mai mai. May Vietnam enjoy lasting peace.
Anh Lê
San Francisco
Support foster system
to meet kids’ needs
There are roughly 4,100 children in foster care in the Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo counties. It should be the utmost goal in foster care that placement is well-suited to meet the child’s needs.
The placement needs to understand the child, their needs and how to go about meeting them where they are. The county needs to make sure that when prospective families are going through the foster care placement process, they are going through rigorous screening, ensuring they are motivated by genuine care and commitment to these children. Funding for proper training, continued check-ins, therapeutic services for both the child and foster families, monitoring the care of the child and family placement needs are critical.
Prioritizing the child’s safety and welfare, and creating an environment to allow for healthy development and stability, can allow for the balance and safety of the child while nurturing the family bond.
Dawn Gonzales
Pacifica
Support amendment
to undo Citizens United
Re: “Loose constitutional reading hurts U.S.” (Page A6, April 30).
A recent letter criticized progressives for advocating “loose” construction versus strict construction of the Constitution. However, the author failed to mention perhaps the most impactful examples of loose construction effectively rewriting the Constitution.
The Constitution nowhere says that corporations have the same rights as people and does not say that money is equivalent to First Amendment-protected free speech. This has not discouraged some judges from inventing these doctrines in the Citizens United and other decisions. The result has been that corporate rights are increasingly being given precedence over those of human beings and the flow of money into politics and elections has exploded.
A measure has been introduced in the House (House Joint Resolution 54) that would amend the Constitution to overrule Citizens United and restore the protections of the Constitution for people, not artificial entities like corporations. Ask your representatives to support HJR 54.
Brian Carr
San Jose
California must make
most of federal funding
I was sad to not see a news story on the EPA giving $250 million to support community solar in California.
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California has a rare opportunity to adopt policies that will encourage the development of more renewable energy and provide economic benefits by reducing bills and bringing good jobs and environmental benefits across the state.
My work with a community solar pilot in Le Grand, in Merced County, showed that this really has benefits for families looking for practical solutions to make ends meet. I have seen the struggles faced by migrant families and the elderly who are trying to manage skyrocketing energy bills.
Our elected officials must speak up on behalf of California’s most-sidelined communities who deserve the same access to affordable renewable energy as everyone else. The federal government has invested in our community solar. Now, it’s time for California to follow suit.
Irene Cacho
Le Grand
