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Letters to the Editor
San Franciso Political Predictions; Obama Killing the Public Option; SEIU vs. NUHW Trial; More on California Prison Crisis ...
Mar. 19‚ 2010
To the Editor:
I am copying your prognostication of a SF and California shift toward progressives in nearly every district, the Mayor's race, the Governor's race, and the Lieutenant Governor's race. Why? Because my sense is that this article is more wish fulfillment than an accurate reading of short-term political trends.
Here are some facts that might stick in your craw or make you grab your eyeglasses:
(1) Meg Whitman, with no political experience, is currently polling even or ahead of Jerry Brown. She's ahead of him with female voters and voters over 49. Brown's a known political quantity -- he should be ahead even without running an active campaign. He's not, and that should be worrying his team.
(2) Abel Maldonado is a moderate Republican who helped Democrats pass a deadlocked budget, while Gavin Newsom is that slick liberal insider. Rabid Republican budget blockers hate Maldonado, but will they vote for Newsom? No way. Independents and some Democrats will like Maldonado's compromise. He also brought us the open primary. I say he beats Newsom, unless the Mayor can create a lot of excitement about his campaign. So far, Newsom has not done that -- not in the Gov. race he dropped out of.
(3) Conservatives and independents are going to make 2010 a turn-round year for Congressional races. They will show up in greater numbers at the polls than will liberals in November -- that will probably help moderate candidates in San Francisco Supes races, the ones you call "Downtown" candidates. It's also disastrous for Barbara Boxer's Senatorial race -- she's in trouble. Maybe steady and vocal support for Boxer by Feinstein will help Boxer get back some moderates, but she has a lot to fear from Tom Campbell.
(4) A ballot initiative to ABOLISH the charter amendment guaranteeing MUNI operator salaries as non-negotiable and always second highest in the nation will bring out lots of voters angry about SF's heavy and poorly targeted spending. That population is going to vote for candidates who promise fiscal restraint, job growth, and pro-business policies. It is not going to vote for new taxes that aren't irreversibly and tightly tied to specific programs (Vehicle License Fee for Muni, maybe yes, but a sales tax hike, forget about it.)
Let's see whose predictions are more accurate. Randy Shaw, I think you'll be eating your words, crow, or something even less tasty.
Dana B.
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Re: "Did Obama Kill the Public Option in July?", I have suspected as much for a long time. Obama was behind Max Baucus not allowing Single Payer to be discussed. He has given orders to Congressional leaders that they were not to pass anything that would jeopardize their financial support from the insurance industry, Big Pharma amd for-profit hospitals. In light of all this information, it is clear why Obama is so anxious to pass his bill so quickly. Americans are waking up. At the rate that we are making our opinions known to our Senators and Representatives, it is very likely that we will get the Public Option.
What I don't understand is why someone like Dennis Kucinich would fall for "if we don't pass this bill now we will never get any health reform passed." That makes no sense at all. If Congress doesn't pass it on Sunday, what's to keep them from starting to work on getting us Medicare For Everyone on Monday?! 51 Senators have said they would support the Public Option if it was presented through Reconciliation. They have the votes if they listen to the people rather than to Obama. If it is a matter of loyalty, they need to remember that their loyalty is to US not to a President who is fast proving that he is not one of us.
Margarita Denevan
Arroyo Hondo, NM
To the Editor,
Re: "Did Obama Kill the Public Option" (BeyondChron, 3/18/2010), I support Representative Dennis Kucinich's announcement that he would vote for the current health care reform bill.
To be sure, the bill does not contain everything that health care reform demands and requires in the United States. However, one hopes that it would be a significant step in the right direction, the achievement of health care as a human and civil right in our nation.
Now that President Barack Obama was able to bend Representative Kucinich's ears aboard Air Force One, let us also hope that Representative Kucinich was able to remind President Obama that we need to achieve peace in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Sincerely,
Anh Le
San Francisco
To the Editor:
I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments. Moreover, I can't understand the present capitulating attitude of so‑called progressives and progressive organizations. So many in the progressive community sound and look like spineless bulldogs and toothless tigers. They are without further credibility.
I doubt if Mr. Obama and his hatchet man, Rahm "Rasputin" Emanuel will ever take them seriously again. Henceforth, they'll just be compliant lackeys Obama's regime of political shenanigans. As a life‑long Democrat, I've lost my belief in the ideals and integrity of the Democratic Party. I'm turned off by politics. I'm considering changing my voting registration to "independent."
As an African American, let me state the unmentionable. I fear that many progressives swallow so much of Obama's mess because they don't want to appear to be racist or to be accused of racism. I can't believe they'd be so quiet were he not a person of color.
Clifton Buckrham
High Point, NC
To the Editor:
Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez were right about Obama, that he was not a progressive politician. The San Francisco progressives at that time decried both of them for running, and saying the truth about Obama.
David Sloane
San Francisco
To the Editor:
In September, I asked why you were mobilizing in favor of the insurance companies, which (with the provider lobbies) had subverted all the leading Congressional bills. The solution would have been to pressure the White House and Congress to pass what the people voted for in 2008, instead of the lobby-driven bills in Congress. (Supporters claim the bills would reduce costs compared to doing nothing, but the current trends are unsustainable anyway, so the lobbies signed onto "reform" as the only way to continue increasing revenue.)
Like a secular religion, the insurance and provider lobbies would have you believe that if everyone is forced to buy unlimited insurance, we will all live forever. Statistically, the best predictor of both longevity and prosperity is education, yet education is being cut to pay for medical "care," so more people will probably die sooner and poorer. Much of that "care" consists of malpractice (which kills more people than uninsurance), and much of it consists of disproven drugs, injurious surgeries, and expensive treatments that provide little or no benefit.
When people in other countries spend less than half what Americans do, yet live as long, one can reasonably infer that most of what Americans spend is wasted and the solution cannot be to spend even more. If you want progress on jobs and other issues, including health and education, it is necessary to reduce the medical costs associated with the current employer.
Otis
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Thanks for this clearly written explanation of what's going on in our union. I'm a health care worker in a trusteed CHW hospital and have heard numerous complaints about SEIU's failure to enforce contract violations. Anyone "thinking" of joining SEIU should observe what they do to their captives (the trusteed locals) and beware!
Ellen Dillinger
Sacramento, CA
To the Editor:
I have surprised those who have known me for several years and even surprised myself! When we at Marian Medical Center became members of SEIU/UHW a few years ago, we thought we had finally found a Union and leaders that we could really trust! Having gone through the decertfication to get rid of one Union we were a bit leery to vote in another. SEIU/UHW was not an easy sell at our hospital. We did extensive research and spoke with alot of people affiliated already with SEIU/UHW and the comments were always the same. We would have a voice in a Democratic Union, and leaders that would be accessable to us at all times.
Why did I surprise myself? Because I usually was one not to get too involved. The more I learned, the more excited I became, and needed to be involved in making sure the people I had worked with for the last 27 years were taken care of and protected in the workplace. I became Chief Steward, and was on the last two bargaining teams. I was so proud of our team and how hard they worked ... then came SEIU International and literally tore it apart. We were heartbroken to say the least.
Sal Roselli, John Borsos and the rest of the California Team have our utmost respect! They have listened to us, we trust them and stand behind them 100% in forming this new Democratic Union we call NUHW!
Diane Woods
Santa Maria, CA
To the Editor:
It is absolutely shameful that the SEIU is going for a third round with its phony law suit against NUHW leadership and volunteers. After already spending millions of members' dues dollars to suppress the voices of the majority of healthcare and homecare workers in California's healthcare industry, SEIU is desparately trying to silence the opposition for union democracy.
And this is what this struggle is all about -- union democracy. The majority of California healthcare and homecare workers support NUHW because these former UHW leaders and volunteers negotiated the best contracts in the country and strongly support union democracy and member involvement. These workers want a union they can trust, not one that denies membership involvement and uses their dues to support raids on other unions and using millions of dues dollars to support frivolous and phony law suits and charges with the NLRB and PERB.
Let SEIU know that you will not support their phony law suit by attending the court hearings in San Francisco. SUPPORT NUHW -- THE UNION FOR AND BY WORKERS!
Francisco Martinez
Oakland, CA
To the Editor:
This is a terrific article, the most cogent, clear, concise description of the California prison mess I've ever read. Thank you for the perspective offered. I'd happily be one of the "40 sheep" to vote for a change.
Kay Pech
Cerritos, CA
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Newsom's Run for Lt. Governor; Solving the Prison Crisis ...
Mar. 17‚ 2010
To the Editor:
If Gavin Newsom wins for Lieutenant Governor, San Francisco's curse will be expanded to the State of California.
Herbert Weiner
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Are all the Democrats fools living in Northern California? Newsom Who? You mean the Gay Rights.
J. Thompson
San Pedro, CA
To the Editor:
Well, there's one thing I sensed about Schwarzenegger that I didn't of Phil Angelides. I didn't know it at the time. The end run. It's a retrospective point of view. It's the way Angelides spoke. And I'm a union guy. I worked for Angelides campaign. I'm not familiar enough with Newsom to understand him as a Chicago style politician. He's had enough perspicacity despite his drawbacks and his published "grid," makes me a fan. Ask me what his grid is and I'll send you an email. He'll out talk Angelides, and his grid makes him a B student. But will he and his agenda, and his teamwork, despite your article, sell the public?
Rick Lucha
San Francisco
To the Editor:
The State has an average incarceration rate compared to other states. The actual correctional bed shortage is the 65,000 county jail bed shortage reported by the Sheriff's Association, not in prisons which have a 2,500 bed shortage. The jail shortage resulted in the shift of technical parole violators to prison where they occupy 25,000 expensive jail beds.
Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposal to eliminate parole time for selected offenders is a game changer. It will save almost $900 million in operating costs annually and increase prison capacity by 7,600 beds, avoiding $1.5 in prison construction costs. The beauty of the proposal is that the savings are certain and not theoretical. There is no down side because parole agents only report parolee crime and technical violations after the fact - they do not prevent parolee crime or violations.
County probation, which supervises almost 2.5 times more felons than state parole, stopped supervising about half of their felon probationers years ago without any change in success / failure rates. Maybe this change will also allow the State to finally fix the broken technical parole revocation system which adds about $340 million annually in unnecessary prison operating costs and billions for prison bed construction. It should have been fixed years ago.
Rich McKone
Lincoln, CA
To the Editor:
My husband, long-term federal prisoner and author Michael G. Santos, recently wrote two articles on the subject of prison reform (see http://criminaljustice.change.org/blog?author_id=190)from a long-term prisoner's perspective. Michael is currently in his 23rd consecutive year of confinement -- he writes extensively about the prison system and prison reform.
Carole Santos
Taft, CA
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Remembering Bruno Hicks ...
Mar. 16‚ 2010
To the Editor:
I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Father Bruno 30 years ago. I am convalescing from a stroke and thinking about what happened to my old friend. He played a large part in some major decisions in my life, and put on several talks about world hunger and poverty at St. John's in San Lorenzo. He was the best, the most sincere person I have ever known. I was sorry to lose touch with him and glad to see he went on to do great works as he wanted to. He once told me my 3 bedroom house could house 10 Filipino families. I, who had felt poor as a single mother, suddenly felt quite rich
Marie Paoletti
Hayward, CA
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Openly Gay Mayors; More on Jerry Seinfeld; More on "Party of Reason" ...
Mar. 15‚ 2010
To the Editor:
Houston is not the first major city in the US with an openly gay mayor. That honor goes Mayor Sam Adams of Portland, OR, who ran as openly gay, and was elected a year before Ms. Parker. She may, however be the first openly lesbian mayor of a major US city.
Miles Bainbridge
San Francisco
To the Editor:
One can never be "wrong" when expressing one's opinion. Others can agree or disagree, but your opinion is your own. That being said, I think you've missed the mark when accusing The Marriage Ref of "stereotyping." My understanding is that the 'subjects,' who volunteer to appear, do so in the hopes of finding justification / substantiation for their point of view.
C. Damico
New York, NY
To the Editor:
Good article, but you seem afraid to say anything critical about religion, which is America's most prolific stupid generator. Religions, even the moderate ones, almost all advocate unreason as a primary virtue. In fact they could not survive without unreason. Until reasonable people like yourself start calling religionists out for their odd beliefs, it will just get worse. But articles like yours make me generally optimistic.
Gibson Polk
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Uptown Tenderloin; Jerry Seinfeld; MTA Board Woes; Disablist Language; More on Disabled Placards ...
Mar. 12‚ 2010
To the Editor:
It is exciting to see the Tenderloin begin to get the recognition it deserves . . . and to see it finally get some good press.
Ira Dorter
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Good article except you forget one thing. Jerry Seinfeld's shows have always been about making fun of people. The only difference here is that it is a real person who you see and feel for. In Seinfeld the people were characters, but the humor was the same.
David Dimenstein
Worcester, MA
To the Editor:
I see you don't like The Marriage Ref. A real story is that Jerry Seinfeld more than likely "borrowed" this idea from the Sidetaker website. This show is a carbon copy of Sidetaker. Tom Papa even uses the old Sidetaker slogan "Who's right and who's wrong?" Jerry says he "created the idea" he should have said "I'm rich, greedy, been out of TV for 12 years, pretty much own NBC so I took the idea from Sidetaker to create this show."
What a scum bag!!! He says he "came up" with the idea on his own, what a lie! He came up with the idea 2 months after the New York Post did a 2 page story on Sidetaker. The Sidetaker website first debuted back in Sept. 2008; the Marriage Ref "idea" came out by Jerry last summer. And as most people know, Seinfeld lives in New York City so either he or his wife read the NYPost story. The truth needs to be told about The Marriage Ref. Please do your research on Sidetaker, then write another article on the truth about Jerry Seinfeld's show.
Nick M.
Jacksonville, FL
To the Editor:
I could care less about the stereotypes and the ethnic makeup of the "contestants." I WILL agree that the show is just not funny. I have come to the conclusion that Seinfeld is a very good comedic actor, but his schtick as a comedian just gets old quick.
Mark Simons
Martinez, CA
To the Editor:
Thanks for the analysis. I don't watch this show, but it is a shame that Seinfeld and his friends feel the need to give superficial criticism to people who aren't as well off. Despite The Great Recession, poor people are more or less invisible on the airwaves. Instead, we have Gossip Girl, 90210 (The Next Generation), and a new one called "High Society."
Kevin Bard
San Francisco
To the Editor:
I found out at the MTA meeting last night that MUNI has been ticketing riders whose transfers run out while they are still riding on the bus!!! What do they expect one to do, get up and go to the front and pay again? The crowd became a little unruly over this one.
Terrrie Frye
San Francisco
To the Editor:
I agree with most points in this article, yet I find the usage of the word "schizophrenic" to be a disablist usage. I would have been happier with the word "contradictory" instead of using a psychiatric term that I feel describes my medical condition. Of course, it is important to distinguish between those who are mislabeled in order to create greater profits for the pharmaceutical industry versus those who actually have a psychiatric disorder. The latter do exist, and I am one of them. We mentally ill people often get offended when the term "bipolar" and "schizophrenic" are used too casually, to describe normal human idiosyncrasies. Real mental illness isn't a stroll on the beach, and I don't choose to have it.
Jack Bragen
Martinez, CA
To the Editor:
I do see, when I walk, a lot of the blue placards. Too many to be true. That is truly a loss of revenue and a loophole somewhere. We should make people pay whether disable or not when they use a vehicle. Using a vehicle is very taxing to our city, just stand at Pine/Leavenworth looking West, or at Leavenworth/Bush looking East, or anywhere on Van Ness, or 19th Avenue, etc., it is just a sea of cars. The city is choking. Many of the people I know are totally normal, work as I do, still they have blue placards. Disability is abused as far as the eye can see. Sometime I think just having a car is a form of disability in itself. Sometimes we must make sacrifices. People with disability can't buy a car or gas for free. They owed to pay their parking. Since issuing blue placards is blatantly corrupt, we must end the practice.
Nafiss Griffis
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
The Right-Wing Oscars; More on Party of Reason ...
Mar. 11‚ 2010
To the Editor:
Thank You, Randy Shaw. The whole family was watching the Oscars, when I was at first pleased to hear that the "Hurt Locker" was winning BIG. And then, Mrs. Bigelow took the stage, and what I heard disgust me. I screamed loud and vociferated my hate - and sense of betrayal - at the Hollywood Academy. How can they do THAT? And they repeated it TWICE! For the whole world to see. Talk about winning the "hearts and minds" of Muslims! Have people in this country lost their sanity? I am afraid so ...
Pierre Frayse
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Does anyone remember Jacques Barzun's great The House of Intellect? This article reminds me that we are almost back in the late McCarthy times, but the enemy is to left as well as the right. As long as deconstructionist, feminist, ethnicist anti‑scientific intellectual dada‑caca is permitted and funded, nothing is going to improve. A story: Instead of the Theory of Relativity, which was Max Planck's line, Einstein would have preferred (and Planck concurred) to have called it the Theory of Invariance (speed of light and charge). Think how much metaphoric insanity we would have been spared in the last 90 years from driveling philosophers and "Social Scientists."
Luca Marenzio
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Bigelow and the Oscars; More on Parking Permit Fees; More on Education Marches; Saving the American Dream ...
Mar. 10‚ 2010
To the Editor:
You claim that Hollywood has a detachment from larger social problems despite the fact that Crash, Milk, and Slumdog Millionaire were three out of the last five Best Picture winners. I guess racism, gay civil rights and international poverty aren't large enough social issues for you.
Alter The Path
San Francisco
Ed. Note: Although Sean Penn was awarded Best Actor for his role as Harvey Milk, "Milk" did not win Best Picture.
To the Editor:
I saw and highly recommend the "Hurt Locker." Maybe I misheard what Ms. Bigelow said in her Oscar acceptance speech. Here's what I heard: "I'd just like to dedicate this to the women and men in the military who risk their lives on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world. And may they come home safe." To me, one of the strength's of the film was that it doesn't pander or preach. While the film is set in Iraq, it is not about the causes and consequences of the Iraq War. Rather, it is about the notion of war as an addiction. Will James, the lead character, is a hopeless war addict, a danger junkie sacrificing good sense and other peoples' safety to his habit. The "Hurt Locker" deserved the Oscar for Best Picture.
Ralph E. Stone
San Francisco
To the Editor:
The other issue, as reported by Jeremy Scahill, is that Bigelow hired Blackwater mercs as technical advisors. Screenwriter Mark Boal contacted The Nation in response to Jeremy Scahill's article, "Blackwater and The Hurt Locker". Boal argued that Blackwater was never hired AS A FIRM, but acknowledged that individual "contractors or mercenaries" were plentiful on the set. Boal went on to say that, "It's possible that at some point somebody on set worked for Blackwater, but we never hired Blackwater."
Thomas Good
Staten Island, NY
To the Editor:
Thank You for mentioning the residential parking permit fee. It is probably the best deal in the city. $96 per year is far less than a garage space costs per month. A parking space in a residential multi-unit building that is rented or owned is valued at aproximately $130 per month ($1560 per year.) A space in an open parking lot is $8 per day ... if you are lucky and very early. ($2080 per year based on a 5 day work week.) An enclosed garage space $10, $12, $15, $25 or more per day. A parking meter $2 per hour. The residential parking permit ... LESS THAN 27 cents per day. ***WHAT A DEAL***
Ann DuFrane
San Francisco
To the Editor:
SPUR's proposal is clearly off the wall - its based on a spurious claim made some years ago that the fall off in meter revenue in SF is because of -- disabled people parking for free all day. It's certainly NOT the fact you can walk up and down any downtown street and see one in four or five cars sitting at an expired meter (with no ticket) because, well then MTA would have to take the blame for failing to collect the cash (just like it fails to get something like $18 million in bus fare). It's also likely that most of the downtown placards are used by commuters -- who would never have to pay the $300 and ... let's just say SPUR is once again off the wall with this idea and should be ashamed of it.
David Grant
San Francisco
To the Editor:
I agree that most of the actions for education seem cathartic for the protestors, but will not change one vote against budget cuts at the Capitol. What is needed is a strategy to make legislators accountable for their votes. That is why the march from Bakersfield to Sacramento sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers and a broad coalition of labor groups is different. During the rallies in the Central Valley, we will recruit people to volunteer on our election campaigns in June.
Dean Murakami
Sacramento, CA
To the Editor:
The American Dream that was lived in Post WW-2 America is tainted. I am a Service Connected Veteran Baby Boomer who was born in the 50s when patriotism was BIG. Why not after all the wealth was more evenly distributed than any other time in History. Americans were cruising proudly in their American made cars,and the citizens trusted their government. The economy had been stimulated just before THE WAR, and Middle Class America grew. The American Pie was BIG enough for everyone to have a slice. Americans were trusting that the Government would regulate and keep Big Business in check. The Stock market grew bigger and more easy to manipulate and then the Shysters went to town.
Trading became a split second business. The REAL investors in for the long term were powerless at times. Then the quest for greed got so great that FUZZY MATH was introduced in the form of derivatives. Warren Buffet said "derivative are the financial weapons of mass destruction." Warren plays by ethical rules and is in for the LONG TERM. This man also creates JOBS. Then we have the GREEDY Bankers who think absurd bonuses are ethical after taking BAILOUT money. Then we have the Shysters who short sell to the same client they used for leverage. Where do these idiots think the money comes from? There has to be a loser when these tactics are used.
The need for a separate market for long term and Retirement accounts is over due. The greedy idiots taking too large a slice of that American Pie make it hard for all. That pie is so TASTY after all. GOD BLESS AMERICA
Tim Giangiobbe
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
SPUR Study on Disabled Parking Placards ...
Mar. 09‚ 2010
To the Editor:
This is a great article. I am the parent of a 21-year-old daughter with a disability. She does not drive, and is not employed. However I do drive her anywhere she needs to go. Neither she nor I could afford $300/year for the placard. I agree with you that those who need the card should not be punished for those who misuse it. It completely misses the point of what it is for. Personally, it's not so much the savings on parking as it is the ability to find a convenient parking space for someone who has mobility issues. The idea of the city using the cost of placards to fill in the gaps in the MUNI budget is alarming and wrong-headed.
Linda Tung
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Just because I mentioned this proposal in my story doesn't mean the Bay Guardian endorsed it, or are somehow now aligned with SPUR and the Chron. If that logic were true, then BeyondChron is now part of the cabal as well because of this story. I simply cited the top items on SPUR's list after SFMTA officials said publicly that they would consider it.
Steven T. Jones
City Editor
San Francisco Bay Guardian
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
ACORN and James O'Keefe; Muni Summit; D.C. Gay Marriages; Mahalia Jackson Tribute ...
Mar. 08‚ 2010
To the Editor:
Why don't you just sue James O'Keefe for slander, and damages in the amount of funding ACORN lost? It seems a simple case to prove culpability. After you win that case, tell the New York Times they are next if they don't retract. Personally, I'd go after Fox before The Times just to try to get them to report the news instead of their opinion for once.
Wayne Workman
Matthews, NC
To the Editor:
How about addressing the problem of Muni Drivers letting certain people ride for free, especially if they share the same skin color? ANYONE who rides Muni will have witnessed this if they took the time to observe it. More relavent may be the simple lament that in one of the largest wealth concentation in the history of the planet (San Francisco), that fact that Muni is experiencing these woes tells everything about the misplaced priorities in our culture at large. Hit up just a few of the wealthiest families in this City, and every social ill could have enough money to be properly addressed. How about it Gettys and cohorts? If you really love this City, then cough up some of your copious lucre to save it!
Bill Murphy
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Bring back the Muni Conductors ‑ a San Francisco tradition and a money maker! As a senior who relies only on public transportation, I am concerned about Muni cutbacks. One thing about riding Muni, is that you have the opportunity to talk with many people not in your immediate circle(s). Muni riders often come up with solutions not accepted or even thought of by City officials.
Many of us think that bringing back the "conductors" would help to bring in much needed revenue ‑ a lot of it. Old timers remember how all of the major lines had a conducter who collected fares and was on board on each car continually. If you ride Muni, you know that a huge percentage of our population rides for free daily and those intermediate squads of uniformed checkers are much too sporadic to do much good. Conductors could also keep Muni riders safe ‑ if only by their presence and by having a phone with a direct line to 911
Kay Walker
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Would the writer PLEASE not refer to gay men and lesbians as "queers"? Yes, I know that there are a handful of misguided individuals who believe that they can "reclaim" that word (although I fail to understand how it is possible to "reclaim" something that we never possessed in the first place), but the overwhelming majority of gay persons consider the word "queer" to be a filthy insult from a bygone era, and it causes a great many of us to cringe (not to mention causing some of us to suffer PTSD‑related flashbacks). I for one have not been duped into using that word to describe myself ‑‑ and I will treat any person who uses that word to describe me with great hostility, regardless of that person's sexual orientation ...
Thanks, however, for the article ‑‑ which exposes the sheer hatred which animates the Catholic Church's attitude towards gay men and lesbians. It is in violation of Catholic teaching to divorce and / or remarry, yet Catholic Charities never imposed a ban on spousal benefits for remarried employees (before robbing all new employees of spousal benefits, regardless of the sex of their spouses). Only when gay marriage became legal did Catholic Charities decide to shut down the spousal benefits program ‑‑ prior to that, Catholic Charities routinely granted such benefits to the spouses of divorced and remarried employees.
This exposes the sheer hatred, vindictiveness, and cruelty of this church with respect to gay persons ‑‑ the Church did not rob remarried spouses of spousal benefits; only when gay couples could wed did this issue assume significance to the Church ... In addition to exposing the naked cruelty of this church, this issue also exposes the hypocrisy and Pharisee‑like fake grace which has become so popular in Catholic circles now that gay couples are winning the right to marry, in jurisdiction after jurisdiction.
Quite simply put ‑‑ these men and women are stinking hypocrites; their idea of love and compassion includes the abandonment of the District's poorest and most vulnerable members in an effort to harm the gay community. Fortunately, the majority of residents of the District place the blame firmly and unequivocally where it belongs ‑‑ which is within the hearts and minds of those upright, pious men and women who decided to rob all newly‑married couples of healthcare benefits rather than extend such benefits to gay couples. May this evil church and its acolytes one day relive this moment, and may they hang their heads in shame!
Philip Chandler
Clevedon, United Kingdom
To the Editor:
I had the opportunity to attend the Mahalia production two times during its run. The first time on its premiere night, which caused me to leave the theater worried for the artist. I felt they were badly miss handled. The timing was off and the production was so loose. I was one of the James Cleveland gospel singers of the sixties and knew Mahalia and was a fan of hers from childhood. Yesterday, decided to go to the production again and I must say. I was filled to the brim ... It was electric. All the things which orginally I felt where wrong about the play where now corrected. Jeanie and her fellow cast members performed beautifully. What an afternoon I had ... remembering, enjoying and being blessed by Mahalia's story and music. What a triumph..
Minister Gene Viale
Citrus Heights, CA
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San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Barbara Boxer's Chances ...
Mar. 05‚ 2010
To the Editor:
I'll take that bet! Americans are tired of the cesspool "swamp" and Senator Barbara Boxer should be afraid, very afraid. The Progressive manifesto will have trouble holding on even here in California. If it can happen for Ted Kennedy's seat ... it can happen here!
Mark Simons
Martinez, CA
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Mar. 16, 2010 -- Will South Make Newsom the Angelides of 2010?
Mar. 16, 2010 -- Panel to Review Torture Memo Author’s Anti-Rent Control Ruling
Mar. 16, 2010 -- First Solve Prison Crisis, then Fix California’s Budget
Mar. 16, 2010 -- Remembering Bruno Hicks ...
Mar. 15, 2010 -- New Immigrant Rights Campaign to Mount Largest March of Obama Era
Mar. 15, 2010 -- Progressives in Good Shape for DCCC; Carole Migden Returns
Mar. 15, 2010 -- Pelosi: the Public Option is in Her Hands
Mar. 15, 2010 -- The Massa Mess
Mar. 15, 2010 -- Openly Gay Mayors; More on Jerry Seinfeld; More on "Party of Reason" ...
Mar. 12, 2010 -- Spanjian Exits District 8 Race – Who Benefits?
Mar. 12, 2010 -- Cinequest 20 Wrapup—“Cooking History,” “Complaints Choir,” “Oil Rocks,” “Road to Sangam,” “The Exploding Girl”
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March 19, 2010
