Letters for February 16, 2017

On watching POTUS

Re “Eye on 45” (Newslines, by Melissa Daugherty, Feb. 9):

Thank you for Eye on 45. Your succinct and terrifying list of 45’s first two weeks in office likely will only get more alarming as our nation heads down this dark path of change. We must remain vigilant.

Kim Hamberg

Chico

‘A few questions’

Re “Confronting fascism” (Guest comment, by Penni Markel, Feb. 9):

I have a few simple questions for you liberals. What do you want? Do you want our political system ruled by violence, riots and never-ending conflict? Don’t you realize that the right accepted Obama without riots and protests in a mature way and that what you are doing is nothing more than what a small child that didn’t get his way would do—throw a hissy fit? Do you realize that 90 percent of the counties in our country voted to elect Trump because of the promises that he is now following through on, which no other president in memory has done?

It certainly isn’t some a “handful of demagogues” as guest commentator Penni Markel wrongly asserted. Oh, and if you really are so unprejudiced and trusting of the Muslims from the countries that are temporarily barred from entering our country, why don’t you all go to those countries and wander around preaching tolerance, scantily clad, and showing affection in public like you demand the freedom to do here. Then report back to us on how it worked out for you? Why not, are you intolerant or scared of those people? And try and build a synagogue there!

Garry Cooper

Durham

Jogging some memories

Re “Fueling unrest” (Letters, by BT Chapman, Feb. 2):

Before and after President Obama’s election, there were protests and also violent attacks, mostly directed against minorities. Recall Kaylon Johnson, an African-American Obama campaign worker who was attacked by white men shouting “F--k Obama!” and “N----r president!” They broke his nose and fractured his eye socket. The number of times Mr. Obama was burned in effigy was vast. Republican lawmakers publicly disrespected the president, one in a joint session of Congress (“You lie,” shouted Joe Wilson of South Carolina).

Trump denied the legitimacy and citizenship of the legally elected African-American president and was given a public forum for such nonsense. In the last three weeks, there have been many protests, most of them peaceful. A few have caused property damage. However, most true violence since the election has been directed toward minorities (again) by Trump supporters.

We will continue to protest Trump because of what he says and does. You didn’t like Obama because of who he is. It’s very different. I hope this helps your recollection because this resistance is not ending any time soon. The First Amendment gives this right to individuals as well as to the press, whose participation seems to have been the catalyst for BT Chapman’s complaint and subsequent memory loss.

Ellen Eggers

Forest Ranch

The Donald saves

At last, a leader who will save us from democracy!

Anne Blake

Chico

Oroville needs help

Where is the Army Corps of Engineers when needed most? Standing Rock, N.D. To you pure idiots who condemn environmentalists for their passion, this one’s on you! We knew danger was imminent. From this telescope tonight, it is confirmed that Earth–not Venus—is the planet actually spinning ever faster in retrograde motion.

Kenneth B. Keith

Los Molinos

Props to Obama

It took the Obama administration eight years to lead the U.S. out of the disastrous recession of 2008. Obama’s steady hand was instrumental in saving our vital heavy industry and our financial institutions to begin the long road back to recovery. Obama and his brilliant team of advisers developed a coherent foreign policy to nurture our alliances and neutralize the threat of our adversaries around the globe.

No major events were perpetrated against us as we infiltrated enemy organizations and kept them at bay. Most details will never be known except in the case of the raid in Pakistan to get Osama bin Laden. It takes thoughtful and delicate leadership to steer a powerful nation on a proper course, foreign and domestic, and President Obama fulfilled his role admirably. We should all be grateful for the past eight years. Let’s hope our current president can profit by the examples of his predecessor.

Robert Woods

Forest Ranch

Why so hostile?

With such extreme hostility toward the president expressed in CN&R, I really don’t know where to start. But since I believe it is wonderful that we have about 1 million legal immigrants a year, I will address the complaint that Trump is anti-immigrant. There are 1.7 billion Muslims in the world. The combined population of the seven targeted nations is about 222 million, 13 percent of the total population of Muslims.

Is Trump blocking Islamic immigration? We have no way of checking those coming into America from these seven nations. With some, we maintain no diplomatic relations at all, and with the rest, we are there fighting a war. We cannot determine who is dangerous as they line up for visas to enter our country. It is reckless to permit entry by nationals of these countries until we have a vetting process in place. The president did overreach in initially applying the ban to permanent residents of the U.S. who hold green cards. But for those here on student visas or tourist visas, readmission should be banned until a process is in place. I can do an analysis like this for most of the anti-Trump topics. I will get to work on it!

Michele Jordan

Chico

Editor’s note: Here’s a quote from Donald Trump during his campaign for the presidency: “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.”

Where babies come from

Re “‘Your problem’” (Letters, by Michael Pulliam, Feb. 2):

Mr. Pulliam wrote a letter affirming that while he is pro-choice, he does not want tax dollars funding abortions. He goes on to say that if you have an unwanted pregnancy, it is “your” problem. My question to Mr. Pulliam, and others who hold this position, is this: How did “you” get pregnant? Are there free-floating sperm in the atmosphere that attack vulnerable uteri and impregnate them? Or is there a Mr. in the picture?

How about this: Let’s freeze sperm of all boys at about 14 years old, sterilize them, and hold the sperm until they are in a stable marriage, have completed a parenting class with an A, and understand the science behind procreation, the responsibilities of procreation, and the life-long commitment one makes to a child.

Oh yeah, and remember that funding birth control keeps people (men and women) from getting pregnant.

Brooks Thorlaksson

Chico

Amazed by the left

Re “Reject and resist” and “Revolution now” (Cover story, by Sasha Abramsky, Jan. 26):

I find the statement that we as Californians have a moral obligation to civil disobedience rather interesting. I thought the left supposedly embraces diversity and free thinking and yet those who don’t agree with your views and “resist” the presidency are immoral.

Also, for the gentleman who referenced the “uneducated” white males who voted for Trump, I’m sure it feels very nice to peer down on the masses from the perch of enlightenment you call higher education. The fact is, though, that the cavalier, holier-than-thou attitude of the left toward what represents a rather large segment of the American public is exactly one of the reasons the left lost the election.

Lastly, roving deportation squads? Vigilantes? Really? The only actions I’ve seen lately that in any way resemble vigilantism are the actions of some of the people protesting the presidency. The duality of the left never ceases to amaze me. But what do I know, I’m uneducated and immoral.

John Matlin

Chico

NFL analogy

Super Bowl LI was played on Feb. 5, 2017. I realize that the Patriots won the game, but something is amiss. The majority of Americans wanted the Falcons to win. I believe that there should be a rematch. Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady voted for Trump. There may even have been Russian interference.

Guy Hathorn

Chico

Better vetting needed

I can only hope that the Republicans vet Trump’s cabinet members better than they did with Denny Hastert, their five-term speaker of the house.

Rick Hunter

Chico

Editor’s note: Mr. Hastert is an admitted serial child molester.

Welcoming our neighbors

Upon hearing of the Muslim immigration ban, followed by the shooting at the mosque in Quebec City, I felt compelled to visit the Chico Islamic Center. My heart ached as if it had been my own community; my silence could no longer be maintained.

A colleague came with me and we briefly waited out front, sitting on a bench. Within minutes, we met the imam who, while cautious at first, was friendly and gracious. He wore a radiant smile, which grew as we spoke. I gave him a small trinket, a Guatemalan friendship bag. I told him that I wanted to make sure he felt welcome in our Chico community. I also shared that we believe there are truths in all religions, and we have many things in common.

We offered assistance in watching over the parking lot, should they ever have a special prayer session and want to feel more secure during that time. I believe this is not only what good neighbors do, but also a duty of spiritual beings. We are all one, we stand up for people who are marginalized and persecuted.

Lisa Carson

Chico

Editor’s note: The author is a reverend at Chico’s New Thought Center for Spiritual Living.

Demonstration on hold

The constituent event “Show LaMalfa What You Love,” planned for Feb. 14 by the Democratic Action Club of Chico, was canceled due to the evacuation of Oroville. The event planned for Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s Oroville office focused on the need to support Medicare, Social Security and universal health care will be rescheduled.

We have put out a call to our members and friends to volunteer in shelters and provide support to our friends affected by the Oroville Dam crisis.

Bill Monroe

Chico