Letters for December 11, 2008

Letter of the week
Remembrance of things past

The presidential election has been over for weeks and [President George W.] Bush will be out of office shortly, so why is Tom Tomorrow still ranting about Bush, [Gov. Sarah] Palin and the Republicans in his political cartoons? Dude, they are all old news!

Now that leftist Democrats control most branches of government, who will the hacks at SN&R lampoon and blame? Leftist hacks in the dominant news media would never criticize Democrats like [President-elect Barack] Obama or Barney Frank (no matter what they do), because you all would consider that to be racist and homophobic!

No doubt SN&R and the rest of the dominant leftist news media will all resort to publishing more tired looks back at the Bush years?

Jeremy Carruthers
via e-mail

The editor responds: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” (George Santayana).

There’s got to be a flier solution

Re “Fear of fliering” by Nick Miller (SN&R Frontlines, December 4):

I understand the “reasons” why the city has these codes, but if other cities deal with it, why can’t we? It helps our local economy and promotes patronage to bars and clubs. On top of that, what about during election season? Do they fine the people running for office who post their signs all over? Do they fine real-estate companies promoting their company’s new developments?

It’s unfair, but we should stop complaining and take some action. Let’s get this issue on the next ballot. Maybe have designated areas where it’s OK to flier. Let’s get some signatures or whatever it takes. If you’ve got any proactive ideas, get at me: upperdeckmanagement@gmail.com.

Benny Blanco
Sacramento

The state needs the money

Re “Fear of fliering” by Nick Miller (SN&R Frontlines, December 4):

The state [of California] has a huge deficit; how else are “we” to clear the red? Next, city police statewide will begin ticketing 9-year olds for not wearing helmets (jaywalkers and loiterers, beware!).

The only driving force behind this is that the state needs the revenue, and city cops statewide will be given the nod (or is it order?) to annoyingly enforce the petty laws of the land.

Amber
Sacramento

Uh, what’s he saying?

Re “Fear of fliering” by Nick Miller (SN&R Frontlines, December 4):

Fuck this article. I see what you’re trying to do, but if you want to have an even discussion between artists, promoters and cops, you need to present it that way. Don’t take what an artist says, tell that to a cop, then have him respond. That’s whack. That’s not an even discussion. That’s basically saying, “Carlos is talking about it to the police.”

I see where the story is in this article, but it’s one-sided. Whatever, tho.

Chase Moore
via e-mail

Hey, it’s illegal!

Re “Fear of fliering” by Nick Miller (SN&R Frontlines, December 4):

It is incessantly amusing how criminals will craft deceptively innocuous neologisms to whitewash their illegal activities: “fliering,” “postering.”

Let’s call it for what it is: vandalism.

Curtis Fritz
Davis

Alternatives to chemo

Re “The Chemo Kid: Cancer killa” by Derek Nielsen (SN&R Arts&Culture, December 4):

It is multibillion-dollar drug pharmaceutical companies, with toxic, deadly and expensive “treatments” who are making their fortunes killing patients diagnosed with “cancer.” One would not give a strong, healthy person chemotherapy to make them “healthier,” so why would you give it to a sick person?

My heart goes out to those such as Giovanni Goodman, but they need to consider it up to them whether they want to be control of their own bodies and health or blindly follow drug companies “cures” that happen to destroy what healthy cells the person has left as well.

Having a diagnosis of “cancer” should not be considered bad news but instead seen as a sign that one needs to change their lifestyle and eating habits that likely caused the disease in the first place, and these perhaps can be seen as positive changes. For instance, switching to a mainly “raw food” diet won’t get you invited to many barbecues, but isn’t achieving good health for oneself worth such minor social sacrifices?

Michelle Kunert
Sacramento

Don’t diss A.A., Josh, don’t

Re “Run, Josh, run” by Josh Fernandez (SN&R Feature, November 26):

I commend Josh for his continuing efforts on a clean and sober lifestyle. I, too, have been clean and sober for 15 months.

However, Josh stated that “Alcoholics Anonymous was too depressing for me.” According to Tradition Eleven of A.A., “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain anonymity at the level of press, radio and films. Personal anonymity at the public level is the cornerstone of our public relations policy.” Tradition Twelve of A.A.: “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.”

If running and not A.A. meetings worked for Josh, hats off to him.

However, if he was ever in fact a friend of Bill W., he should know better than to ever mention any of his experiences with A.A. in a public forum. He also let his personality get in the way of principles that have proven time and again over the past 70 years to save lives. This is a program that works! It saved my life and countless others. In the future, please keep all opinions about A.A. to yourself.

William V.
Sacramento

Write, Josh, write

Re “Run, Josh, run” and “Stamp of approval” by Josh Fernandez (SN&R Feature and SN&R Scene&Heard, November 26):

Josh Fernandez is now officially my favorite local writer. Between the extraordinarily powerful “Run, Josh, run” and the hilarious “Stamp of approval,” there is no pen mightier than his in this region. Without using easy political cheap shots or lazy “go green” clichés, he delivers the message. I can’t get enough. Write, Josh, write!

Linda Haldernman
via e-mail

Find God, Josh, find God

Re “Run, Josh, run” by Josh Fernandez (SN&R Feature, November 26):

Hello, my name is Rob. I’ve been an addict 14 years. I have had a spiritual awakening and am reading and following the [Narcotics Anonymous] book.

If [Josh Fernandez] is running away from feelings, there is something he must do, and God will answer. First, he needs to read the book and start there. He will start to change spiritually, and then his thoughts will change and God will be closer to him then ever. He must [get] rid of the feelings that were bottled up in him, and this will make him understand his faults and others who faulted him. Then God will listen and change his life forever, like he is doing mine.

I feel his pain and agree that people should pay for their mistakes. I almost paid with my sanity and soul. Please ask him to do this, for at least if he doesn’t get out, he will be spiritually one.

Rob
Van Nuys, Calif.

Don’t throw money out the window

Re “Governor greenwash” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Frontlines, November 26):

We cannot continually enlarge inefficient transportation corridors or build our way out of congestion and air-quality problems. We need robust investment in walking and bicycle routes, electric and high-speed rail—based on renewable and sustainable energy (solar, wind, small hydro, geothermal, conservation and efficiency).

Proposed enlargement of Highway 50 is just throwing money out the window and short-term thinking.

Scott Kruse
Fresno, Calif.

Reminder: Obama opposes same-sex marriage

Re “Don’t turn us against each other” (SN&R Letter of the Week, November 20):

Catherine Tobia feels The Sacramento Bee’s reporting of the 70 percent African-American support for Proposition 8 is meant to sow seeds of division between the two communities. But since our new president stated during the campaign, quite emphatically, that he opposed gay marriage, there’s nothing contradictory about African-Americans voting for both the Democratic candidate and Proposition 8.

What I don’t understand is why gays voted for him. Wouldn’t his position on gay marriage make President-elect Barack Obama the commander in chief of h8?

Dennis McMurray
Nevada City, Calif.

At least it’s not schadenfreude

Re “Bringing up baby” by Kate Washington (SN&R Sacreligious!, November 20)

[Kate Washington writes:] “It’s a matter of deep-seated agnosticism I can’t believe my way out of. I’m still not really sure what the answer is.”

That is an enormously interesting sentence. Reminds me of C.S. Lewis’ “longing”or Sehnsucht.

Paul VanderKlay
Sacramento

Proudly listed

Re “The h(8) list” (SN&R Snog, November 13):

I am a $1,000 member of the SN&R “h(8) list,” a $3,000 member of “AntiGayBlacklist.com,” and a $4,000 actual donor to Proposition 8. Tutoring business is good, but correspondence is a mixed bag.

Some e-mailers have accused me of having no compassion, practicing bigotry, propagating hate and even causing suicide among troubled teens with gender issues. I even got it in writing that “we have every intention of directly impacting the bottom line of individuals and businesses involved or which employ these people, including contacting your clients.”

One friendly correspondent said, “I did not vote for [Prop. 8], but I despise their tactics with a passion,” referring to hate-list activism, with its “terroristic attitudes on individuals,” and the “attack of the cowardly.”

I post these comments, along with my responses, at my blog: http://blacklistedmathtutor.blogspot.com.

Where’s the real hate? Visit my blog and decide for yourself.

Robert Eakin
Mobile Math Tutoring
Carmichael