Letters for February 5, 2015

Why drink at shows?

Re “Jeff Bridges abides Crest crowds with chill vibes” by Kimberly Brown (SN&R Page Burner, January 28):

I was disappointed to read “And now, a sober night of country-rock.” I love country-rock and a lot of other music, but I don't understand why it's important to have alcohol in order to enjoy a concert. I read about the joint being passed, and “the bar goof is forgiven,” and was reminded again why I don't attend many concerts or outdoor events. If drinking makes the music better, I'm guessing that the music wasn't very good to begin with.

Trina L. Drotar

Sacramento

Editor’s note: Trina L. Drotar is a frequent contributor to SN&R.

Legalization the Herer way

Re “Up in smoke” by David Downs (SN&R News, January 29):

Or they could just get behind the finest cannabis-legalization initiative in the world and make this simple for everyone. Jack Herer wrote The Emperor Wears No Clothes and followed that with a brilliant legalization initiative titled the California Cannabis Hemp Initiative (#CCHI2016), which ensures fair and equal access to the “new trillion-dollar crop” focusing on protecting existing medical laws and enabling personal and industrial uses to become the bedrock of a new economy. Hemp can save the planet, but only if we have widespread and fair access to it. We’re talking about hemp fuel, fiber, plastics, food and medicine— a real game changer, while they just keep trying to control, dominate, tax and regulate weed sales. Californians aren’t stupid and we won’t settle for less than we deserve. As Herer said, “If you can’t grow it, it ain’t legal!”

Patrick Moore

Los Angeles

Arden Arcade not senior friendly

Re “’Den of distress” by Raheem F. Hosseini (SN&R News, January 22):

One continuing issue in Arden Arcade is the accumulating litter of fast-food wrappers on the sidewalks along Marconi Avenue, primarily, and sometimes also along Watt Avenue. Another issue is bikers and skaters on narrow sidewalks. They tailgate us slow-walking senior citizens on our way to shopping or various necessary appointments.

I can’t say I’m scared to walk the neighborhood, because I have to in order to buy food or visit my dentist, buy my clothes and do any other necessary shopping. I don’t drive, am elderly, and need to live close to public transportation and food stores. Now I can’t even walk to Watt and El Camino without often being asked on each block for money by panhandlers or seeing people strolling by pushing full carts taken from supermarkets packed with old clothing. Or the homeless and mentally ill screaming at the air, standing in parking lots. Or, more often, at the cross-section of the heavily trafficked El Camino and Watt as I approach the shopping areas.

Like a lot of us older homeowners in Arden Arcade, when I purchased my home 17 years ago, the area was a quiet, middle-class neighborhood. What I longed for was a vegan restaurant and organic vegetable stores, and I wished there was a close-by senior center easy to walk to. I write a daily blog, including information/essays on projects of interest to senior citizens in the area. You may wish to check out my essay about what some of us elderly pedestrians see as we stroll down the streets of Arden Arcade. My blog is at: http://anne-hart-writes.blogspot.com/2015/01/drifting-into-blight-as-new-litter-each.html.

Anne Hart

Sacramento