Letters for February 7, 2013

Separate the weed from the chaff

Re “Legalize it, ban it” by Nick Miller (SN&R Midtown&Down, January 31):

As your column pointed out, the leadership of the city of Sacramento is unwise to close most of the dispensaries. It would have been far better to try to separate the weed from the chaff by appointing someone to head a commission to regulate the dispensaries, thereby helping medical users.

However, it is clear that the Sacramento leadership is, as usual, more concerned about the whereabouts of the Sacramento Kings than about filling the city's coffers. The wholesale closing of dispensaries only demonstrates the short-term view of those who are temporarily in a position of power.

Weed will not disappear, but unfortunately, common sense has. Marijuana is a relatively innocuous substance that should be studied, not outlawed. Our elected officials need to show more integrity. The hypocrisy has to stop, and revenues must increase.

Caroline Bigard

via email

Not the right rifle?

Re “Teachers financing guns” by Darwin BondGraham (SN&R Frontlines, January 31):

I find it irresponsible to publish a story filled with disdain for the California State Teachers' Retirement System for supporting a company that makes “weapons like the one used in at Sandy Hook Elementary School.” It was published by the coroner's office in Newtown., Conn., that the dreaded assault rifle was never used and was not the cause of death of anyone involved in that terrible tragedy. To push untrue information to push the “gun control” movement is unethical and offensive.

Don Krug

Sacramento

Sandy Hook misinformation?

Re “Teachers financing guns” by Darwin BondGraham (SN&R Frontlines, January 31):

The truth came out over two weeks ago that an assault weapon was not used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. I don't forgive the big media for sensationalizing and outright lying about the devastation that took place. And perpetuating a lie that has become public knowledge is not only inexcusable but downright stupid. Don't expect to win any arguments if you can't get facts straight, especially when the facts are apparent.

Robert Scott

Sacramento

Editor's response: It has been widely reported that three firearms used by Adam Lanza were recovered at Sandy Hook, including a Bushmaster XM-15 E2S rifle, which was used in the attack.

What about the whales, indeed

Re “Whale bites” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Bites, January 31):

The question “What exactly is the mayor promising these whales?” is of major concern and is not getting the attention it should get. The Sacramento Bee, with its daily blast of articles ad nauseam, has become the chief cheerleader for the proposed new arena. The Bee has not asked the tough questions about where Mayor Kevin Johnson is going with his discussions with the whales. These people are very shrewd investors and will dance circles around the mayor just as they did the Maloofs.

If the city council doesn't get involved, Johnson will give away the store, and the people of Sacramento will get stuck with the bill.

James G. Updegraff

Sacramento

That’s fracked up

Re “Leader of the frack” by Christopher Arns (SN&R Frontlines, January 24):

I read this article with mounting frustration, not understanding why California, with all its environmental concerns, has allowed fracking. Are people and the state really naive enough to believe that when someone injects chemicals, known or unknown, into the soil along with water that is precious to the survival of agriculture and for drinking, that this practice is not going to affect and deteriorate our state's environment? WTF!

OK, so most people don't worry about a future environmental crisis. They wait until it happens and then wonder why nothing was done about it, even though the problems might have been dealt with in the beginning. The food grown in California is some of the best in the world, and it seems that the state is willing to allow the farmland that produces that food to be jeopardized in the name of money and a small bit of gas that will result from this practice.

If businesses that are involved in fracking would put their creativity, money and time into developing innovations in alternative, sustainable energy, we would all win. But they, like so many in the world, insist on trying to profit from sucking up the last bit of gas from the earth with no thought about the survival of future generations.

So what will it be? Poison for profit or survival?

Ellen McMahill

Sacramento

Kings should take K.J. with them

Re “'Maloofed'” by Nick Miller (SN&R Editor's Note, January 24):

I seldom agree with your paper's opinions. However, you got it right on the Sacramento Kings, the Maloofs and the waste of public funds on an arena. The city has cut police officers and garbage services, and all the mayor can talk about is a basketball team and an arena. The Kings can't leave soon enough; perhaps they will take Mayor Kevin Johnson with them. One can hope.

Clyde Campbell

Sacramento

Congressman McClintock responds

Re “Poor choice, Tom” (SN&R Editorial, January 10):

SN&R recently attacked my vote against the so-called fiscal-cliff deal, posing it as a choice between recession and recovery. Hardly. The bill increased the obligations of the federal government by more than $300 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office, sapping future economic growth and funding special-interest carve-outs for politically connected concerns. Worse, the deal left in place massive tax increases that impact 76 percent of net small-business income—precisely the income they use to create two-thirds of the new jobs in our economy. Both the Congressional Budget Office and Ernst & Young have warned this policy will result in hundreds of thousands of lost jobs.

I wonder what the editors plan to say to those families who are thrown into unemployment because of this policy? “Cheer up, we really socked it to your ‘ultrawealthy' (former) employer”?

Congressman Tom McClintock

Roseville