Letters for July 8, 2010

Letter of the week

More Arizona suspect characters

Re “Raising Arizona” by Blair Stenvick (SN&R Frontlines, July 1):

It appears that Arizona is not done cracking down on unsavory characters. Upcoming legislation calls for many harsh, new changes and a number of new groups police will be able to stop and detain on sight.

These groups include: Scandinavians with exceptional mechanical knowledge of Saab automobiles; those with IQs between 70 and 79, which is considered “borderline” and has the word border in it (tea bag activists are gearing up to protest this move with thousands of signs that read, “79 is only 7 or 8 away from 80” and “IQ tests suk!”); without having to give a specific name or party, people who may have voted for the “dark-skinned fellow” for president; anyone caught eating only the top of a muffin or removing the crust from a grilled-cheese sandwich (residents under 12 are exempt); those who in the past 12 months have expressed an interest in a fast food, convenience store or sandwich-shop franchise; anyone who does not have at least a VHS copy of the movie Red Dawn; those in possession of a gift card from Ikea or Pier 1 Imports; parents who had a piñata at their child’s last birthday filled with healthy snacks; anyone with a body mass index of less than 24 and/or an “innie” belly button.

Jon Waldrep
Sacramento

Covering the crackup

Re “Is Sacramento cracking up?” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Feature, July 1):

Thank you for the comprehensive article. I have been trying to learn more about the incorporation of Arden Arcade. I own a home in the area [that would be] affected. It has been in my family since 1959.

Jo Ann Eakle
Sacramento

Keep the money in Arden Arcade

Re “Is Sacramento cracking up?” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Feature, July 1):

Thanks for your article on the Arden Arcade cityhood effort. I’m for Arden Arcade having better safety protection, better streets, and I want our taxpayers’ dollars remaining within the new city. I am against our neighborhood becoming part of the city of Sacramento and having our tax dollars spent on dubious downtown development projects, such as the decrepit K Street Mall or the polluted downtown rail yards.

Carl Burton
Arden Arcade

Check the Canadians’ papers!

Re “Raising Arizona” by Blair Stenvick (SN&R Frontlines, July 1):

This is tiresome. Why are we even thinking of boycotting a state for simply making a decision to enforce the law? What part of illegal don’t we understand?

This is not racist. Would you claim that it was racist if a state on our northern border started enforcing the law and checking the papers of people who might be Canadian and entering the country illegally? It’s the same principle! If they’re in the country illegally, they need to go.

Mitch Martinson
Sacramento

Boycott costs us nothing

Re “Raising Arizona” by Blair Stenvick (SN&R Frontlines, July 1):

I think that those who support Arizona wasting taxpayers’ money need to have their heads put back on straight [and stop] denouncing our city council for doing what is right for every American citizen.

There are too many dark-complexioned people who are legal citizens that are going to be stopped, and if any one of them does something stupid (like reach down in their car to get their proof of identity), someone is going to get shot and killed.

A boycott does not cost anything; it’s about stating that Arizona is doing something that is unconstitutional and targets others who don’t look white, Asian, Afro-American.

I know that there a lot of people from countries that are not going to want to vacation in Arizona for fear of being degraded or worse, killed.

I think the city council should even go further and boycott the idiots that think that Arizona is doing the right thing. They are acting like Hitler, singling [out] Hispanics whether they [are] legal or not.

Let’s stop diverting the attention on the city council and go on to help this state to recovery. Meg [Whitman], yes, we need to create jobs; she is one of [the] high [and] mighty conservatives that offshored our jobs. She is no better the Arnie.

Donald Martineau
Sacramento

Want to boycott? Have some illegals

Re “Raising Arizona” by Blair Stenvick (SN&R Frontlines, July 1):

Amazing. Cities boycotting Arizona—Sacramento, [Los Angeles], [Philadelphia] and alike—are drowning in debt and crime, much of it attributed to illegal aliens, and proudly proclaim that they are against the actions Arizona was forced to implement simply because the feds will not enforce our laws. Even worse are sanctuary cities, San Francisco and others that refuse to turn over illegals even when they commit serious crimes against their own citizens, those that they have pledged to serve and protect.

If I was Arizona Gov. [Jan] Brewer, I’d bus all illegals, especially those caught committing crimes in Arizona, to L.A., San Francisco and Sacramento, and let them deal with the cost.

Barbara Edgecomb
via e-mail

Stick to Sacramento business

Re “Raising Arizona” by Blair Stenvick (SN&R Frontlines, July 1):

I contacted the mayor and my council member voicing my opinion against the boycott more than once prior to their vote. The response was disappointing to say the least—something along the lines of “Well, they did it in San Francisco and L.A.”—not cool at all.

If we can’t offer constructive assistance—it’s not like we don’t have the same problem in California as Arizona—then our council should content themselves with working on Sacramento business. What they are doing could well backfire in lost revenue and jobs for Sacramento and ruin relations with our neighbor state.

If anything, a resolution to Washington [D.C.] would be in order; after all, it’s a national crisis that we can not protect our borders as well as many other countries, including Mexico.

I recently found out that Missouri has legislation similar to Arizona—looks like they are “showing” us. In closing, I resent eight or nine misguided elected officials taking it upon themselves to represent me with their opinion on a topic totally out of their area of responsibility. There is a reason we call ourselves the United States of America. Let’s keep it that way.

Buddy Bergstrom
Sacramento

Her blues were lifted

Re “Foreclosure blues” by Lovelle Harris (SN&R Music, July 1):

I had the great opportunity of hearing [Ol Cotton Dreary] play at The Distillery. They are such a great-sounding, talented band and are so much fun to watch. [Brother] Ray really put on a great show and has an awesome voice.

Celeste Ukana
Sacramento

An ad that worked his nerves

Re “CannaCare” (SN&R Advertisements, July 1):

In the first [page of the] ad, CannaCare has come out against the California Regulate, [Control] and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. If this act passes, it will obviously hurt the business interests of those businesses selling “medical” cannabis.

I have no medical issues. I could make some up and pay a few hundred dollars to various doctors and be legally able to buy herb from business like CannaCare, but these businesses charge way too much for herb. I can get it thru non-co-op sources way cheaper than their Reagan-era prices.

I’ve been smoking herb for 40 years and have been a very productive member of society and a law-abiding citizen—and I want to grow it for myself. People like me helped get Proposition 215 passed. The proposed law is the next step in complete legalization of the herb. We don’t need another middleman operation controlling what was created by God and meant to be free.

And that leads to page two of the CannaCare ad: the linking of the Ten Commandments to the strength of our nation. The Ten Commandments have nothing to do with the forming of our nation. Our nation was formed on the principle of separation of church and state. “One nation under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. Everybody who has not heard George Carlin’s take on the Ten Commandments needs to hear it—it’s all over YouTube. Keep thy religion to thy self! I will spread the word to all card-carrying “medical” cannabis smokers I know to boycott CannaCare.

Please stop spreading around disinformation. Just legalize it!

Mark
Sacramento

Bravo for Byrne

Re “Billion-dollar baby” by Peter Byrne (SN&R Frontlines, June 24):

This was a fantastic article, and I’m grateful that it was published.

Josh Tremino
Sacramento

Timed-out to do time

Re “New buds” by Nick Miller and “Timed-out teens” by Seth Sandronsky (SN&R Frontlines, June 17):

First, I would like to congratulate you on a darn good job. I haven’t gotten a chance to read one of your newspapers for quite a while, and recently was able to read this issue.

I think the SN&R Newsstand Art Project is such a good idea. Sacramento should do that with all of the other newspaper and magazine stands.

Also, the story about rethinking cannabis showed me that Sacramento is truly taking time to examine the subject. I say fully legalize it. California’s economy will rocket sky-high. We have the best [cannabis] in the world.

Also, the article about the foster kids is so true. I know. I was in different placements since I was 12, and I will be homeless when I get out of prison, with no job. I feel for those kids, because I’ve been there. The outcomes aren’t good. It’s kind of like California doesn’t have room for them, and the only place that does is prison. That sucks.

Martin Nixon
California State Prison, Sacramento