Letters for March 9, 2017

Taking control

Re “Sanctuary in Sacramento?” by Raheem Hosseini (SN&R News, February 23): The county sheriff should not be able to hand people over to ICE without the approval of the district attorney. Law enforcement needs to follow the rule of law.

As usual, Republicans are “local control” hypocrites. Their “support” for local control is really about their control—of everyone else’s bodies. If they really want to arrest immigration itself, they will have to end their war on drugs and other imperialist behavior south of the border that makes life there more dangerous than maybe dying in the desert.

But then, who would harvest our food and clean our houses?

Muriel Strand

Sacramento

Points of light

Re “A sleeping giant,” by Robert Speer (SN&R Editor’s Note, February 23):

During the evacuation I was worrying about my non-functioning sump pump, but when I looked at my paltry issues when placed against those uprooted by a mandatory evacuation, I, too, was humbled and ashamed. But my own neglect at replacing my sump pump due to “non-need” and “expense” is the same rationale that DWR used in not following the 2005 reports.

However, it is one thing for a homeowner to defer maintenance and another when it’s done by a government agency. In the aftermath of the near-collapse of the emergency spillway, I heard a local official say, “Pay now or pay more later”—precisely what is happening now.

Mitchell Lane

Sacramento

Uphold the law, Mr. Mayor

Re “Sanctuary in Sacramento?” by Raheem Hosseini (SN&R News, February 23):

There was a time when I didn’t feel the need to lock the doors of my home. But times have changed, so now I feel the need to use locks for protecting my family and possessions.

I don’t have a right to decide what laws I’m going to obey or break, and elected officials don’t have a right to decide what laws they are going to obey or break. Sheriff Scott Jones, our mayor, city council members and other elected officials have taken an oath to uphold our laws, and they have a duty to keep us safe and secure in our communities and homes.

If someone sneaks into America and breaks our laws, they should not be offered sanctuary status—they should be expelled. If Mayor Steinberg is going to break his oath to uphold the laws of the United States, he should resign or be recalled from office.

Carl Burton

Sacramento

Media monopolies

Re “Honesty in the time of Trump” by Jeff vonKaenel (SN&R Greenlight, February 9):

<p.Jeff vonKaenel’s essay concerning the need for honest media coverage during Trump’s administration was on target. However, I worry because, unlike the 1960s and 1970s, we now have a handful of media conglomerates owning thousands of newspapers, magazines, TV networks and radio outlets. This poses a problem for real/honest freedom of the press today.</p>

When Sumner Redstone (soon turning 94 years old), the majority owner of CBS and Viacom, etc., passes away, who is waiting in the wings (the Koch brothers?) to buy the company if or when the heirs decide to sell. Worrisome.

Barbara Rohrer

Sacramento

OK, how about ‘crazy weather’?

Re “Bipolar weather,” by Matt Kramer (SN&R News, February 16):

Really, SN&R, you choose to publish a piece using the term “bipolar weather"? I find this offensive and really think you could have found a better term to describe the weather. Never in my life have I heard someone use a psychiatric illness to describe the weather pattern. Shame on you guys!

Jennifer Mitchell

West Sacramento

Poor priorities

Re “The $100,000 Homeless Man” by John Flynn and Matt Kramer (SN&R Feature, February 16):

This was a sobering read. It was tight, well-written and certainly relevant. It breaks my heart, though, that we spent more on a new arena than investing in our community.

Liz Kanter

Sacramento

Correction

Re “Beer bath” by John Flynn (SN&R Off Menu, March 2):

Due to a mistake in editing, the Sacramento Beer Group was incorrectly identified as the Sacramento Beer Enthusiastos. SN&R regrets the error.