Letters for September 25, 2008

Better lives

Re “Dr. Lou’s MIND” by Nancy Brands Ward (SN&R Feature, September 18):

Commenting on the article about the MIND Institute, I want to say that you chose a great subject. My own son who is about to turn 5 was believed to have autism and became a client of the MIND Institute. Over the years he grew out of his learning delays with the help of a great team of specialists, including those at the MIND Institute. As a result, I also created an opportunity for other families to help themselves through the struggle of an affliction. That opportunity is now called Sacramento Community Family Resources; the Web address is www.onefatherslove.com. Helping our child who struggles with autism or other disabilities is a 24-hour job, therefore, I put all of the resources online. There is no login, fee or registration required. The only membership requirement is to want to help yourself or others to have a better life.

Victor Stark
Sacramento

In the struggle

Re “Dr. Lou’s MIND” by Nancy Brands Ward (SN&R Feature, September 18)

Great story about Lou Vismara and the struggle with his son’s autism. Thank you.

Chuck Gardner
Sacramento

Wake up, Sacramento

Re “They all love K.J.” (SN&R Letters, September 18):

In regards to Mr. [Steven] Maviglio’s letter, he seems to mention a lot of inconsistencies [in] Seth Sandrosky’s article. Well, let’s point out some inconsistencies for Kevin Johnson and Maviglio. Mr. Maviglio always likes to point out that it is time for a change. Using his criteria, then it is also time to get rid of Steve Cohn, Sandy Sheedy, Robbie Waters and Jimmie Yee since all of those City Council members will have served two terms or more. As an incumbent, Steve Cohn could not even get the endorsement of his own Central Committee because he chooses to endorse Republicans like Susan Peters for county supervisor. When it comes to dirty campaigning, Yee ran one of the dirtiest campaigns ever against Dan Flynn. Meanwhile, Yee has held more elected offices than anyone, so to criticize [Mayor Heather] Fargo for serving too long just is hypocritical.

When it comes to Proposition 8, the mayor is campaigning against Proposition 8 and officiating marriages for same-sex couples. It is rather ironic that a Republican governor is doing much more for our civil rights than a Democratic candidate for mayor of one of the largest cities in California. If Johnson is so against Proposition 8, why doesn’t he donate some of his huge war chest to help defeat it? The fact is he won’t do that, because he is just saying this because he knows the mayor is leading the battle for our civil rights and he is losing ground and is pandering to the gay and lesbian community to get votes.

Lastly, Mr. Maviglio also tries here to trivialize the importance of the teachers unions here in Sacramento. Why is it that all of these teachers unions and [most] school board members from both parties endorse the mayor? (The only school board member from Sacramento who endorses Johnson is Republican Karen Young, who is a major contributor to candidates that Democrats despise.) Furthermore, while Kevin Johnson was sitting on the sidelines, Mayor Fargo supported the new Twin Rivers School District measure to consolidate districts and save the taxpayers money, and also the measure to elect [Sacramento City Unified School District] trustees by district rather than at large so neighborhoods can have representation on equal footing.

Wake up Sacramento! These two guys are nothing but posers.

Richard Wake
via e-mail

Truth is in the middle

Re “Dungeons, dragons and pachucos” by Samuel Aguiar Iñiguez (SN&R Essay, September 11):

Whatever happened to “the truth lays somewhere in the middle”? As a third-generation West Sacramento native, I would like to offer a different perspective. The Broderick Boys do exist, they are the problem and the symptom, and Mr. Iñiguez’s position is just as extreme as the injunction he opposes.

To question what the reality of the Broderick Boys is about sounds like Tony Soprano suggesting there is no Mafia. It’s insane. West Sacramento was at one time notorious for prostitution, drugs and parolee relocation. There has been an effort to clean up this image, sometimes at the sake of civil rights. Some would tilt to the extreme of there being no gang issue, and some tilt to the extreme of cleaning things up regardless of the costs. I am not making a stand for either side; I am just trying to offer a less insane perspective—or starting point.

Some of the affiliations to the Broderick Boys go back three and four generations. In some neighborhoods, it has been the only constant neighborhood identification. There lies part of the problem: The injunction is a direct assault to neighborhood pride and sense of family.

There are good police, and there are police that may not be so good. There are good members in everybody’s family, and there are members that are not so good. There are members of the Broderick Boys that are good, and there are some that are truthfully detrimental to society.

If you have lived in West Sacramento during the transition from unincorporated area to city, then you have seen with your own eyes police profile minorities. You have also seen your children suffer from the problems caused by the Broderick Boys in the high school. If you don’t think there is a problem, go interview the kids at River City High School.

I could jump on a soapbox now and talk about the failure of families, morals, fathers and the failure of civil authorities to grasp the true issue, but why go there until we end the denial? At some time we need to stop living in the fringe extreme, which may be more about people protecting their investment (on both sides of the issue) than it is about gangs and family.

First we must recognize there is a problem, not be afraid to see how we are part of the problem and begin correcting the problem with a permanent solution that does not infringe upon any constitutional rights. Then we can begin to instill a new sense of neighborhood.

One last note: Brown is not the only skin color of the Broderick Boys.

R.C.
West Sacramento

Ridiculously sympathetic

Re “Sympathy for the CEO” by R.V. Scheide (SN&R Feature, September 11):

Wow. I can’t believe this article comes from a paper that has skewered and slighted the Bee for years! Your “bite” is totally toothless this time. What a disappointment when you actually have a cutting-edge, national story to only provide this ridiculously sympathetic view of the destruction of a local media giant by its overpaid and out-of-touch CEO.

Why didn’t you ask any of the hundreds of people who have lost their jobs at the Bee what they think of Gary Pruitt’s actions? Those left working at the Bee are deeply shellshocked—waiting for the other shoe to drop and for their jobs to disappear, too—and sadly, most have lost any feeling of job security or pride in being a part of such a long-standing institution.

And Gary Pruitt sits in his newly decorated executive offices and looks the other way as people’s lives are destroyed while he collects his fat paycheck. Sheesh. Pruitt doesn’t even use the front employee entrance anymore. It must be too hard to look people in the eye while you pull the plug on their lives. But, hey, Gary: Sing those Stones songs to us again!

Is R.V. looking for a new best friend in Gary Pruitt or a new job when the rubble has cleared? It’s apparent he was not looking to reveal the whole truth in this story. How sad.

Wake up. This is the end of an era in our region and it points to the actions of one man while hundreds of people suffer and the community gets the short end of it all.

Name withheld by request
Sacramento

Amazing Shoka

Re “Of the Wind” by Shoka (SN&R d’ART, September 11):

It is my humble opinion that Shoka is an amazing and very interesting writer. A true artist, painting with words. You are lucky to have such talent on your staff. What a pro! Keep up the good work!

Bad Otis Link
Los Angeles