May 11, 2008

Letters

A hack job

Dear Editor: I found myself quite dismayed upon reading the Daily News' slanted and bawdy headline "story" of the other day ["Hill under fire for Munks response," Thursday]. Assembly candidate and longtime devoted public servant Jerry Hill certainly deserved better. We all understand the need to get your papers read, but what were you thinking when you provided a one-sided forum to an entire host of self-serving political rivals? Do you truly believe that this was news? Seems to me that this "piece" was nothing more than a thinly veiled vehicle designed to titillate the public whilst moving papers at the expense of a dedicated community leader.

When one considers the depth to which some media outlets will go to self-create a salacious and assault-oriented "news story," it's a wonder that we have any devoted public servants like Jerry, who are willing to step up and serve. May I make a suggestion? The Daily News should consider saving their headline stories for real news that actually matters to the public and not for transparent hack jobs purposely designed to harm one candidate over another.

Eddie Alexander,

San Mateo



The culture of death

Dear Editor: I read the letter from Mike Moloney on Tuesday regarding the abortion issue and I was very impressed. I really cannot add much to his article because he said it all.

We have politicians like Jackie Speier, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and other so-called, Catholics who are not practicing their faith but are going against it.

How could these Catholics profess to be in good standing with the church when they are blatantly violating the fifth commandment of God, thou shalt not kill.

Any Catholic politicians who are ardent advocates of the culture of death, abortion, stem cell research and euthanasia automatically excommunicate themselves from the church. They might think that they are still part of the church, but they are not.

We must all pray for these misguided Christian politicians.

Another point Mike Moloney brought up was the silent minority of Catholics in the district. Why are they not speaking out against abortion and why do they keep voting for these enemies of the pre-born babies?

Any Catholic or any Christian of other denominations who votes for any candidates that are against the culture of life is committing a grave sin against God.

You cannot serve two masters. You either serve God or the devil.

Ross Foti,

Belmont



Millbrae politics

Dear Editor: Millbrae makes a disclosure statement before public comments at city council meetings, something like, "The views of the public that you're about to hear aren't necessarily the views of the council." In a democracy, the council is supposed to represent the public. Public views are supposed to encourage the council to take action. Council members seem to have their own agenda and really don't care what the public has to say, even if the public has evidence and can point out wrongdoing or a better way.

Has Millbrae gone socialist? Millbrae's council is contemplating voting on eminent domain. Does the public want to allow councils to take their property at any time and make them move?

Mayor Gina Papan abruptly cuts people off. At least Mark Hershman would say, "Wrap it up." Why would the public want Papan in the state Assembly? If she doesn't want the public's input and wants to take your property, do you really want her making laws for this state?

Papan should try to abolish the resolution she and Council Member [Robert] Gottschalk voted for in November of 2007. They approved an ordinance for construction starting later on Sundays, during daylight savings time from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The council raised the price of construction because they would have to use lights to work in the dark. Papan handed out awards for conserving energy and Earth Day, after she voted to waste energy.

Wynn Grcich,

Union City



The Red Cross

Dear Editor: On May 3, the first session of a two-part emergency preparedness class for Mountain View Community Emergency Response Team members was conducted for the first time in Mandarin. The class was the brainchild of Blanca Cinco, a Red Cross volunteer with the Palo Alto Area Chapter of the American Red Cross who is also the community outreach coordinator for the city of Mountain View.

The Chinese Outreach Committee at the Palo Alto Area Red Cross produced many of the translated materials for the class. That committee of dedicated volunteers has organized other preparedness and response classes in Chinese (although not specifically for CERT). They conducted earthquake preparedness in Mandarin in San Leandro last August and in Cantonese in Mountain View last December. On March 8, they conducted CPR and first-aid classes in Mandarin at the Red Cross CPR Saturday event in Palo Alto, when nearly 400 people were trained in their choice of three languages, English, Spanish and Mandarin. The Red Cross wants to have at least one person in every household trained to prepare for and respond to disasters within the next few years.

We would like to find volunteers who can help us do this in additional languages such as Vietnamese and Russian. For more information, contact the Palo Alto Area Red Cross at (650) 688-0415 or info@paarc.org.

Rosemary Byrne,

director of marketing

and public relations

Palo Alto Area Chapter,

American Red Cross



Israel, the Mideast

Dear Editor: Jagjit Singh (Letters, April 24) criticizes U.S. aid to Israel, Egypt and Jordan, supposedly in a conspiracy to support Israel and its allies, but ignores U.S. aid sent to countries that refuse to recognize Israel such as Saudi Arabia. He accuses Israel of a "war of terror" on Palestinians while neglecting to mention the real terrorists of Hamas (part of the Palestinian government, no less), Islamic Jihad, Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, and other such groups that operate with impunity from the Palestinian Territories.

Singh's fundamental error is that he fails to recognize that it takes two sides to fight a war, and ignoring the crimes or concerns of either side only prolongs conflict.

Stephen Fisher,

Atherton