Time to bring troops home
Folks who think staying the course and bringing a democratic
government to Iraq is patriotic please wake up. Any democratic Iraq
will be like Palestine: pro-Iran, anti-Israel. This is sad for the
thousands of Americans who have given their lives and the thousands
more who have returned home seriously wounded. The heartbreak of
the brave families who share in this sacrifice is tragic. Support
Congressman Murtha,
”
Support Our Troops
”
– bring them home safe, alive and now.
Frank Crosby
Morgan Hill
Time to bring troops home
Folks who think staying the course and bringing a democratic government to Iraq is patriotic please wake up. Any democratic Iraq will be like Palestine: pro-Iran, anti-Israel. This is sad for the thousands of Americans who have given their lives and the thousands more who have returned home seriously wounded. The heartbreak of the brave families who share in this sacrifice is tragic. Support Congressman Murtha, “Support Our Troops” – bring them home safe, alive and now.
Frank Crosby
Morgan Hill
Church advocates politics
In an effort to help the members of our congregation cast informed ballots, we wish to restate a long standing policy of Church Of The Valley, 13380 Depot Street, San Martin:
Any political candidate requesting the support of the members of our congregation need only identify himself (generic) to an usher at any of our 10a.m. Sunday worship services. At the close of the service, he will be invited forward to introduce himself and ask for support. Following the service candidates are invited to remain and chat with the congregants.
We encourage other churches to adopt a similar policy and urge your readers to spread the word to candidates.
Ben Gilmore
Morgan Hill
What happened to our America?
It just gets worse and worse. The United Nations has officially requested the United States to close down Guantanamo, thus confirming our global reputation as a nation willing to torture, violate fundamental civil rights and deny international agreements.
Equally chilling is our government’s serious discussions and conclusions on why they have the legal and constitutional right to commit these crimes. We are told that the President has the right to overrule our nation’s laws, that this is “a new kind of war.” So now we need a “new” Bill of Rights, “new” criminal and civil law codes, “new” constitutional guarantees (or lack thereof) on habeas corpus, search and seizure, cruel and unusual punishment, trial by jury? Is this the way we want to live? Will these government tactics make us any safer? Safe from whom or what? Is this the democracy we are so proud of, so anxious to promote to the rest of the world?
I don’t think so.
Susan Swanson
Paicines
Yes – Get Over It
In his column “Get over it” (Pinnacle Op-Ed, 2/10/2006), Ruben Navarrette proves he can’t “get over it” and that he does not understand the essence of freedom of expression – which is a very scary condition for one who writes for newspapers. He says that the general American reaction – “get over it” – to Muslims offended by the Danish cartoons reveals that we don’t respect, “someone else’s prerogative to take offense to something that might not offend you.” He then points out various subjects that are offense to specific groups and are not understood as offensive by others.
Mr. Navarrette is totally wrong. The freedom to offend is central to freedom of expression; for those who would control and stifle expression can always claim they are offended by what you say or write or publish. They use the baton of Political Correctness to beat freedom of expression into submission. More importantly, the crux of the current dispute is not whether or not Muslims have the right to be offended by a series of cartoons; rather it is about how they express their displeasure. The burning and sacking of embassies, death, destruction and mob rule are not acceptable responses to being offended; nor are terrorist threats.
Freedom means that you’re going to be offended so do have to learn to “get over it” and express your displeasure in acceptable ways. Once again too many Muslims have shown themselves to be intolerant, violent and radical.
Martin G. Richman
Hollister
How is raise responsible?
Not surprised the glimmer of hope I had was dashed when I read that the Sheriff’s Office and Health and Human Services department were absorbing the Office of Emergency Services to help ease the financial woes of the county but three out of the five turn around and vote for a 12.5 percent (Who came up with the 12.5 percent figure anyway?) pay raise to the OUTGOING, LEAVING elections head!! Hmm, I wonder if this raise will affect his retirement check? More money per year to that check. How is the 12.5 percent raise and the higher retirement check fiscally responsible Supervisors Monaco, Marcus, and De La Cruz? Did you even consider giving the 5% raise to the Sheriff and Social Services Director and saving the county 2.5%?
Seems to me if you just had to give a 12.5% raise it should have been split (6.25% ea.) between the Sheriff and the Social Services Director because they’re the ones taking on added duties. (That’s right they’re staying and working – silly me)
This of course is my opinion – everyone has one.
Bobbie Thomason
Hollister
Stop sign has been a blessing
The letter is in response to Mark West’s letter on congestion downtown.
First, Mr. West, the stop sign at 4th and East streets has served its purpose for four years. In the same period before the stop signs were installed there were 36 vehicle collisions, two pedestrian collisions, a car through the side of my business and a light pole on the side of our business wiped out.
Since the stop signs have been in place there have been three vehicle collisions and two pedestrian ones. Take notice at the kids who know can walk across this busy intersection without the fear of being hit. Take notice of the people who walk to and fro to the bus stop in the morning, too. The intersection works properly.
I ask you Mr. West to call Union Pacific and ask them to send its freight trains during the late night and not at rush hour. The trains stop the signal lights causing big back-ups at the worse times. This train usually impedes traffic conditions for upwards of an hour. The traffic lights at McCray and Fourth streets blink red constantly as the train comes to town.
Pick on another intersection, I live at this intersection seven days a week. If you lived here, maybe you would see what I see.
Bill Mifsud
Owner Bill’s Bullpen
Hollister
Gripped by arrogant ignorance
Ruben Navarrette wrote a sensitive editorial, “‘Get over it’ is a tired response to an offense” [Pinnacles Feb. 19, 2006], about the now infamous Danish cartoons and the reaction to them throughout the Muslim world. I think his main point was that outsiders really have no business telling members of a group what should or should not offend them.
The main defense of the Danish magazine’s editors publishing such material, of course, is based on their right to free speech. Interestingly, the magazine once refused to publish cartoons defaming Christians because its editors knew that that would offend their readers. In other words, despite their right to [offending] free speech. they sensibly and sensitively chose not to publish in that case cartoons they believed their Christian readers’ would find offensive.
Coincidentally, a similar issue was covered a few weeks earlier by another Pinnacle editorial writer, John Yewell, who wrote a very good piece on the offensiveness of the use of Indian names and caricatures for athletic teams. I emailed him about that editorial asking him what kind of response he’d gotten back. Sadly, he replied that “[t]he reaction was mostly negative. One woman said ‘That’s just such a 60s attitude’ ….”
While the world may indeed be a smaller place thanks to modern means of transportation and communication, it is still made up of many very different communities. Maybe we need to learn more about our so-to-speak new “neighbors” – not to mention our old ones, too – and start treating them as we would like them to treat us.
Mark Levine
San Juan Bautista
Proud of Kelsey’s accomplishment
In response to Ron Silva’s biased letter in the Feb. 19 edition of The Pinnacle regarding Kelsey Jeffries, I felt I had to write in. First and foremost, to say that females do not belong in the boxing ring because “Americans don’t want to see their little girls bloodied” misses the point of boxing entirely – not to mention, Kelsey is no “little girl.” Mr. Silva, if all you see is people beating each other up in the ring, then you miss out on the truly suspenseful and wonderful aspects of boxing, like strategy, technique, endurance and courage.
You see, boxing is more like a dance between two people, and is 90 percent brain, and 10 percent muscle. Boxing is all about strategy, foot placement, technique, reading your opponent and endurance. Not the mindless, bloody street fight you speak of.
When I see female boxers, I see under appreciated athletes that work twice as hard as the men to get even a single shot at a title, because of people like you that miss the point completely. And they do it for peanuts, because it is in their blood and they love the sport and they just want their shot. I can appreciate that. Kelsey Jeffries has accomplished in her career what few male boxers have accomplished, and has likely worked her entire life to do so. She should be proud of her accomplishments, and as a resident of Hollister, I am proud that a champion like her calls our town home.
Preston W. Kincaid
Hollister
Councilman was simply rude
I find it ironic that San Juan Bautista City Council Member Charles Geiger mentioned in his ill-advised attempt to bring the biker rally to San Juan, the need to support local organizations such as the Volunteer Fire Department. Yet, when this same Volunteer Fire Department made a presentation to the City Council and the Community a few minutes later, Mr. Geiger showed his support by leaving the room and not returning for any part of the presentation.
R. Gonzales
San Juan Bautista
Pinnacle is a jiffy fire starter
I’m getting even more and more discussed with our “little” paper. I missplaced my paper in my south San Benito County home 20 miles out of Hollister. So, I thought I’d go online and take a peek at the classifieds, which I have viewed before on the website. I was extremely disappointed to find them unavailable. These days other than the classifieds the only really good thing about the Pinnacle is starting my evening fire in my fireplace. Thanks for keeping me disappointed and keeping my family warm at night!
Vickie R. Tonder
Somewhere south of Hollister
