Regarding a recent East Bay Times letter, “Trump’s complaints simply shooting the messenger,” a free press is absolutely essential to the maintenance of democracy. A biased press is not.
— Vicki Carlson, Alamo
Do you have any good friends who act like Trump?
Thanks for the East Bay Times editorial, “President Trump, we are not the nation’s enemy” — spot-on.
Let’s face it, our flawed system helped to elect what I believe is a very flawed, despicable man as POTUS. Ask yourself a few questions: Do you have any good friends who act like him? Would you want your son to grow up to be like Trump? Would you buy a used car from him?
In my opinion, his flaws are manifest, and he flaunts them. A serial liar: Can you believe anything he says? He seems to be the worst kind of demagogue, dividing us to satisfy his own personal ego.
We can only hope he’s not re-elected, for the good of the country and our children and their children. I pray for Robert Mueller to bring him down.
— John Griffin, Alamo
Endorsing a candidate is not unbiased reporting
Concerning the East Bay Times editorial “President Trump, we are not the nation’s enemy,” I agree with much of your editorial; you are not the enemy. That label is offensive.
However, your editorial fails to acknowledge why many Americans see you as the enemy, especially those who voted for President Trump, and how you create that feeling. Simply saying “we make mistakes” doesn’t cut it. Admitting bias would be better. Recommending a candidate is not reporting. It is an endorsement. You become an extension of that candidate’s campaign staff and are against the other candidate. You have started down the path of “me and against you,” aka “the enemy.”
Your reporters know that and conduct themselves as such. An endorsement destroys your objectivity. It creates hostility if the other candidate wins. You know that many people accept your recommendations without any analysis. Disagreeing with your endorsement is often seen as attacking the press or being uninformed. Please stick to unbiased reporting; stop endorsing.
— Ray Fortney, Danville
City’s plans to limit housing for ex-convicts offensive
Concerning the recent East Bay Times story headlined “Clayton limits homes for released inmates,” I was surprised and saddened to learn that some citizens and council members of Clayton are pushing to enact some of the “most restrictive” ordinances to limit housing for the formerly incarcerated.
I found City Council member Julie Pierce’s comment,“I don’t want parolee housing landing anywhere in Clayton, and I want to make it as ugly a process as it can possibly be so they go anywhere but Clayton,” particularly offensive.
I would like to remind Pierce that the people she is referring to are fellow citizens who have served their time and are looking for a chance to reintegrate into the community with support. At a time when our nation is waking up to the effects of mass incarceration, I hope the good citizens of Clayton and the Clayton faith community will push back against this extreme NIMBY-ism at their council meetings.
— Marianne Callahan, Concord
Parents may prefer a BART high-rise to suburban home
Regarding a recent East Bay Times letter titled “Families won’t live in BART parking lots,” building new roads encourages new commuting. Combined with converting open space into housing, this “solution” increases the need for services, such as fire and ambulance.
Families will live in apartment houses. Some parents might prefer a BART apartment to a suburban single-family home because they can be hours closer to their children after work and in case of emergencies. Others might prefer not having to spend weekends and holidays doing maintenance work.
Let’s increase wages, certainly. And let’s also increase the choices available to those who can afford housing.
— Teddy Knight, Berkeley
Long DMV lines easy to avoid: Just make appointment
Regarding the recent opinion piece “DMV must end long lines, treat customers with respect,” your editorial came down very hard on the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
I’d like to offer a different perspective. Yes, there are very long lines, but only if you don’t make an appointment. When I went a month ago to get a Real ID and renewed license, the line went around the building. But I had only four people ahead of me in the appointment line. The officials I dealt with were uniformly courteous and helpful. I went to the Oakland Coliseum office.
I didn’t have Social Security proof and had to get it from home back in Alameda. When I returned, it was near closing time and I didn’t have to wait in line all over again. They accommodated me in about 15 minutes.
— Keith Nealy, Alameda
So no one should protest what our government does?
I’d like to add a comment about a recent East Bay Times letter to the editor, “On-field protests could pay for NFL social causes fund,” which suggested that football players should not “protest the country that gave them the opportunities they now have.” Doesn’t that then suggest that no American should protest about our government?
Also, am I the only one bugged by the comments regarding football players “tithing” 25 percent of their salary? To tithe means to give 10 percent.
— Ann Walker, Danville
Look at what Dems have done to this once-great state
It is hard to understand why this newspaper continues to support and endorse Democrats for California office.
Have you not noticed what the Democrats have done to this once-great state? They have been in power for years, and we have: high taxes; a homeless crisis; low-rated education; and terrible transportation and immigration issues. The list goes on. Progressive policy does not work. To continue this is insane.
— Dave Pridgen, Discovery Bay
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