Concerning the recent Victor Davis Hanson commentary “Is the Mueller probe creating more crimes than it’s uncovering?” Mr. Hanson ties himself in knots trying to show that special counsel Robert Mueller is inventing crimes — that Michael Cohen and Gen. Michael Flynn only lied over actions that were not crimes to start with. His arguments are hasty — Mueller is not done.
First, both men have pleaded guilty to other actions. Second, Flynn has not been sentenced, and he has even more to divulge. Third, these two men are just two in an enormous cast of characters. Twelve Russians have already been indicted. More recently, a Russian gun rights activist, Maria Butina, with connections to the Russian government and the NRA, has been indicted by a grand jury and is cooperating.
Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chair, is scheduled for sentencing in March for crimes involving connections to Ukrainians and Russians. The meeting at Trump Tower with Russians is still under investigation. Recall an ancient adage: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
— Katherine Cameron, Alameda
Gun control more important than building a border wall
Regarding the recent East Bay Times story ” ‘Crisis of soul’ on border: President Trump pleads case for wall, blames Democrats for shutdown,” in his nationally televised speech, Trump said: “How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?”
I wholeheartedly agree. With more than 30,000 Americans being killed every year by guns and with mass murders almost a daily occurrence, it is way past time that Congress acts on meaningful and effective gun control and registration legislation. This is far more important than building budget-breaking walls in hostile deserts where few people dare to trek.
— David Kurrent, Pinole
Providing free, subsidized housing creates vicious cycle
How much does one have to earn to be considered eligible for affordable housing? The American concept is that we should be able to live anywhere we can afford to live.
If the residents of any city must be provided with free or heavily subsidized housing, more people will seek cheap or free housing, and the taxpayer will be on the hook. Am I wrong?
— Maryann Sheridan, Walnut Creek
This society is proud to get rid of killers by killing them
Chester Turner is a serial killer sentenced to death. He must be killed based on our law and what we have collectively decided in our democratic society. Would your readers kill him? No, because they are not killers. Am I to kill him? No, I am not a killer.
We do not use the word “kill” but say “execute” as if we are executing justice. Nevertheless, the action is killing. As good citizens, against any type of violence and especially killing, we pay someone, a specialist, to kill him for us. Having a soft heart, we don’t want to impose suffering.
So we ask that specialist to numb his senses before killing him. We kill him nonviolently, painlessly without shedding a drop of blood. This is how civilized people kill. We are not killers but proud to get rid of killers by killing them.
— Soheila Bana, Richmond
Assault weapons more harmful than unlawful migrants
On the recent East Bay Times story ” ‘Crisis of soul’ on border: President Trump pleads case for wall, blames Democrats for shutdown,” I was a bit surprised by Trump’s outrage over the crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. He has failed to show any outrage over the mass murders of school children, concert goers and so many others who have lost their lives due to assault weapons in the hands of citizens.
He hasn’t demanded any action or proposed any financial support. The assault weapons casualties and surviving families far outnumber the tragedies he is so worked up over. Or are those people just border wall props for his ego play?
— Peter Coenen, Lafayette
U.S. park visitors can’t be expected to behave responsibly
Regarding the East Bay Times story “Shutdown claims iconic Bay Area park,” I do not understand the reasoning behind “closing” a park while keeping the gates open. If a park is closed, it should not be possible for anyone to enter (at least without a lot of effort). Expecting visitors to behave responsibly and respectfully when there are no bathrooms, trash pick-up or supervision is not rational thinking.
Our national parks/treasures (Yosemite, Joshua Tree and now Muir Woods) are suffering abuse that will not be easily corrected and may be impossible to correct. To what purpose? To keep the public happy (the article quotes a man saying, “And the best part about it is, we got in free because of the shutdown”) and hide the fact that our government is in crisis?
— Dottie Heckman, Richmond
Athletics’ plan transformative in way it re-imagines area
On the East Bay Times story “A’s pick Oakland waterfront as site of ‘futuristic’ ballpark that’ll be ready by 2023,” as CEO of the Unity Council, I am impressed and excited by the Oakland Athletics’ announced plans for a new ballpark district at Howard Terminal and redevelopment of the Coliseum site.
A’s President Dave Kaval’s words about this being “bigger than baseball” rang true for us on the Unity Council, as both projects present tremendous opportunities to generate the broad, inclusive and equitable economic and community development Oakland needs. Understandably, most of the attention has focused on the ballpark designs.
Just as important is the vision laid out for the redevelopment of the Coliseum. This proposal reflects many of the goals and principles of the Unity Council. The mix of proposed uses — market-rate housing, affordable housing, shopping, parks, job training and learning centers — genuinely reflects the needs of East Oakland and speaks to the Athletics’ commitment to re-imagining this historic area in a way that’s equitable, inclusive and transformative.
— Chris Iglesias, Oakland
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