Worship privately, Jimmer

Re "It's a faithful path to Kings" (Page A1, July 6): So there's a spring in the LDS step over the Kings' acquisition of Jimmer Fredette? I, too, look forward to watching the young Fredette contribute his basketball skills to the hometown team.

And that's all I look forward to. I sincerely hope the LDS respects the pluralism of the Sacramento region and refrains from mounting Fredette as a hood ornament for Mormon proselytism.

Some advice for young Jimmer: Stick to basketball and solid sportsmanship in public. Worship in private.

– Angela F. Luna, Sacramento

GOP lawmakers are hypocrites

Re "Experts: GOP won tax fight, little else" (Page A1, July 6): I find it ironic that the Republicans chose to have their media moment in front of a car dealership lamenting how the price of cars will now be lower while at the same time gladly accepting free cars, insurance, maintenance and gasoline at the taxpayers' expense.

Perhaps, to help lower the tax burden even more, these happy Republicans will give up their car allowance and all the other perks provided at taxpayer expense.

– Robert Gorham, Sacramento

Let private firms groom greens

I am glad to hear that the Sacramento City Council elected to outsource the maintenance of the golf courses.

First, get rid of the maintenance supervisors who ride around in air-conditioned and heated trucks, not picking up litter or raking any sand traps, yet drawing a fat salary. I am sure they would respond with a plethora of duties they perform.

If so, why isn't Sacramento called the Golf Capital of California? An avid golfer,

– Gene Sakanari, Sacramento

Gay bashing too common

Re "Gay history bill goes to California governor," (sacbee.com, July 5): At the end of the article, I see this editor's note: "Comments on this story were closed July 6 because of hateful comments."

I find it interesting that while hate speech directed at non-whites and other historically oppressed minorities is widely unacceptable, it's still wide open season on non-heterosexuals.

Ironically, the haters out there only prove the need for protections such as hate-crime penalties, same-sex marriage, anti-discrimination laws and, yes, the need to teach our public school children about LGBT individuals and their contributions to California, the nation and the world.

I hope that Gov. Brown signs Senate Bill 48. It is the right thing to do.

– Robert Crook, Sacramento

U.S. failed Iraq

Re "U.S. may leave a force in Iraq" (Page A11, July 6): If the U.S. pulls all forces from Iraq by the end of this year, then who is going to be the guardian of the mayhem and chaos created by the illegal invasion of a country that did not threaten us?

We have sacrificed thousands of American soldiers and bombed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians to achieve our goal of destroying the infrastructure as well as the centuries-old, delicate ethnic and religious fabric.

We failed to restore electricity, clean water and sewage systems. We made sure to have control over the country's wealth and help its enemies to complete the destruction we created.

– Samira Zara Al-Qazzaz, Carmichael

Arden Arcade? Where's that?

Re "Neighbor saw gunman's fatal fight" (Our Region, July 5): The Bee continues to reference the "Arden Arcade" area as if it exists. The voters recently overwhelmingly rejected Arden Arcade as a city.

If the people of the voting area recognized this, why can't The Bee? The recent article references the "3400 block of Morrow in Arden Arcade."

Knock it off!

Arden Arcade doesn't exist, and people are tired of The Bee defining areas that don't exist.

– Paul Morrison, Sacramento

Amazon should pay its share

Re "Web sellers to fight tax" (Business, June 30): This morning I went onto Amazon to order a book that my library doesn't have. And then I stopped, realizing I should be boycotting Amazon and any other online company that refuses to collect California's sales tax.

There must be other Internet users who would be happy to pay a little more for the items they buy online to help the state get its budget in order.

Small-business owners have a legitimate complaint that the ability of online companies to sell items tax-free gives them an unfair advantage. So I call on others to boycott these companies and pressure them to comply with the new law and drop their lawsuit against the state.

– Nancy Ginsburg Gill, Los Altos

Tax cuts can backfire

Re "GOP proved doubters wrong on state budget" (Viewpoints, July 2): The Republican leaders are taking credit for the state's "all cuts" budget. Good.

When your daughter, who dropped out of college when tuition went up again, is assaulted by a guy whose anti-psychotic meds were cut off, and there aren't enough cops to respond to her assault, now we know whom to thank.

– Leroy Skopes, Sacramento

Older athletes maligned

Re "Whispers of drug use also follow older athletes" (Page A1, July 1): More than 4,800 athletes from 93 countries are coming to Sacramento this week for the World Masters Games. These track and field athletes, ranging from 35 to 101, have helped to shatter stereotypes about aging. Yet their welcome to Sacramento is a shallow front page story that contrasts stereotypical Metamucil- and Ensure-taking seniors fearful of broken hips with drug-addled competitors desperate to enhance their athletic performance.

The Bee manages to demean seniors and besmirch masters competitors while indulging in a largely irrelevant exposé involving a handful of competitors.

The Bee has an opportunity to provide a wealth of upbeat information on growing old with strength, endurance and enthusiasm. That's news readers can use. – Paul Clegg, Sacramento

Region not so green

Within the past couple of weeks, I have read two separate articles in The Bee referring to Sacramento becoming "green." The first article stated Sacramento is on the "right track" on becoming a green hub. Shortly after that ran, another explained where the federal monies were actually going in order to help Sacramento onto the "right track."

I'm wondering how often any of these folks drive along the freeways and busy streets of the Sacramento region. If they did they would see layers of litter which, after being cleaned up, seem to reappear within two weeks. Further, how could anyone believe that individuals who can't dispose of or contain their trash will adopt green behaviors which require more than simply putting trash into containers?

Perhaps some of these folks missed the whole "put litter in its place" campaign.

Let's show some real pride in this community – pick up your trash!

– S.G. Hansen, West Sacramento

Single payer better for all

Re "Small cities pay big health costs" (Capitol & California, July 5): Gee, imagine if we had a single-payer plan. Very simple, efficient, fair and way cheaper. Life would be good!

– Don McKechnie, Sierraville

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