Occupiers made their choice

Re "UC Davis chancellor must do the right thing – resign" (Viewpoints, Nov. 27): There are no tears coming from my eyes, from either pepper spray or feeling sorry for David Buscho and the rest of those who were pepper sprayed. The one thing Buscho forgets to mention, as do all the so-called Occupiers that take this stand, is that they were first asked to "peacefully disperse." They decided to disobey a direct police order, and suffered the consequences.

Try that the next time you're pulled over for a traffic stop and refuse to show your driver's license when asked to do so by the officer. These peaceful Occupiers should have peacefully dispersed rather than try to flex their '60s-era misguided intellectual muscles. Maybe if they would have studied their history, and that of UC Berkeley, they would have known what was coming their way. This is just the beginning of the end of the Occupy movement. Their welcome is thin and worn out.

– Tom Orsat, El Dorado Hills

Give us the whole story

Re "UC Davis 'incident' reminds us that words, images have power, and can be misused" (Forum, Stuart Leavenworth, Nov. 27): When I hear the term "reporting the news" I wish I could think it is going to be the complete truth. However that rarely is the case.

In Stuart Leavenworth's column, he details criticisms of media coverage of the UC Davis pepper spraying incident. But it brings up a bigger point, the bias in media coverage and reporting. When reporting the news it should be the whole story, not just a portion, so the reader can develop an honest opinion.

In an article written by Melinda Burns about the biased effect of media, she states that in a study conducted by the BBC, 12 percent of Europeans claim to trust the media, while 15 percent of North Americans, 29 percent of Pacific Asians and 48 percent of Africans. Media reporting the whole story will let the public once again trust the news and actually rely on it for truthful information.

– Kurt W. Steever, Auburn

Recognizing conflict of interest

Re "Judge challenged over divorce role" (Page A1, Nov. 27): Judge Kevin McCormick's inability to separate self-interest from his professional obligation can be understood in view of his apparently mind-numbing emotional entanglement.

Much more troubling is the utter failure of presiding judges to recognize the conflict of interest staring them in the face. As the article noted, the court system fails the people "when the politically well-connected use the country's malleable legal system to bludgeon rivals."

Oops, that quote is from a New York Times article on the plight of the poor Chinese American engineer being held against his will in China.

In view of the troubling behavior of the judiciary so far, it is little comfort that the California Commission on Judicial Performance will clean up the mess. At a time when people increasingly feel that the deck is stacked in favor of people with privilege and access, this article is an unwelcome reminder of that reality.

– Neil Dubrovsky, Sacramento

Classy gesture

Re "She's home from Iraq to be a mom again" (Page A1, Nov. 25): As a Vietnam-era veteran, I read the story about Sgt. Sharon Stallworth with pride and gratitude. She served her country with dignity and honor in Iraq. We don't hear enough stories about returning troops to get a proper perspective on how profound their sacrifices are.

Stallworth's children's reactions to their mom's service are a reflection of a core value that seems to be missing in our society today. What a class act from her fellow passenger to give up his seat for her in first class as a token of appreciation for her service. This selfless act of generosity and awareness should serve as an example for all as our troops return home. Thank you, Sgt. Stallworth. And thank you to that stranger from all the rest of us.

– Chris Rainey, Rocklin

Who gained from faulty tests?

Re "U.S. probe links Caltrans pair to thefts" (Page A1, Nov. 27): The issue is not the link between the thefts and the inspections; it's who, if anybody, benefited from the fabricated tests?

There are four possibilities: The inspector benefited because he was lazy and wanted to avoid hard work. The inspector thought a full investigation was unnecessary, so nobody benefited. The inspector was bribed by the general contractor to speed things up or be less picky, so the contractor benefited. Finally, the inspector and his boss were both bribed, so the contractor benefited.

The theft of building supplies does not explain testing irregularities. Theft should be treated as a separate issue.

What I want to know is, who benefited from the faulty inspections?

– Michael Lindeman, El Macero

Wake-up call on abuse

Re "Penn State shame shared by those who kept quiet" (Viewpoints, Nov. 27): Janice R. Gagerman wrote an important piece related to child sexual abuse. As a survivor myself, Gagerman's writing, which illuminates an often- overlooked aspect of sexual abuse, was emotional salve.

The stories of the kids reporting about the adults in their lives who turned a blind eye to the heinous crimes committed against them should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who feels that Joe Paterno and others are undeserving of the meager price they now pay for creating and sustaining the conditions that allowed Jerry Sandusky to prey upon children. We must do what we can to protect children. This includes speaking out and speaking up even when the truth is a wretched, unpopular inconvenience.

For those who collude with child predators and enable their horror, never kid yourselves: You're just as guilty.

– Angela F. Luna, Sacramento

Don't forget Iraqi casualties

Re "As troops leave Iraq, war's heavy price debated" (Page A10, Nov. 27): The article mentions only casualties suffered by the United States – 4,500 dead and 32,000 wounded.

It would be truly worldly to devote a sentence to the cost of this completely unjustified war in Iraqi lives. That country suffered a minimum of 100,000 dead men, women and children, with a more probable estimate of 500,000. This might reasonably be tossed on the scale in determining whether it was worth it. A sane world wouldn't think so.

Those who misled us into causing such worldwide horror, President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, should be indicted for war crimes.

– Victor Corbett, Chico

Clear-cutting isn't management

Re "Clear-cuts help us keep our forests healthy" (Another View, Nov. 27); "Scare tactics on forests" and "Clear-cutting better than fires" (Letters, Nov. 27): Letter writers Ted Shannon's and Bruce Bostick's defense of clear-cutting as fire protection is laughable. Using their logic, if we could only cut down all trees, we wouldn't have to worry about all those pesky wildfires.

Bostick says managing by fire is not management. Nature has been managing forests by fire for millions of years, long before Sierra Pacific Industries came along with its clear-cutting management strategy.

– Bunky Svendsen, Rancho Murieta

Just pointing out …

Re "Sierra Pacific's clear-cuts impoverish forests, economy" (Viewpoints, Nov. 20): The state subsidizes Sierra Pacific Industries in the amount of $18 million a year, and the industry pays state agencies about $550,000 a year in permitting fees.

By comparison, the state plans to close 70 parks next year because it doesn't have $11 million in the general fund to keep them operating.

– Doug Lortsher, West Point

Nature is best forest manager

The "managed" forests near Foresthill and Georgetown are war zones even years after clear-cutting. Nearby vibrant old-growth forests depend on age-old natural processes, including wildfire, to remain healthy. Forests thrived for millions of years before people came along and decided it was best to "manage" them through clear-cutting.

The health of our forests is best assured by letting nature maintain them. It's worked for a long time. If it were otherwise, we should clear-cut Yosemite Park.

Finally, our forests will not long continue to be sustainable supplies of natural resources in the face of a relentlessly increasing global population. We need to address the demand side of resource supply by supporting family planning and women's empowerment.

– Evan Jones, Sacramento

A clue for the mayor

Re "Mayor to try again to boost power" (Our Region, Nov. 27): Just how successful does Mayor Kevin Johnson expect to be by annoying voters with another signature-gathering drive? I dread once again being harassed by aggressive signature-seekers – who are paid by the signature – every time I go to the supermarket or major stores.

Johnson should get a clue that Sacramentans do not see the need for a strong mayor system, and they do not agree with Johnson's vision for Sacramento or trust him to execute it.

– Lorraine Gervais, Sacramento

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