Pro-American communities?

As I was reading Linda Robinson's excellent book "Tell Me Where This All Ends: General Petraeus and the Search for a Way Out of Iraq," I was stunned by a particular engagement introduced as "the worst loss I-5 CAV suffered in a single day." The soldiers killed were from Alpaugh, Calif.; Pelham, Ala.; Tipton, Iowa; Webster, Fla.; Ooltewah, Tenn.; and Fernley, Nev.

My thoughts turned to Gov. Sarah Palin's recent paradigm of some areas in our country as "pro-American" and, by inference, others as "anti-American." I do not know the metrics she uses, but perhaps these communities, if not included as "pro" before, could be added now. Even the Iraqi translator, also killed, could be granted at least honorary "pro" status.

– Bill Hines, West Sacramento

It's not your parents' GOP

Hope I get this right: The Republican Party – the party I've belonged to for 30-plus years, a veteran, always paid my taxes – says that I'm not American, that I don't love America because I live in a big city, and Joe the Plumber becomes their poster child, a man who is not a veteran (that I know of), a man who owes back taxes and isn't a licensed plumber. But somehow he is more American and loves America more than I do. Wake up, America, this isn't the Republican Party your parents knew.

Sad state of affairs.

– Cliff Vose, Antelope

Lighten up on Sarah Palin

Re "GOP dresses Palin in style" (Page A10, Oct. 23): The article regarding Sarah Palin's wardrobe was the last straw for me. So what if Sarah Palin's wardrobe is being temporarily provided for her by the Republican Party? If she were to dress any less for the role she is in right now, her critics would be saying she is a hick and doesn't know how to dress.

No matter what Sarah Palin does or does not do, she is criticized. If she were a man, would she be criticized for wearing an expensive suit? Would the jealous women in the Democratic Party be so harsh on their beloved Hillary? It doesn't seem to matter to Palin's critics that these clothes are going to charity when the campaign is over.

– Mary Beth Embree, Orangevale

Appalling literature in recall fight

Re "Nine ARC leaders still standing" (Our Region, Oct. 24): The results from American River College's recall election of nine student board members was very close – 240 to 300. What was appalling to me was the literature circulated prior to this recall. The two-sided leaflet – one side in Russian, one in English – was not a clear translation of the information. "Stop homosexuals," which appeared on the Russian side of the handout, should warrant, at the very least, a censure to the student board from the president and/or the school board.

Clearly, this kind of hateful propaganda has no place in a community college, unless the intention is to change the name from American River College to American River Christian College. It's certainly no longer a community college since not all of the community is welcomed by the student board.

– Keith Carmona, Roseville

Irony in the ARC student vote

I congratulate the incumbent members of the American River College Student Association board for narrowly surviving the recall election. Will the closeness of the vote chasten them about purporting to speak for the entire student body, as they did when they formally endorsed Proposition 8 on its behalf, or will they be emboldened? I don't know. They should be grateful that a slim majority of the voting students were willing to tolerate their intolerance. Do they appreciate the irony?

As an ARC faculty member, I enjoy being part of a large and diverse college community. The homo-phobes on the student council may be a majority of that body, but they are a minority in ARC at large.

– Anthony Barcellos, Davis

Who foots the library bill?

Re "Gold was promised nearly $25,000 in severance pay" (Our Region, Oct. 22): I just received my property tax bill from the city of Sacramento and will be paying $27.40 for a Sacramento services library tax along with the rest of Sacramento's homeowners until the year 2019.