Bee Opinionated: Sacramento County takes the easy way out + We must bring Austin Tice home
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Robin Epley here again, with The Bee Editorial Board. Many thanks to Yousef Baig for handling the newsletter while I was on a very nice staycation.
The highlight of my return was attending a marathon, 7-hour Sacramento County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, which ended with the supervisors unanimously approving two ordinances directed at Sacramento County’s homeless population.
The first would prohibit camping within 25 feet of the high water line on the American River and Dry Creek parkways — which environmentalists wanted raised six times higher. The second would prohibit fires and camping on flood levees and fire risk zones, or near homeless shelters and youth facilities. The ordinances are slated to go into effect on Sept. 23.
The decision was in direct response to the outcry from people who have homes and rail against the destruction of our parklands, but simultaneously oppose any action that would create shelter or services for their unhoused neighbors. It’s exactly this kind of superficial reasoning that leads to inadequate public policy that ignores the root causes of homelessness.
At that meeting, Shireen Miles, a Sacramento Area Congregations Together member and District 3 homeowner, spoke directly to her fellow neighbors:
“Residents are beyond frustrated and want to see something get done, the sooner the better. But these measures are simply smoke and mirrors to make us feel temporarily better. Like any temporary fix, this purported solution will leave us more disillusioned than before. To those in favor of these resolutions, we need you to stand up to support more shelter options. It’s cruel to advocate to get people off the streets and parkways and loudly oppose the establishment of shelters anywhere.”
Then she turned to the supervisors:
“Don’t take the easy way out and pass these measures just to feel like you are doing something. Work with the city of Sacramento, non-profit providers, business leaders, homeless advocates, faith communities and those who are themselves, unsheltered, to create a comprehensive plan to end homelessness. It’s late, but not too late.”
Missing in Action
Austin Tice is a former U.S. Marine and McClatchy foreign correspondent who was taken hostage by the Syrian government 10 years ago this month. Tice’s family, along with key U.S. officials, believe he is still alive — which means that of all American hostages worldwide, he has waited the longest for his freedom.
As a fellow journalist, I struggle to put into words how deeply this affects us. Journalists around the world risk their lives to inform the public, and far too many pay the ultimate price with their lives or their freedom. We hold Tice and his family in our hearts during their prolonged struggle.
Josh Gohlke authored an editorial calling on the Biden administration to step up its efforts and bring him home. Every McClatchy newspaper published the piece as part of a national effort to spotlight his ongoing and unjust detention. It was also translated into Spanish.
In an op-ed accompanying the piece, McClatchy CEO Tony Hunter extended the call to other journalists:
“To my colleagues in the press, do not let Austin Tice be forgotten. Keep asking tough questions and demanding answers until the administration takes action and makes his release a priority.”
Opinion of the Week
“So simple. It’s incredible that no one else thought of this.” — Melinda Henneberger in an editorial about Assemblyman Kevin Kiley and his assertion that “it’s important” for everyone to have a roof over their heads. Too bad he hates California so much, as he told the Conservative Political Action Conference last weekend. It makes you wonder why he’s running for a congressional seat to represent a state he detests.
Got thoughts? What would you like to see in this newsletter every week? Got a story tip or an opinion to tell the world? Let us know what you think about this email and our work in general by emailing us at any time via opinion@sacbee.com.
Only 11 weeks to my favorite holiday, Halloween! Stay spooky,
Robin Epley
This story was originally published August 14, 2022 at 7:00 PM.
