Forum Letters: Give wildlife a chance at survival and To save our planet, vote

Give wildlife a chance at survival

“California lawmakers approve ban on popular rat poison that can kill mountain lions” (sacbee.com, Sept. 1):

I work for the Wildlife Emergency Services.

We recently recovered a bobcat from the fire-ravaged mountains of Santa Cruz. His coat was singed, he was severely emaciated and dehydrated, and the pads of his paws were burned. He was too far gone. We could not save him. With over 3 million acres burned, how many more creatures like this one have we lost?

Gov. Newsom has weighed in on the devastating fires, calling California, “America Fast Forward.” I hope he will keep in mind the impact these fires have had on wild populations when he considers Assembly Bill 1788, which would temporarily halt certain use of only four (unfortunately not all six) anticoagulant rodenticides that have proven to work into the food chain like DDT, killing predator species like bobcats, mountain lions, foxes, owls and hawks.

Our mountains and wildlife need time to recover and regenerate.

Rebecca Dmytryk,

Moss Landing

Aguilar needs to step up

“School resumes Tuesday. But Sacramento district, teachers union won’t agree on a schedule” (sacbee.com, Sept. 7):

My grandson, a third grader in the Sacramento City Unified School District, struggles with distance learning.

The Bee rightly complains that the SCUSD school year started without a plan for distance learning. I blame superintendent Jorge Aguilar. Aguilar didn’t attend any of the meetings in which administrators and teachers tried to create a plan. Aguilar makes $414,000 a year, while the President of the United States makes $400,000. Aguilar has eight assistants. The three whose salaries I’ve ascertained make roughly $200,000 a year after six years.

With all this help, you’d think Aguilar could meet with teachers, listen to them and negotiate an acceptable plan.

Robert Miles,

Sacramento

Thank you, Dr. Sisson

“Placer health officer resigns in protest after supervisors lift COVID-19 state of emergency” (sacbee.com, Sept. 9):

As a Placer County resident, I am sad and heartsick that Dr. Aimee Sisson resigned. I also don’t blame her.

For months Dr. Sisson has delivered concise straightforward information regarding COVID-19 and it’s impact on its citizens. She was honest, professional and level headed always; even when addressing aggressive questions with an underlying agenda — namely from outgoing Supervisor Kirk Uhler.

In other words, she did her job with the intent of containing the spread of COVID-19 so we can open up our schools and businesses. Her interest is public health, not just COVID-19. Recently, the Board of Supervisors chose pseudo-science over what we know to be true. The resolution to rescind contained ridiculous statements regarding COVID-19 deaths and so called health (I.e. herd) immunity.

Dr. Sisson, thank you. I wish you well.

Rebecca Golling,

Loomis

To save our planet, vote

“Newsom vows to fast track California’s green goals ‘in the midst of a climate emergency’” (sacbee.com, Sept. 11):

Climate change is real and humans are the cause.

The shelter in place phase of the pandemic proved that. When we stopped driving our gas powered cars everywhere, the carbon dioxide levels dropped measurably. Our actions affect the climate. We need to elect people who care about the environment and are dedicated to making sustainable changes to make the world healthier for us and future generations.

The increase in fires and hurricanes are a direct result of climate change. We need a leader who believes in science and will lead us to a cleaner future. Rolling back our environmental regulations and dropping out of the Paris Climate Accord isn’t leading us in the right direction. We need to elect people who are going to move us forward to a cleaner, greener future.

Our lives depend on it.

Diana Kostka,

Auburn

Glorify those who deserve it

“Now that Columbus’ statue is gone, let’s replace it with a Native American monument” (sacbee.com, Sept. 12):

I wholeheartedly agree with Jesus Tarango’s op-ed.

How I see statues is that their purpose is to honor a person. Taking down a statue doesn’t mean everyone forgets about the person depicted, it just means that person isn’t glorified. And Christopher Columbus is not the kind of person to glorify. Maybe people thought that back when the statue was made in 1883, but now that we know better, we can make a change.

In the history books I’d read back in my middle school days, I don’t quite feel it was emphasized how much damage Columbus did to Native Americans. While the battles between the colonizers and the Native Americans were mentioned, not once can I recall the use of the word “genocide” to refer to it.

Having a Native American monument won’t magically make everyone aware of the genocide against them, but it would do a whole lot more than having Columbus’ statue up.

Chiemerie Unanwa,

Sacramento

Insensitive pop-up ad

“Death toll rises to 14 as crews prepare for more winds at West Zone wildfire in North Complex” (sacbee.com, Sept. 13):

This article was about the impacts of the current Bear Fire.

The article included coverage of the people who lost their lives in the fire. The article included a pop-up advertisement from a company named Zolucky. The ad was for a t-shirt that said “But Did You Die? #momlife.” To say this is intensive would be a massive understatement.

Disgusting. As a subscriber, I believe The Sacramento Bee has a responsibility for what I see on their site, while reading an article. I flagged the add, but that feels like insufficient action.

Then I found that the only way to contact The Bee with my concerns was thru the Letters to the Editor.

Mark Hunter,

Chico

This story was originally published September 20, 2020 at 5:00 AM.