California Forum letters: On Trump, Republicans, COVID-19, police reform and crime
Renaissance
“COVID-19 creates ‘perfect storm’ for rising homicides in Sacramento County” (sacbee.com, Dec. 12)
Shortly after 1390, in Florence, Italy, major artists such as Cimabue and Taddeo Gaddi, among others, discussed — according to art historian Millard Meiss — why there was no successor to the great Giotto.
Giotto, who celebrated life and our place in it, was pushed to the background by another pandemic, the Black Plague. In place of affirmation of life, a supernatural and violent interpretation of humanity reigned.
Police Chief Daniel Hahn relates a similar dystopian phenomenon. When positive images and expectations are absent, crime increases. From the vantage of history, we know that following that terrible assault on humanity that was the plague of the 14th century, a new Renaissance age dawned. Humanity returned to art and to society .
Kathryn Karrer,
Sacramento
India protests
“Thousands gather in Sacramento, block traffic on Highway 50 to protest India farming laws” (sacbee.com, Dec. 19)
As a Sikh American, I appreciate the Bee’s respectful coverage of recent demonstrations held in solidarity with India’s farmers who are currently protesting disastrous new agricultural laws. Our elected officials, including Rep. Ami Bera, would do well to truly listen to these concerns rather than wave them off.
When I emailed the congressman’s office on the issue, his response framed the laws as benevolent “reforms” — a view shared by the Indian government, but not by millions of farmers, agricultural experts and renowned economists. The congressman also failed to acknowledge the tear gas, water cannons and other repressive measures deployed by police and military against these peaceful protestors.
Winty Singh,
Elk Grove
Nichols derailed
“Biden rejects California regulator for EPA job after environmental justice complaints” (sacbee.com, Dec. 17)
The climate change movement is made up of a number of different constituencies, one of which is the environmental justice movement. EJ organizations successfully derailed the candidacy of Mary Nichols, widely viewed as an outstanding choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency. In their opinion, her record in protecting low income communities from environmental pollution was inadequate.
Partisan constituencies are already lined up on whether carbon pricing or government regulations should play the leading role in fighting climate change, whether climate change can only be addressed in the context of solving other social, economic and environmental justice issues, and whether bipartisanship is essential or a fool’s errand.
However, the goal of a climate-friendly level of greenhouse gases is more important than any particular path to achieve that goal.
Harold Ferber,
Elk Grove
Worker exploitation
“Foster Farms facing lawsuit, union alleges ‘unsafe’ workplace amid COVID-19 outbreaks” (fresnobee.com, Dec. 18)
Thank you for bringing attention to the lawsuit against Foster Farms. As an anti-trafficking professional, I have watched the long history of exploitative labor conditions in poultry farming worsen during this pandemic.
Pre-pandemic, the routine denial of fair and consistent wages contributed to worker stress and potential injuries and sickness. The long hours, crowded work conditions and denial of basic rights for workers vital to our national supply chains has only escalated amid COVID. It is not enough to require employers to keep track of all coronavirus infections, or to treat human rights abuses as nominal “expenses” to be remedied with light fines.
Rochelle Keyhan,
Washington, D.C.
Pay the price
“Coronavirus updates: 525,000 cases in 2 weeks for California; ICU availability at 2.5%” (sacbee.com, Dec. 21)
I say with regret that I was hardly surprised reading the COVID-19 update from today. Over half a million confirmed cases in the last two weeks, and yet nobody wants to acknowledge how dire the situation is. I spend a lot of time outdoors in the Placer County area these days, and it still blows my mind how people can ignore every warning imaginable.
During the holidays, I expect people will relax their precautions even further. Unfortunately, many of them will pay the price.
Aryeh Rothenberg,
Granite Bay
Democracy betrayed
“These California Republicans sold their souls to Trump and betrayed American democracy” (sacbee.com, Dec. 15)
Thank you for your editorial on the destructive (some of us say “traitorous”) behavior of the four Republican congressmen who supposedly represent some of the people of California. I live in Congressional District 4. Mr. McClintock does not represent the majority of people in Placer County. If it weren’t for the gerrymandering, he would have been out (if ever elected at all).
Jerry Pare,
Roseville
Police reform
“My nephew’s death shows why California needs a statewide ban on police chokeholds,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 27)
It is important that we do not forget some of the pressing matters that have been overshadowed by the pandemic and the election. Following the George Floyd murder, we had to come to terms with the realities of race and policing.
While there has been some progress, the City Council must go further by creating a “use of force continuum” to limit how much force police can use under certain situations and provide clear guidelines for tactics. The city has mandated de-escalation training in cases of mental health crisis, but this would expand guidelines for situations outside of responses to mental health crises.
Hayden Joseph,
Sacramento