Santa Cruz Sentinel

Like any organization, the far-flung network of terrorists needs money to function. Who is reporting and watching whether our government is going after their stock accounts, banks and trading companies with an equal ferocity that we launch jets with big bombs?

The terrorists hit the World Trade Center because it is a symbol of the global economy. So, let’s give them what they want; let’s unplug them from their money.

Responsible journalism should keep watch that Bush’s war on terrorism is being fought where the action is and not just focus on watching rubble bounce. Afghanistan is a side show. How about reporting on the main event?

BRUCE JOFFE

PIEDMONT

October 12
President Bush proved he’s capable of leading
It is a cartoonist’s and editor’s right, even duty, to express opinions which are not in agreement with the general population.

However, it is the reading public’s right and duty to react to those opinions. Given a strong enough public outcry, a cartoonist or editor might find himself with no readers, hence no job, hence no income.

In my opinion, Sept. 11 is a rallying point for this country. And like it or not, for better or worse, George Bush is the leader around which the country must rally. His response to the tragedy has won praise from both sides of the aisle in Congress and the general public.

The U.S. response against Afghanistan is unique in history, in that the targets are identified military targets and the bombing is accompanied by care packages dropped to help the general population.

To suggest that President Bush’s actions are taken to bolster declining popularity ratings or to offset failed domestic policy is asinine. Sept. 11 suddenly made all of this nation’s petty problems, including presidential approval ratings, vanish. President Bush could have carpet-bombed the whole Mideast the following week and he would have received tremendous popular support.

However, he chose a reasoned, rational response to a hideous act that cried out for response.

I was never impressed with either candidate, but President Bush has certainly proven himself capable of leading the country in this time of crisis.

JOHN SKINNER

WATSONVILLE

October 12
Public shouldn’t panic over threat of anthrax
I read with interest your article about the local reaction to the anthrax cases reported elsewhere. While the media in general are trying to report the story fairly, so much attention placed on such a serious threat inevitably leads to widespread pub- lic alarm and panic.

We’ve all been exposed to news reports explaining that the first signs of anthrax are similar to a simple flu virus. We’ve also heard anthrax is rapidly fatal, if not treated with antibiotics early.

In fact, the treatment would have to be started even before the symptoms began to protect the person from serious disease and death. The use of antibiotics for anthrax is largely prophylactic for those people with a known exposure to the bacteria. Once the symptoms begin, it’s probably too late to help.

What concerns me, as a health-care provider, is that many fearful people might stock up on antibiotics, intending to take them at the first sign of a sniffle. Since those sniffles will invariably wind up being just another cold or other minor illness, by taking unnecessary antibiotics they are contributing to a far greater public health problem: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We must not succumb to public hysteria, as this will lead to many unintentional adverse consequences.

What is the health-care community doing to help mitigate a possible biologic disaster? We’re educating ourselves about the potential biologic weapons agents, their symptoms and treatment. We’re also establishing communication links with the local public health office as well as with the state Department of Health Services for early reporting of suspicious cases.

Unfortunately, until we have a documented case or cases of a potential biologic-weapon disease, we can’t do anything differently than we would normally.

So with flu season just around the corner, please get your flu shot and don’t rush off to the doctor at the first sign of a cold or cough expecting to be treated for anthrax.

JOHN FUST, MD

CHAIRMAN, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE,

DOMINICAN HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

SANTA CRUZ

October 11
Ralph’s helps those who are less fortunate
As an AmeriCorps VISTA alumnus and student of linguistics at UC Santa Cruz, I am working toward the betterment of self and community. Presently, under the auspices of CalPIRG (the California Public Interest Research Group), I am the UCSC project coordinator and recruiter for the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. Two weeks ago, the management of Ralph’s on 41st Avenue in Capitola donated enough food for CalPIRG to organize a campus event whereby students used groceries to make sandwiches for more than 70 homeless people here in Santa Cruz.

Having led many service projects in the past, I know firsthand that Ralph’s exemplifies a model of collaboration, selflessness and tolerance by which we all should fashion our lives, and in promoting the values of a moral community, Ralph’s makes every effort to espouse a plethora of nonprofit organizations and community-service projects.

CalPIRG views the enrichment of community as emanating from the compassion and action of its citizens, and on behalf of CalPIRG and other nonprofit organizations throughout our community, I wish to thank Ralph’s for its continued dedication to helping those who are less fortunate.

I encourage everyone to support Ralph’s, knowing it continues to champion a wide range of humanitarian causes.

STEVEN WEISS

SANTA CRUZ

October 12
A heart that bleeds expresses its outrage
I am writing this letter on Sunday night at 8:15 p.m., outraged at the insensitivity of our city’s leaders in allowing tonight’s fireworks display to proceed.

On a day where we have declared war on terrorism, my heart bleeds for the innocent people of Afghanistan. This fireworks display makes a mockery of their suffering and pain, and I am deeply ashamed and embarrassed to be led by people numb and ignorant to the agonies of war. The very sounds I am hearing are striking fear into the hearts of millions of women, children and men who are at this very moment fleeing from the danger that these sounds represent. That we can call this entertainment today indicates a lack of local responsibility for the actions of our country’s leadership.

At a time when Americans are being praised for their so-called unity, we are ostracizing many factions of our society based on the very thing we seem to value — religious freedom and individuality. I am shocked by the reactions of many Americans to the tragic attack of Sept. 11, and saddened by the inability to learn deeper lessons for the future of the children of our country.

When will we be able to unify across our differences? When will we become able to see ourselves in the faces of the women and children depicted in the devastating images on television? Until then, we are as responsible in perpetuating hate and in- tolerance as the terrorists we seek to destroy. Can we not unify across borders, races, nationalities and religions?

KERRIN MURPHY

SANTA CRUZ

October 12
Chemical warfare already under way
We should recognize that our president is very wise, such as when he pulled us out of the Kyoto agreements, and we should bow to his compassionate authority.

The citizens of the United States need not worry about terrorist attacks from biological or chemical warfare. Our great leader refused to let our country join approximately 178 other nations in abolishing the manufacture and use of these monstrous causes of death — so he undoubtedly knew something the rest of the world did not know.

And I trust any reader of this letter will realize it’s written tongue in cheek.

ROBYN NAYYAR

AROMAS

October 12
If you don’t love it, maybe you should leave
On Sunday night, under the cover of darkness, a large American flag on Woodrow Avenue was torn down and burned by unknown cowards.

My feeling is that if you do not love this country, you do not really belong here.

You do have the right to express your opinions, but so do I, and I think you are a coward to wait until everyone has gone to bed, steal a flag and burn it.

I feel sorry for you. Someone bought your rights with their blood under this flag.

NORMA HADLAND

SANTA CRUZ

October 12
Santa Cruz extends a ridiculous welcome
Ow wow! What a super new River Street sign. I honestly don’t think I could design a more ridiculous-looking sign to welcome folks to Santa Cruz and the lovely new River Street mall. At least it appears my tax dollars were wisely spent. Reminds me of the extra spiffy "welcome to the Eastside" sign posted, more or less, at the exit to the Eastside.

PETER COOK

SANTA CRUZ

October 12
Center for Nonviolence actually backs violence
The letter in the Sentinel recently regarding the philosophy of the Resource Center for Nonviolence was somewhat misleading. Contrary to its name, the organization does espouse violence, especially toward Israel.

One has only to look at the titles in their library, or to attend one of the numerous discussions about the Middle East, to understand the center’s philosophy.

I recently heard a speaker there say that violence was the only way for the Palestinians to achieve their goals against Israel, and not one of the center’s supporters, including Scott Kennedy, its director, raised a voice in protest.

STEVE GARDNER

SANTA CRUZ

October 12
Editorial blatherings are unfunny
I usually rely on your "As We See It" editorial blatherings as a source of comic relief, but today’s column asserting that George W. Bush has been "transformed into a leader of all Americans" is patently unfunny, untrue and offensive.

I refer you back to your own letter section over the past month to remind you of how many Americans in this area (not to mention the tens of thousands outside Santa Cruz) who find George W.’s leadership to be anything but exemplary.

While your editorial board, as well as many other citizens, may support the president’s actions, there are quite a few of us who do not believe in the use of violence to combat violence, and were hoping for a more thoughtful, intelligent, measured response from our country’s (elected) leader.

LOLLY BELANGER

FELTON

October 10
Abortions are murder; pray about that, too
In the wake of the terrible loss of more than 5,000 lives on Sept. 11, I am struck by the fact that more than 4,000 lives are snuffed out daily in abortion clinics across America.

While we are still tender from the blow struck recently in our country, if anyone is moved in any way to look more closely at the issue of how we often respond to a pregnancy that is seemingly desperately unsupportable, I hope we can at this time do something — a daily prayer for the mothers and their unborn babies, a contribution of money, clothes or time to groups currently serving those looking for an alternative to abortion, a prayer for those seeking healing from an abortion in their lives, to save innocent lives and at the same time heal our country of this ongoing wound.

ANN HORTON

BOULDER CREEK

October 10
Leadership failed us on several levels
I think we were all expecting the recent events. I also don’t get the sense that people feel safer now that the we’re bombing Afghanistan’s people. This war is a failure of leadership on many levels.

I’ve heard often "I don’t want us to go to war, but what else can we do?" (One might ask the Israelis how effective their use of military vengeance has been in quelling the Intifada or gaining a lasting peace?)

We were given the limited choice, false choice, of doing nothing or bombing the Afghan people, when there were an array of choices from bombing to the involvement of the World Court, U.N.-lead efforts, etc. Why use military methods for a criminal act?

So far, the only accounting that evidence leads directly to bin Laden comes from the junior senator from Great Britain, Tony Blair. Even if it does lead to bin Laden, why are we killing and displacing Afghans? (The "evidence" is really for political cover of certain partners, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.)

Bombing Afghanistan means taking out infrastructures — power facilities to hospitals, water treatment facilities, etc.; this is happening six weeks before winter sets in in the high plateau that’s Afghanistan.

My father, during World War II, witnessed German occupational forces in Greece burn his entire village just before winter set in. It left them with no possibility of rebuilding in time, and food stores gone with the village. He rarely speaks about this horror, but you hear it in his voice some 60 years later.

You don’t have to pierce a body with shrapnel or crush it under concrete to kill and maim. The conditions created by war do that quite well.

As Noam Chomsky said about the Vietnam War, "The war is the war crime."

ALEC STOURAS

SCOTTS VALLEY

October 10
Generosity teaches a noble lesson
I want to thank the students, families, friends and teachers at Main Street School in Soquel who participated in our Readathon to raise money for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. I was amazed by the generosity of the people who donated and the gracious spirit of the children. In two weeks, we raised more than $5,500, which we presented to the Red Cross at a school assembly on Oct. 10. Thank you for making our Readathon a success and for helping our children feel that they can make a difference in our world.

STEPHANIE SIDDEN

APTOS

October 10
Towers were too tall; don’t repeat tragedy
They towered over the skyline, built to last. But with the New York Port Authority involved, did they receive special treatment and meet the same stringent requirements that apply to private sector projects? Did poor construction contribute to the loss of life?

As a former city planner, it is hard to believe the two towers, built like fence posts, would be constructed today. They were simply too tall and vulnerable.

We can expect a tower to collapse after two collisions, but the collapse of both towers after only one collision by a jetliner is inexcusable and should be investigated. Didn’t the planners foresee the possibility that if they built a skyscraper into the clouds, that a Boeing 747 filled with jet fuel would some day smash into it?

City planners should have required these buildings to withstand at least one collision. Years ago, the Empire State Building remained standing after a World War II bomber slammed into it. Why weren’t the same building standards applied to the World Trade Center? Sure, it would have added to the cost of construction, but it would have allowed at least half of the estimated 5,000 people now missing to be with their families today.

Some say the towers should be rebuilt. This is nonsense. It would be like repeating the original design of the Titanic. We must accept the fact that terrorism will be with us for many years, and like you, I do not wish to see this tragedy repeated.

ROBERT CARO

APTOS

October 15
We must use our brains instead of our brawn
My firefighter children have explained to me how throwing water on a cooking stove fire will make the blaze worse. Is there a lesson here for Sept. 11 and its aftermath?

There are so many complexities, it is hard to keep them straight.

We’ve known for a long time that bin Laden and his crew are financed by Saudi Arabian money. The Saudis were also most uncooperative after our servicemen were killed in a building blast, but we want their oil so we still call them allies.

We permit Iraqi children to die for want of medical supplies while Saddam Hussein remains healthy. His demise, you see, might lead to an unstable situation in Iraq, and they too have oil. Besides, we supplied him his weapons when he was fighting Iran, just as we trained and armed the Taliban when they were our "Cold War allies."

Careful, slow, considered thought doesn’t appeal to our quick-to-fight-back, beat-’em-to-a-pulp politicians; it is so undramatic to thoroughly discuss, analyze and strategize. But until we learn to use our brains instead of our brawn, there will be no peace and no security.

MARILYN ELMAN

SANTA CRUZ

October 15
Killing utility tax will kill vital programs
In response to Heather Boerner’s article Oct. 15 about the utility tax repeal, it’s important to tell the public where almost half of the $9 million of the county’s general fund goes.

More than $3.9 million of the general fund goes to community programs which provide essential health and human services to our local community. Countless other nonprofit agencies are funded under the Health Services Agency and other county contracts as well.

These agencies provide an important safety net for those who face economic hardship and need support in the form of medical and dental care, food and shelter services, low-cost counseling, support for seniors, etc.

The clients we serve aren’t strangers, but the neighbor next door; a senior citizen who, without the help of Meals on Wheels, wouldn’t be able to continue living at his own home; or the woman across the street recently diagnosed with cancer who has found advocacy and support through the help of WomenCARE. These services are part of what make Santa Cruz County a healthy and safe place to live.

Without the utility tax, funding for these services could be revoked. Although the county community programs funding only makes up 5.4 percent of the agencies’ total budgets, that 5.4 percent means a lot in the budget of a nonprofit. It could mean the difference between keeping a counselor on the Suicide Prevention Hotline through the night to help your child, or assuming that your child, or any child, will never face that need and therefore those counselors aren’t necessary.

We, of the Human Care Alliance, believe these services aren’t extraneous, but vital to the health of our community. We hope you’ll agree that saving the utility tax is a small price to pay for the number of quality services available to you and your family.

LAURA MARCUS

HUMAN CARE ALLIANCE

October 15
Despite the bad news, don’t ignore environment
Everyone’s attention lately has obviously and understandably been focused on the reshaping of our world in the wake of the events of Sept. 11.

While this is definitely an important and complex matter which demands much awareness and consideration, we cannot allow it to overshadow all the other important current issues we used to hear about in the news.

The campaign for renewable energy sources and the rapidly developing fuel-cell technology, for instance, could play a very large part in solving our current energy crisis. This is good news. People might like to hear this, as a counterweight to the predominantly grim headlines.

The tragedy and our "new war" are immediate and pressing concerns, and the faces of Osama bin Laden and other suspected terrorists are handy and appropriate ones on which to pin our anger, grief and fear. But to ignore environmental concerns — which are just as pressing now as they were before our world changed so abruptly — is to invite a tragedy of a far greater scale, one that will leave the entire planet mourning.

And the faces that we will have to pin the blame on will be our own.

KEN GUENTHER

SANTA CRUZ

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