Letters for August 11, 2016

Three on The Donald

Re “Time to cut bait on Trump” (Editorial, Aug. 4):

I completely agree with the editorial on Donald Trump, but I would like to say a word on his behalf. Donald makes me laugh! I see him as a big buffoon, a cartoon character who never would have gotten this far if the media hadn’t helped him because his ridiculous antics are such profitable “entertainment.”

He is so good at being so bad that he has become the target of millions of people’s fears and anger. I think we need to see Donald differently—namely, as someone who needs our compassion because he is so mentally demented and deficient. In the teaching “A Course in Miracles,” it says that “attack begets attack,” so the more we vilify Donald, the worse he gets.

As the editorial stated, we do need to “disavow” him. But we should do so with mercy, not malice. I think we need to lighten up and pray for Donald.

Renee Renaud

Chico

Your informative editorial put the finger on the terrible truth about Donald Trump. To paraphrase another journalist’s words, “He’s the pie that only our country could bake.”

I don’t think that Hillary Clinton, though, is the answer to that mess. In fact, I sometimes think the Trump mess was deliberately fostered by right-wing conservative elements (who own most U.S. news outlets) to make sure Clinton would be the “last man standing.” It surely goes along with the neo-conservatives’ “winning through chaos” doctrine in their “Project for a New American Century.” And as secretary of state, Clinton certainly delivered on their regime-change mantras to attempt dominance, tragically bloody as it was, over the Middle East.

I think the political revolution we need now is to strengthen parties in opposition to the Republican/Democratic “unfettered capitalism” monolith causing so much misery in the world today. The Green Party is where I’m going. The Libertarian Party is where a lot of good people I know are going.

We have options. We should take them.

Linda Furr

Chico

Republican leaders increasingly have to repudiate offensive statements and ideas espoused by Donald Trump, their national leader. Yet theses politicians continue to endorse him as our next president. What more evidence do you need that these representatives are placing their party above our country? When you vote this election, support those people who have the courage to take a stand against Trump and his dangerous ideas.

Charles Staser

Chico

Questions on cameras

Re “Coffee with the chief” (Second & Flume, by Melissa Daugherty, July 28):

Part of the conversation CN&R Editor Melissa Daugherty had with Chico Police Chief Mike O’Brien was about cops with cameras and transparency. Generally speaking, police departments avoid transparency and accountability.

To the chief’s credit, he has always been open and receptive to meet with me and my cohorts.

If we are going to embrace community-oriented policing, we need and deserve a community-wide meeting on the police lapel cameras. Nothing but a full-blown discussion about cops, cameras, transparency and accountability will be acceptable.

There are many questions that need to be answered. We need to know exactly what the situation is going to look like—which type of cameras are going to be used. Are they going to have visual and audio capabilities? Are all cops going to be required to use them? Who decides when the cameras come on? If a cop approaches, can I demand the camera be turned on? After the video is shot, who has control over who views the video?

Benson

Chico

A nation of immigrants

Re “‘Oblivious to reality’” (Letters, Aug. 4):

Mr. Esplanade, I believe it is you who are “oblivious to reality.” I’m a 54-year-old white male, single parent of a 15-year-old. His mother was Mexican. My grandparents came directly from Sweden, Denmark and Holland, and my paternal Grandma was half-Japanese, half-Luxembourger.

We are a nation of immigrants. “Cultural erosion.” Really? Really? Do you think crime, debt, inflation, overpopulation and “other” problems are caused by immigrants? Are all the homeless people you see immigrants?

Donald Trump inherited his fortune and has been bankrupt numerous times, and he is the one “oblivious to reality.” So, Mr. Esplanade, please explain what “cultural erosion” means to me and my half-Mexican, half-white-Euro-part-Asian son. Where did your family come from? Unless you are Native American, they emigrated from somewhere. Does not matter when, either.

William Strom

Chico

Go away, already

Re “Familiar tunes” (Newslines, by Howard Hardee, July 28):

What a waste of time and resources! Just two months ago the voters of Butte County said “no” to more marijuana (measures G & H). On Nov. 8, we will be voting on the Medical Cannabis Cultivation and Commerce measure, aka MC3.

The president of the group backing this measure stated “we want to change the mindset away from eradication to regulation.” To regulate this measure would be a monumental task. Enforcement would be impossible, a fact the backers are well aware of.

The members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors have to be sick of dealing with this issue. I’m sure they would like it to go away. However, they are just men, not wizards. It will be up to the voters to say “no.”

Mike Stewart

Bangor

Rebuttal time

Re “Commentary comments” (Letters, by Sherri Quammen Aug. 4):

Sherri Quammen sees environmental armageddon as a brutish beast with many testicles. Men are destroying the planet and women always wanted it some other way.

I agree. I’ve never met a woman who wanted roads, hot water heaters, automobiles, smartphones, cruise ships, air travel, bathrooms, kitchens, microwave ovens, schools, hospitals, diamonds, televisions, bridges, deodorant, air conditioning and a secure nest box (2,000 to 5,000 square feet) in which to hatch her eggs. If you meet such a woman, do let me know.

Conversely—and I put in my time working around earth-moving equipment—every man I met was excited as hell about destroying the planet. To a man, they insisted on having every material thing imaginable and complained that their saintly-stubborn, Luddite wives had to be forced into living the carbon-spewing American dream. (At the time, I was too insensitive to see this for what it was: male-on-female, epic-scale macro-aggression.)

I’m glad Quammen is on the case. Perhaps she’ll summon some goddess-like extraterrestrials that can make Jimmy Choo handbags and sneakers appear, with a magical absence of environmental impact—the way the mystical, ancient, all-seeing matriarchs said it should be done.

Patrick Newman

Chico

Here’s a fix

If our political systems cease to serve us properly and our religions become misinterpreted, don’t we have a patriotic and moral responsibility to fix them?

Capitalism without a conscience (Republican Party) or a socialist agenda (Democratic Party) does not represent what the founding of this country was based on.

If history repeats itself, the economies would have already collapsed and the war would be done. We would have started over by now. We are living on borrowed time instead.

Wouldn’t it make more sense that instead of paying taxes, we follow the golden rule and voluntarily give? We could use the Internet, newspapers, word of mouth to identify specific needs. Then, without the need for leaders, we could use the concept of organized voluntarism to solve and provide for each legitimate need that arises.

No more bureaucracy, no more waste. Fulfilling the prophecies of the world’s great religions.

Nobody for president!

Rick Spettel

Paradise

Cannabis exhibit

Oakland Museum’s marijuana exhibit is worth visiting.

In the center section, a large glass case encloses mature marijuana plants. On the side of the case, different strains are mounted beneath magnifying glasses. Materials made of hemp are displayed: rope, cloth, edible, cooking oil, etc. An illustration depicts the mechanism by which cannabinoids affect the body. Cubicles surround the centerpiece. In one there is video of politicians condemning marijuana. Opposite the video are posted photographs and quotations from famous personalities praising or denouncing marijuana. Visitors’ opinions are posted as well.

In an adjoining cubicle graphs and tables dramatically illustrate disproportionate incarceration of blacks and Hispanics, this despite the fact that many more whites use marijuana. A complementary exhibit contrasts states’ shockingly disparate penalties for convictions.

Next is a section documenting rigorous experimental research on purported therapeutic effects. Visitor testimonials are also posted. Hanging in another cubicle are sheets of plastic of different shapes and colors. By looking at and through these sheets one experiences visual effects similar to those resulting from ingestion of high concentrations of THC. The bookstore sells an excellent selection of books on marijuana. On Fridays, the museum stays open longer, affording opportunity to visit other exhibits as well.

William Todd-Mancillas

Chico