Letters for January 7, 2016

Witnessing the homeless raid

Re “Holiday campout” by Nick Miller (SN&R News, December 17):

My teenage son and I had just arrived at the homeless protest when the police started showing up. There were maybe two dozen people at the occupation. What were we doing there? My son had recently started volunteering to feed the homeless at the Community Dinner Project, and he saw the notice of the raid on their Facebook page. We were bundled up against the cold. Other people had shown up to help. We were offered warm socks, food, blankets. The cops announced that people who were camping would be cited. The protesters did try to do what the authorities asked. People walked around, shaking souls awake in the freezing cold and biting wind. One sleeping figure didn’t respond. People yelled “Police! We need medical assistance!” No reaction; the homeless had to call 911 themselves. Cops in riot gear with bully sticks faced off with the homeless and the other people brave/kind enough to be there. A helicopter circled. How many people—our brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers—could have been helped with the money spent that night?

Aaron Green

Sacramento

A Sac 3.0 breakdown

Re “Grinches of the year!” by SN&R staff (SN&R Feature Story, December 24):

How is The Mill at Broadway any different, or hipper, than any other housing development? You still have a mortgage, and have bought into your parents’ concept of home ownership. Plus, the homes are ugly, stucco-heavy lame takes on Craftsman and Tuscan style homes. The marketing is so off-base it’s hilarious! The Creamery billboard is also so bad it’s good!

Dane Henas

Sacramento

Big Short, big yes

Re “The Big Short” by Daniel Barnes (SN&R Film, December 24):

The movie The Big Short does a decent job of presenting a difficult subject in an entertaining way. It doesn’t deserve a next-to-the-worst rating. I don’t care how it measures up to the history of movie-making. We should be encouraged to see it.

Rich Davis

Citrus Heights

Not the way

Re “Club solitary” by Raheem F. Hosseini (SN&R News, December 17):

I’m sure what originally happened is that those in charge were concerned that people with disabilities would be unsafe in the general population. The better solution would be to create a separate public area where those people can socialize when they are not in their cells. I know prisons are crowded, but they still have to deal with inmates in a way that keeps them mentally healthy. And locking them perpetually in cells is not the way.

Therese Shellabarger

North Hollywood