Submit your letter to the editor using this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.
Democrats must reduce the governor’s platform
Re: “The governorship race is still tight early” (Page A1, March 26).
Democrats, get it together. There are too many Democrats running for governor. California deserves better.
Candidates with less than 10% voter support – Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Tony Thurmond, Betty Yee and Ian Calderon – must drop out. Each has contributed to California in the past, but their messages are not available today. Each of them is lagging behind in fundraising and has low voter support. They should all back off and let the voters decide between the most powerful people. The herd must shrink.
I believe Eric Swalwell, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Matt Mahan have the best chances for strong and successful campaigns through June and November. Voters can focus on the issues and choose between the strongest and most effective contenders. These candidates have resources and messages that resonate with many voters.
Dennis Hawkins
San Jose
A different era will celebrate activists
Response: “Activist wants DA withdrawn from retrial” (Page B1, March 1).
To get an idea of the case of the Stanford student protesters, it may help to go back to the 1930s.
If there were Stanford students with the moral sense and courage in the 1930s to stage such a protest against the German genocide and the United States’ refusal to accept Jewish refugees from St. Louis, how would we like them to be treated?
Forrest Nixon
San Jose
A two-state solution is the only path to peace
Re: “Israel’s unification strategy is the true path to peace” (Page A6, Feb. 26).
When I write in response to a writer who defends Israel’s occupation of the land that was occupied by the Palestinian people, I must remind him that Israel was destroyed 2,000 years ago and exists on a large scale because the international organization, the UN, saw fit to divide the land without asking its citizens their opinions.
The Jewish settlers came to conquer and take over the land, and in the words of their first president, suggested that the inhabitants should simply leave and be absorbed. This attitude of cultural superiority is reflected in this author’s book. You are wrong. Peace will only come when both Palestinians and Jews can agree that two nations have the right to live together.
One of the biggest obstacles to this is America’s continued sixth on the scale of justice, as evidenced by the continued obstruction of international efforts to hold Israel accountable for its illegal occupation of land.
Roger Wood
Fremont
This war with Iran is unnecessary, it is deadly
Re: “Trump: Supreme Leader assassinated” (Page A1, March 1).
How do we explain this war in Iran? This illegal war (according to the United Nations) is definitely not America First.
Iran is not a threat to us. Why did you go “this way” to fight and die? Why are we sacrificing the lives of our soldiers and creating more Gold Star families with no intelligent explanation to our citizens? Barack Obama, along with the Russians, Chinese and Europeans, the JCPOA, which has kept any nuclear program bottled up for years to come. Now we want a whole new deal? Iran does not have nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and does not have ties to other groups that oppose Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians. Israel uses a legal system that changes depending on which state you live in.
“Equal justice for all”? Is that a good reason that our grandfathers would have shed their blood 85 years ago?
Mike Caggiano
San Mateo
Quality education is not negotiable in government
In the midst of all the turmoil, social unrest and deep divisions abroad and at home, I am thankful for many things. One of these things is my education.
I was able to take advanced classes in high school, and am currently pursuing a college degree. I am actually nearing the end of my life. Without a doubt, I was blessed with opportunities that should be available to all. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as not everyone has equal access to education. California has the largest economy in our organization, yet we only rank 29th among the states. This must change because education is an investment in our future.
Our state is considering a wealth tax on the very rich, which would allow us to spend more tax dollars on education. However, we have to go through roundabout ways to achieve this. But why? Education is non-negotiable.
Anthony Sanchez
San Jose
