Letters: Safe Fourth | Climate change | Criminal justice reform | Felon president | AIPAC influence
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Keep July 4 safe
from drunken driving
In summer, Americans sport the red, white and blue. Keep festivities fun and safe.
Notice the increase in DUI arrests in the last two years on the Fourth of July weekend: for 2022, the California Highway Patrol made 998 DUI arrests on the Fourth of July weekend; in 2023, ABC10 News in Sacramento reported 1,224 DUI arrests were made for the same weekend.
Why can’t drinkers learn to be sober if driving? A drunken driver hit me when I was 16 in 1992. After 30-plus years I can walk okay, but my hearing is damaged and I have a deep tone to my voice. My life clearly changed.
People will drink, but it is illegal if you drive drunk. Have a sober driver transport you if you have one too many. Don’t drive drunk.
Lori Martin
Tracy
Act now to reverse
climate change toll
California is struggling with the impacts of climate change.
From the more serious heatwaves to the increasing sea water levels, California has been struck by the effects. It is good to inform people about these problems so people can act toward repairing the climate faster. If more action is taken now, the effects will decrease sooner.
Eugene Black
San Ramon
Criminal justice
reform under attack
Criminal justice reform is under attack. Don’t be fooled by the legalese and fancy wordplay by California legislators.
These are the same representatives who have tried to tear apart Proposition 47 before. To disguise a tough-on-crime ballot initiative in a homeless bill is a new low. All of us justice reformers, criminal justice advocates and social justice advocates know that mass incarceration doesn’t work in California. To make shoplifting a felony will not help anyone.
We need budget reforms to help get the money where it is truly needed. We need to fund schools, grassroots outreach programs and homeless shelters. Drug users need rehab, not prison. Retail thefts would be deterred if more outreach was applied. We cannot fall victim to the old failed policy of the early 1990s.
John Crosthwaite
Corcoran
Founding Fathers didn’t
consider felon president
It is apparent that the Founding Fathers had no idea a president could stoop so low as to be convicted of a felony. It is time for there to be a major amendment to the Constitution to correct that situation. I realize it could not be retroactive, but it still needs to be done.
It is hard to believe we could be led by a felon from a prison cell, and the gall of having his security entourage with him. He has told us plain and clear that he intends to be a dictator. He wants to eliminate the Constitution and the rule of law.
Trump has no concept of decency. He calls all of his “enemies” derogatory names — all the things that he actually is.
Please wake up and stop donating to his legal problems.
Gae Mora
Concord
AIPAC has too much
influence on elections
A prominent political action committee operating in our county today does not try to promote and influence our political leaders on issues that affect our domestic political landscape such as health care, education, etc.
Its goals are twofold. One is to advocate for a constant flow of our taxpayer money, billions of dollars, to a foreign government. The other is to work tirelessly to defeat at the ballot box any politician who might utter any criticism of this government. This organization’s purpose is to enrich with our tax dollars, and also protect the dubious reputation of a foreign country. No other country would be allowed to have their aggressive advocates operating freely in the United States trying to shape election results.
With its money and influence, the American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) adds another layer of corruption to our unethical electoral system.
Mark Backlund
Rio Vista