Letters: Booster mandate | Threat to republic | All votes count | Reputable charities

Mercury News Letters to the Editor for Dec. 26, 2021

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S.J. booster mandate
sets a good example

Re. “Mayor calls for booster mandate,” Page B1, Dec. 22:

The mayor of San Jose’s proposal to require residents and visitors to get the booster shot is very sensible. The threat of coronavirus should not be underestimated, and the omicron variant has pushed our lives to the edge of danger once again. The effects of the previous two vaccine shots are waning. Those who refuse to get the booster shot will be the same as the soldiers who do not wear armor on the battlefield — we will never win the war against COVID-19.

If the proposal passes, San Jose will be the first city in California to enact such regulations. San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley, is a leader in technological innovation. Now, it is leading other cities in the country in reducing the spread of coronavirus. San Jose, I am proud of your leadership.

Haowen Wu
Pleasanton

Trump and cronies present
a real threat to republic

Re. “Jan. 6 hearings show threat of real election coup in 2024,” Page A7, Dec. 16:

Everybody should follow Trudy Rubin’s advice and read Barton Gellman’s piece in the Atlantic:  “Trump’s Next Coup has Already Begun.” The prospect of Trumpers overturning election results in 2024 and staging a successful coup should terrify every American with a conscience.

Fueled by the Big Lie and other Trump-induced madness, this is a very real threat to our democracy, perhaps the greatest the United States has ever faced and deserves to be discussed on the front page of every media outlet, including the Mercury News.

Michael Rovero
San Jose

There’s more to voting
than Election Day

Re. “Why is left now worried about the end of democracy,” Page A7, Dec. 17:

Victor Davis Hanson continues to tweak facts to fit his rants. For example, he complained that a record 64% didn’t cast ballots on Voting Day, as if that one day should be the deciding factor.

For a fair discussion, he should have added that alternate day voting and mail-ins were a practical avoidance to exposure to COVID.

Other “facts” in this same column suffer from a lack of perspective and name-calling. What a waste of space. Ironically, Hanson calls the media “obsequious”.

Alice Moskus
Morgan Hill

Organizations lay out
reputable charities

I was delighted to see George Skelton’s piece on charitable donations. He provided a valuable caveat on poorly run and fraudulent charities. But I was dismayed that he did not include any information about the charity evaluators such as Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, GuideStar, GreatNonprofits, and Givewell.

These organizations provide valuable and carefully researched information and most have powerful tools for searching for just the right charity for your donations. This is a serious omission that grossly diminishes the value of his opinion.

Wes Christensen
Palo Alto