Page One
Letters to the editor
FOR SHAME
Editors, Daily Planet:
The following is a copy of a letter sent to the San Francisco Chronicle and addressed to Executive Editor Phil Bronstein, and Managing Editor Robert Rosenthal:
I am horrified that the San Francisco Chronicle suspended Mr. Henry Norr, columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, for joining in a peace demonstration in San Francisco.
What is the press coming to?
I thought in America there was something called a “free press.” Obviously the San Francisco Chronicle is not one of that group.
Is the current American government’s war of occupation of Iraq curtailing the information the American citizens receive? This is really the beginning of something quite terrible. The Chronicle cannot pretend to be sending its readers the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth if it begins to punish its employees for doing what they are free to do in their personal time and thereby preventing the reading public’s hearing those points of view.
Whenever I read the San Francisco Chronicle in the future I will know I am not reading the whole story — only what you wish us to read. Shame!
Wendy Markel
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IMPROVE TRANSIT
Editors, Daily Planet:
It is good to see the empty lots on main streets becoming useful housing and businesses.
Unfortunately, the infrastructure changes promised, planned or even required to accompany these new developments have not materialized.
Maybe, now that building is booming, funds now designated for development fee waivers could be used to materialize the alternative transportation improvements (protected crossing medians, sidewalk extensions, tree plantings, bus stop enhancements, traffic calming). In this way, transit-friendly development could then start to become a reality.
Wendy Alfsen
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APOLOGY?
Editors, Daily Planet:
As the protest organizers sort through their next moves, they might consider urging an apology from the Green Party. I’ve yet to hear any embarrassment from them over the role they played in the election, which brought about our current nightmare.
Carol Denney
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LAB INSIGHT
Editors, Daily Planet:
A proposed Molecular Foundry project at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories inspires this insight:
That the Department of Energy research facility has effectively intimidated City Council and many Berkeley residents into believing that scientists are the only group worthy of an opinion about environmental planning and anticipated impacts from lab-related projects.
My own opinion is that a project undergoing environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act should be explained to the public by the environmental planning coordinator rather than a scientist who has a stake in the successful environmental review of the project.
Janice Thomas
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WELCOME BACK
Editors, Daily Planet:
I was happily surprised when somebody at the Ashby BART entrance thrust a new Daily Planet into my hands as I hurried to catch a train to San Francisco. I missed it while it was gone.
When I opened it, I was really delighted to find it’s been taken over by people who can write so beautifully, sensitively and progressively about the things that mean so much to me. The editorial moved me to tears. Even the comics are precious.
I’m going to save my copy away with other important documents. Thank you for fine journalism.
Barbara Michel
The Berkeley Daily Planet accepts Letters to the Editor at opinion@berkeleydailyplanet.com. Letters also can be mailed to 3023A Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705. Please include address and phone number for contact purposes.
