Features

RESPONSIBILITY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Some more young blacks kill each other and the editor can suggest nothing better than the tired old crap about the gun being the problem. 

Excuse me, did the gun fire itself? What about assigning responsibility for this ghastly killing to the punk who pulled the trigger? 

And by the way, every issue of the New American has pages on individuals successfully exercising their Second Amendment rights to ward off criminals. It’s not that people imagine they have guns for self-defense—they do. 

I have to also add that the hype on this particular murder seems to have a political agenda behind it. If the woman had been an acolyte of Ayn Rand instead of an admirer of Cuba, would there have been the media outpouring that we have seen over the past couple of days? 

The question answers itself. 

Michael Hardesty 

Oakland 

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DEFENSE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

While Ms. O’Malley is correct that guns make it easy to commit murder, she overlooks that guns would make it easy to defend herself from a 200-pound rapist. Otherwise she may as well follow the advice of another ivory tower anti-gun nut and “Lay back and enjoy it.” 

Sam A. Kersh 

San Antonio, Texas 

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A STRONG WOMAN 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I am horrified to hear that Meleia Willis-Starbuck was murdered in Berkeley, despite not knowing this obviously remarkable young woman. What I find absolutely astounding about her death is that no one is calling it what it is: a misogynist hate crime. It is time that we applaud a strong woman such as Willis-Starbuck for her efforts to thwart sexism and identify hate crimes when they occur. In a city as liberal as Berkeley, I am stunned and appalled that her death is not spotlighting a larger societal problem—sexism—that many feel the need to ignore. Being gunned down is the ultimate example of the strong hatred many in our country feel toward strong women, especially strong women of color. It is time that communities stand up in support of its women and denounce all hate crimes, including those that are motivated by a hatred of women. 

Eileen M. Mello 

Oakland 

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GUN LESSON 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

In response to Becky O’Malley’s editorial on guns: 

“Women who fear being victims imagine that possession of firearms will make them safe.” 

You know you are being a condescending bitch with this statement, send your boyfriend over to try this one out by attacking one of these women. 

“Urbanites whose lives are controlled by their fears believe that guns in their homes will protect them, oblivious of the statistics that say that guns in homes are most often used against family and friends, not strangers.” 

I am a urbanite and I fear nothing but God, I don’t like spiders but I can step on them, I know hundreds or maybe thousands of people who have had guns in their homes, from their grandparents on down, and no one in their family has been killed by a gun in the home. I grew up around them and no one in the family was killed or at any family member’s home we went to was anyone killed even though the guns were there. 

I hope you know the lies you tell get people killed every day. You may not want to defend yourself but stop trying to stop others from doing so. I have seen the aftermaths of shootings, knifings and auto crashes, and guess what? People are just as dead from all three, the only difference would be that if you had a gun to defend yourself you might be able to stop the first two from happening. Either by just showing it or if need be using it. If you want to go after something, why not the cars? They kill 10 times more then guns do every year. 

Duane Owen 

NRA Certified Instructor 

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TOO MANY MOVIES 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Anytime that you feel like you would like to visit a red state and see how working people live, swing by Wichita, Kansas. I am a high school art teacher that also teaches handgun safety classes at a local range. I assume by the ignorant rantings in your editorial article that you have gathered most of your information from watching too many Bruce Willis movies. The article reflects that you lack “hands on” knowledge about which you write. I realize that the People’s Republic of California has some of the most Draconian gun laws in the U.S. so I came up with an idea: If Berkeley would be willing to spring for the plane ticket to send you to Wichita for a weekend I would be more than willing to educate you in proper firearms maintenance and technique. After that, if you still think that guns are the bogeyman of modern times, then I guess that I did not do my job right. But, at least you would not be writing from ignorance any longer. 

Craig Godderz 

Whichita, Kansas 

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GUN VIOLENCE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

We are all devastated by the murder of Meleia. Our teenagers are very angry, rightfully. I am too. I am asking the mayor and City Council to imagine living with street shootings on a regular basis. Since Friday night, South Berkeley neighborhoods have experienced three shootings; attempted homicides are another way to categorize these crimes. Tuesday, the gunfire was in the middle of the day and kids were playing up and down the sidewalks. 

The felon living on the next block has been a target of drive-bys three times this year. His family promised neighbors and city officials that young men would not be hanging out on the street in front of their house attracting more shootings. Promises don’t mean much to criminals, as a large group was hanging out most of this morning. When will the automatic gunfire erupt again? 

It is clear that several disputes are being played out in our streets this summer. These young men are often perceived to be the social underdogs in need of services to change their ways. Most have criminal records, are on probation and cruise the streets with automatic weapons in their pockets. When will the families and people who live here peacefully yet are hostage to fear, intimidation and threat be seen as the true victims? These young men wreak havoc and disorder in our community. 

This morning I spent a half hour at the College Avenue memorial talking with a young man who has seen four of his friends murdered. This same week last summer was the first of three brutal murders in South Berkeley, and no suspects identified so far in all three murders. 

There are actions worth your consideration, but hoping it just stays down here won’t be good enough. Sometimes I joke about the tax credit we should be receiving for the misery we endure. At least post warning signs, entering “drive-by shootings zone.” Maybe you could double the speeding tickets within the zone. 

Laura Menard 

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GOD BLESS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I did not know Ms. Meleia Willis-Starbuck but as a retired Child Protective Services Social Worker and Investigator with the City and County of San Francisco, who spent 28 years in the same field that captured Meleia’s interest, I am unable to locate adequate expression in the American language for the pain of her death. 

Certainly Meleia was smart; she was very smart but among those things that I have learned of her, it was her heartfulness, her courage, her breeding and the content of her character that has frozen my attention. 

The sorrow I feel shall never completely diminish and I shall never stop scrutinizing young men in the College Avenue environs—on my daily walks— until the day I die, or more mercifully, until that day—and make no mistake about it, that day will come, when the Berkeley Police Department apprehends the shooter and brings him before the court to answer for his conduct. 

God Bless Meleia today. 

God Bless Meleia tomorrow. 

God Bless Meleia for ever and ever. 

Gerry O’Brien 

• 

IN THE DARK 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I think the reason the City of Berkeley switched from advertising in the Berkeley Daily Planet to advertising in the East Bay Daily News was to keep us taxpayers in the dark. 

The EBDN is on few corners and has nothing in it. Why would anyone in Berkeley pick one up? If they want to know about a city meeting they’ll have to find a little red box first—good luck to them. 

I’m not surprised our very own Caesar (def. 3 or 4 in my dictionary) and his planners (read: plotters) who have 1. reduced the number of commissions, 2. reduced the number of meetings the commissions have, 3. prefer to meet in secret, 4. prefer developers to tax payers who pay their salaries, 5. really wish no pesky citizens would attend meetings, etc., have decided to advertise their meetings in the EBDN. It makes perfect sense. 

For what it’s worth, I’ll write a letter of complaint to the City Council. 

Rosemary Vimont 

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COGENT ANALYSIS 

[Regarding Becky O’Malleys July 19 editorial on gun violence:] 

Horseshit if I have ever heard it!!!! Get a real job and a real life!!! 

William Glosson 

“Midwest” 

Lifetime NRA member 

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TAXES AND CLUB DUES 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Mal Burnstein in his July 19 letter states, “Taxes in society are quite analogous to club dues.” That applies only to taxes on real estate, especially land. In a condominium, the member chooses to join and pays an assessment in exchange for community services. In contrast, a tax on sales or income has no direct connection to services received, and are extracted by force. Club dues are voluntary and in direct exchange for benefits; taxes on sales and income are coercive and have no direct connection to benefits. When I buy shoes and have to pay a sales tax, this is not voluntary dues to a club, but money extracted from me by force, with no connection to any benefit. 

Fred Foldvary 

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BLOTTER VOTE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The Damon Runyon of the Police Blotter, a.k.a. Richard Brenneman, obviously has some readers who are offended by his style (I am one), and others who are pleased. 

This would be an issue that I would like the Planet to conduct a poll on. Perhaps some way to telephone pro and con votes. 

Max Macks 

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OPEN FORUM 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I would like to compliment the Daily Planet on its enlightened policy of letting anyone write a commentary. Not just a letter to the editor, as most papers provide, but three quarters of a page on a subject of their own choosing. Most papers reserve their commentary space for people who represent more than just themselves, with some proven expertise on the subject they are elucidating upon. They may be elected officials, city commissioners, representatives of an organization or political grouping, or a neighborhood organization. The Daily Planet, to its credit, does this. The Daily Planet also turns over its pages to individuals, regardless of their knowledge of the subject they write about or its relationship to facts.  

Take, for example, the commentary in your July 15-18 edition by a Ruchama Burrell about the Berkeley School District’s planning process for the West Campus property on University Avenue. She is listed as someone living with her family near West Campus. Now Ms. Burrell has every right to her opinion, and I for one will consider it seriously, but instead of this individual, with no apparent knowledge of school district funding, school district planning processes, school district decision making, school district operations, or school district educational programs afforded the opportunity to write a letter to the editor, she is given three quarters of a page in your newspaper to vent her half truths and expose her ignorance. 

But nothing surprises me these days in the pages of the Daily Planet, especially in its search “for truth.” Keep up your unique style of informing Berkeley. I always look forward to each new edition and how many commentaries by individuals will be printed. We only have about 100,000 individuals in Berkeley to go. 

Terry Doran 

Vice President, Berkeley School Board 

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REINCARNATION 

Editors, Daily Planet:  

I am writing this letter in response to the commentary by Homayon in Berkeley Daily Planet of July 15. When I read pieces by Homayon, I tend to think he is the reincarnation of Shabon. Who is Shabon? He was a wrestler and gangster, who had an important role in the CIA sponsored coup d’etat in 1953 to bring Shah back to power in Iran. Due to his role, he was the beloved gangster in Shah’s regime that ended by the 1979 Iranian revolution. 

In his commentary, Homayon writes about a dissident in Iran who is now on hunger strike. The dissident has become the center of attention of the corporate media. You never know, he might be on the CIA payroll. Know that Iran is not a political Utopia; neither is any other country. Remember the massacre in Waco, Texas? In supposedly the most democratic country, during the presidency of a favorite Mr. Clinton, about 80 people and David Koresh were incinerated by an inferno in their compound. An excellent documentary called Waco: The Rules of Engagement shows that the massacre was a federally engineered crime. 

Homayon writes that he is ashamed to be an Iranian. Then, he must change his citizenship; no problem. Iran would be much better off without people such as 

Homayon or Shabon. 

Kurosh Arianpour, 

Bagalore, India 

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ALBANY BULB 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Dorothy Bryant’s account of her single visit to the Albany Bulb makes the place sound like some post-apocalyptic moonscape (Letters, July 19). That’s odd. My dog and I go there all the time, and we encounter something much nicer.  

We find pleasant trails through coastal chaparral; some vernacular scrap art that carries on a quirky Bayside tradition; and a gorgeous beach where dogs can chase tennis balls to their hearts’ content. 

Come for the art, stay for the ball-chasing. That’s what my dog says. 

But leaving aside our differing subjective reactions, Ms. Bryant is absolutely right about one thing: The Bulb is a former garbage dump. Nasty toxic stuff is buried there. 

The more accurately we describe the Bulb as a reclaimed dump, the more absurd it seems to try to “clean it up” or “restore” it into part of an “Eastshore State Park,” by evicting the art and dogs. 

The Bulb is a perfectly functional park the way it is. Let it be. 

Marcia Lau 

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AFRICA TRIP 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

J. Douglas Allen-Taylor’s “Controversy Surrounds Laney Africa Trip” (Daily Planet, July 19-21) focuses on a specific instance of the Associated Students of Laney College (ASLC) funding a trip for two Laney students. Allen-Taylor posits that the controversy stemmed from the fact that the student, Rehema Gueye, “Was not so well known to the Laney College and Peralta Community College District (PCCD) hierarchy.” I have written on this topic for the college paper, the Laney Tower and would like to give you further information about ASLC and PCCD’s funding history. 

In 2002, Ronald Temple, then PCCD chancellor, was using district funds to send himself and several of his friends on trips to Asia supposedly to recruit students for the district. The trips were very expensive and very few students were recruited. Meredith May, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter who recently received a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting, did a two-part expose on Temple’s use of district funds. Her uncovering of gross misuse of district funds subsequently led to his dismissal. Since then, both the ASLC and PCCD funding procedure has taken on an accountability that was not present prior to Chancellor Temple’s dismissal. Current Laney President Odell Johnson showed both financial integrity and generosity by personally helping out the students by providing them with funds “out of his own pocket.” 

Joe Kempkes 

Oakland 

• 

IN DEFENSE OF JAN GARRETT 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

As a member of the disability rights community I disagree with Iris Crider’s recent criticism of CIL Director Jan Garrett. In the five years I have worked with Jan, I have found her to be professional and sincere. She is fiscally responsible and devoted to the core values that make CIL a world class leader in disability rights. Jan is dedicated to CIL’s continued success. 

Ralph Hager  

CIL Board Member 

Oakland 

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PEACE AND JUSTICE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I was greatly saddened recently by an action of the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission at their July 11 meeting. Our resolution, already endorsed almost unanimously by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors last March, to bring our California National Guard troops home now, was voted down due to a lack of an eighth vote to pass it on to the City Council. Seven Commissioners voted for the Resolution with five against. 

Berkeley has a fine history of going on the public record against social injustices and militarism. For example, just last year before the U.S. attacked Iraq, the City Council passed Resolution 61,934-N.S., urging Congress to slow the rush to war, condemned “pre-emptive” miltary action against Iraq and called on Berkeley citizens to participate in nonviolent peace demonstrations. 

In 2002 Resolution 61,747-N.S. was unanimously passed by the council opposing those parts of the Patriot Act which are unconstitutional, stating in part that our city has been and remains firmly committed to the protection of civil rights and cilvil liberties for all people including those who are citizens of other nations. 

So now some peace and anti-war groups such as CodePink: Women for Peace, Vets for Peace, Gold Star Families for Peace, etc., are working in cities and towns up and down the state to pass the resolution urging the governor and our Congress members to use their influence in Washington to bring our 4,600 (approx.) Guard troops home now, out of harm’s way. They were not trained or equipped to fight in such a foreign war and are needed here at home. 

Unfortunately, five members of the Peace and Justice Commission failed to support the proposal, although acting under a mission statement clearly enabling them to endorse such a document to send on to CIty Council. How disappointing that not all the appointee members embrace the principles they are meant to uphold, i.e. peace and social justice. 

Corrine Goldstick 

CodePink member  

• 

AN URGENT PLEA 

Editors, Daily Planet:  

Most of you probably know that the Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to endorse a boycott of Berkeley Honda. And for good reason. The new owners have been uninterested in seriously negotiating with the union. They apparently believe that these older unionized workers—average seniority of 20 years—who have been replaced by recent graduates of a technical school, will become too discouraged to carry on the good fight. 

Berkeley Honda may be right unless we can galvanize the community on behalf of the strikers as soon as possible. Honda owners must be alerted to why the union called a strike and they should persuaded to service their automobiles elsewhere. Although fewer cars than usual are showing up, too many are still passing the picket line. I am asking you to distribute leaflets, no matter how few, by placing them on Honda cars in supermarket parking lots and in the streets, and/or taping them on poles and other conspicuous places. 

Just send me an e-mail at harry.brill@sbcglobal, and I’ll send you a leaflet that you can download. If this is inconvenient, just let me know how many you would like and where I can drop them off. You could also join the picket line on Parker and Shattuck. 

Harry Brill 

El Cerrito 

Labor Committee, 

Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club  

• 

BERKELEY HONDA 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Thanks for covering the strike at the former Jim Doten Honda. I have been a customer there for more than 10 years and I was saddened to see that the new ownership is set on union-busting which seems to be happening all too frequently these days. I stopped by to get my service records and spoke with the strikers and the new service rep, who seems to have become the mouthpiece of the new management. I informed them I will no longer do business with them and gave them my reasons. After speaking with both sides, it became clear to me that this is one more case of owners taking away the power of workers to negotiate. I hope the people of Berkeley will support the strikers. They have a very good cause!  

Liz Raymer  

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COMIC RELIEF 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

A sincere thank you to Stillyn Shawke for putting a lighter touch on the city’s sick’ning settlement with UC. This is the most I have laughed since hearing of the settlement. 

Carl Friberg 

• 

JOHN ROBERTS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

John Roberts thinks that the Endangered Species Act is “unconstitutional”! Is there any limit to human arrogance? Life existed on this planet for 3.8 billion years before humans ever thought of appearing. What kind of hubris allows someone to say that a given species, however insignificant in our minds, does not deserve to exist, simply because it conflicts with some human’s petty wishes? Such ignorance doesn’t deserve to be on the bench, much less the Supreme Court. John Roberts may appear to be intelligent and knowledgeable, within the narrow context of “constitutional law,” but no human being can today afford to be ignorant of the biological basis for life on Earth, and we cannot afford to have such a person in a position of power. 

Mike Vandeman, 

Hayward 

• 

SCALIA, THOMAS, ROBERTS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

What do you know about John Roberts? President Bush has picked Judge Roberts to replace outgoing Supreme Court consensus maker Sandra Day O’Connor. Mr. Roberts is the spitting image of Mr. Bush. Did you expect anything different? The President has told us all along that he would select a Supreme Court justice cast in the mold of Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. 

Does Roberts represent mainstream America? Religious right-wingers and anti-abortionists are ecstatic. What does that tell you about Mr. Roberts. Will Justice Roberts be any different than Scalia and Thomas? Would Bush take a chance with his partisan base breathing down his neck? Now is not the time to give Bush the benefit of the doubt. 

Let’s hear from John Roberts where he stands on the abortion issue. George W. Bush told us he was a uniter and look what we got.  

Ron Lowe 

Nevada City 

• 

ASBESTOS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

How ironic that at a time when politicians in Washington are stepping over each other to show how much they support the troops, they are preparing to pass an asbestos bailout bill that would hurt veterans poisoned or killed by asbestos. 

Asbestos was used extensively on Navy ships during World War II. Today, thousands of American Navy veterans and ship workers suffer from asbestos-related diseases due to heavy exposure. But the asbestos trust fund considered by Congress excludes many of them from ever receiving compensation for their medical bills or ever being able to hold the asbestos manufacturers liable. 

Those who served deserve better. 

Jewell Mack, Sr. 

Oakland 

• 

FIFTH COLUMNIST 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Having read the op-ed by Jonathan Wornick opposing the resolution for a Department of Peace and denigrating the very idea, I wondered why on earth would someone with his views be interested in sitting on a commission devoted to peace and justice. He indicated that city councils have no business concerning themselves with, among other things, Middle Eastern politics. 

I then had an “a-ha” moment. 

It is not far-fetched to believe that Mr. Wornick is part of a fifth column within the commission, dedicated to destroying the effectiveness of the commission. I remember that the PJC sponsored a resolution to honor Rachel Corrie, the American peace activist who was crushed to death by a Caterpillar tractor while defending a Palestinian home. Could it be that, at that moment, a decision was made to neutralize the PJC? 

Shining a spotlight on the Corrie killing could not have been welcome to those who wish to keep the gory details of the occupation secret. Politicians are well aware of the secrets, but acknowledging them publicly amounts to instant political suicide. 

I imagine that 60 years ago there were many who knew of the brutality inflicted on Jews in faraway Europe, but found it safer to hold their tongues.  

Now, the perpetrators and the victims are different, but the willful ignorance goes on. So our leaders are cowed and impotent. 

It’s left to us, the citizenry, to educate ourselves as to the history, past and present, of Palestine. Then, we can demand of our politicians that they intervene before another people is brought to the brink of annihilation. 

Barbara Henninger 

• 

DEPARTMENT OF PEACE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Too bad so many people miss the point, being that the leaders who’ve appropriated our lands through our combined ignorance and our willingness to be deceived/deceive ourselves must control us through these institutions we’re told are good for us. “We have a Department of Peace (he says). It’s called the State Department.” 

But it will only be through mass control of our institutions, including our ownership of Earth/land, our ownership of production and distribution of our goods and services—food, communication, transportation—and all—that we will obviate the Owners’ brutal aggressions and afford ourselves growth of enjoyment of life and not of the profit margin. 

The person who suggests that there are already bodies designed to take care of us is in great mental and physical pain, unable to climb the little or great hurdles past which we march in the efforts to take this control for all of us. Leaving it up to the warmongers leaves us in the straits we’re in, now...the cities, the towns, the villages—the water!—despoliation being the manner of our oppression—ruination of us and Earth, sapping our power. 

It’s difficult, surely, but we are many and they, the owners, are few. But we do need to notice our discomfort and our need to turn elsewhere—to us all—for our salvation. 

Norma J. F. Harrison 

• 

GOD™ 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

In atheist Michael Newdow’s repeat lawsuit against the school districts, the state and Congress, declaring the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional, the opposition again asserts that the words “under God” are not about religion, but designed “to teach children about patriotism.”  

The majority of our lawmakers who steadfastly agree seem to be affirming that the word “God” is secular rather than religious. This may disturb many religious organizations, as indeed, they created “God” before the U.S. politicians did, and I assume that they have a copyright on the use of His or Her name.  

Gerta Farber  

S