The Opinion Pages

It’s time for the post-election post-mortems in California races, now that a significant number of the votes in all categories have been counted. First, the one that shocked everyone around here. -more-

In the wake of the Proposition 8 vote, it is easy for the LGBT community and those that support us to feel deflated. To focus on the temporary loss rather than the amazing strides we have made since Harvey Milk said, “You cannot live on hope alone—but without it life is not worth living.” In spite of this set back, which is admittedly disappointing, we have so much to be hopeful for. -more-

The conversation going on about whether or not there should be criteria that exclude the use of guns for art work placed in the Addison Street Windows exhibition is very delicate. But now that the conversation has moved from the Civic Arts Commission meetings to the public sphere in the form of flyers and newspaper articles, I feel that it is time that I add my voice. I have served on the commission for the past year and a half and during that time I have had the privilege of learning an enormous amount of information about the ways that a city commission works. I have a newfound appreciation for those who serve in public office, their roles, responsibilities and the challenges of reaching consensus in a city with a progressive history and outlook. -more-

Controversial and costly changes are planned for Berkeley High School (BHS) as a way to help close the achievement gap. BHS administrators claim that the addition of advisories, block scheduling and another small school will improve standardized test scores and college preparedness for African American and Latino students. While the goal is laudable, the effectiveness of the proposed changes remains questionable at best. The School Board should be critically assessing the costs of implementation of the reforms against a realistic appraisal of the benefits. -more-

The ink is barely dry on AC Transit’s Measure VV and Van Hool can’t wait to get a return on their investment. The ABC Company that “sponsored’ Measure VV is the agent for Van Hool buses. (I wonder if it would have passed if more people knew that!) So with indecent haste, the general manager is asking the board to approve more Van Hools at this Wednesday’s board meeting!! -more-

I grew up in this city and I am so disappointed in it I could just spit. How its citizenry can keep electing someone as mayor who quite obviously doesn’t care about their wants, needs or rights escapes me. -more-

It is unbelievable that Mayor Tom Bates could be re-elected by an astonishing 62 percent of City of Berkeley voters. This is the same mayor who gave University of California at Berkeley the rights to run rough shod over the downtown area for the next 15 years with no input from the residents. This UCB giveaway was signed behind closed doors by our mayor. The pending university land grab will result in reduced property taxes while placing the increased cost of maintenance on the backs of Berkeley residents. You see UCB is exempt from City of Berkeley property taxes. -more-

Alan Tobey’s strange Nov. 6 rant, “Measure KK Aftermath: Perish by the Sword,” prompted me to reflect on Measure KK and the discussion it generated about Bus Rapid Transit. The Measure KK campaign brought to light some interesting information about our community. Here are some of the most memorable things I learned. -more-

I have to say I’m rather appalled. In the last edition of the Daily Planet, there was an article regarding the United Healthcare Workers SEIU strike and protest and the noise complaints from surrounding Alta Bates area neighbors. Peter Shelton was specifically noted as having his 5- and 7-year-old boys woken up on the morning of the protest. The police, union representatives, the union vice president, the chief of police, a city department director, a city council member and hospital management were all quoted as regretful and solemn about correcting future such problems. -more-

As the so-called victim of the Oct. 19 assault in West Berkeley described in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Oct. 28 article “When Wife is Attacked, Husband Becomes Hero,” I would like to express a few thoughts on the matter. While I am grateful to journalist Chip Johnson for bringing attention to the assault and to crime in West Berkeley I am curious as to why he chose not to hear and include “the wife’s” version of the events. Mr. Johnson presented the crime and my husband’s actions as a hyper-masculine fantasy in which a lone-ranger saves a damsel in distress and bashes the bad guy. I found this to be disturbing on a few different levels not least of which was the reaction it received from readers: many readers wrote in to the Chronicle’s blog saying my husband should have simply killed our assailant. -more-

Having worked as a physician for the United Farm Workers Union (UFW) from 1973-78, I was interested in Zelda Bronstein’s interview with Randy Shaw about his new book on Cesar Chavez and the UFW. Since Cesar’s death it’s been my feeling that anyone who tried to write the story of Cesar might either succumb to psychocophancy or else be branded a heretic. Thus I have avoided comment on Cesar’s legacy. Like many former UFW staff I refused to talk publicly. Former KPFA programmer Chuy Varela once did a program on Cesar that I thought lacked insight and I called Chuy to tell him why. He invited me to come on the air. I refused. -more-

My daughter, who is 28 years old had just picked up her 3-year-old toddler from childcare and was on her way home from work. She made a right hand turn onto a busy street when her car was struck on the passenger front door damaging her front passengers mirror by a Caucasian male riding a bicycle. After the incident happened, she heard a crowd of people yelling and screaming angrily at her. The incident startled her and her baby as well and was frightening, because she was unsure what had occurred at the time; maybe it was a car jacking, or someone trying to snatch her baby. She tried to make a turn on a street to come back on the street where the accident occurred but got lost. When she did return, she parked her vehicle about a block away where the accident occurred and waited for the police to arrive. She was kept separate from the bicyclist and the crowd of people and was questioned by Berkeley Police. The ambulance with the medical team arrived to examine and give first aid to the bicyclist, but the medical team never examined the baby or my daughter to see if they were physically injured or in shock, etc. My daughter was arrested. This was the first time she had ever been arrested and placed in jail. She bailed out of jail three days later and got a public defender to represent her. The public defender stated that there was a possibility her case would be dropped. After I spoke with him, pertaining to the bicyclist being the one to cause the accident, he assured me that the bicyclist was not responsible and that my daughter had left the scene of the accident which made her automatically guilty. -more-

new blood was needed -more-