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Keep shining light
on county’s missteps
Re: “Unprotected” (Page A1, Dec. 17).
Kudos once again to the Mercury News for following up on this tragic occurrence.
While I understand the importance of “balance” and the need for policies and procedures, too often the bureaucracy and finger-pointing smack of a lack of accountability by leadership. While it pales in comparison, one only has to review the million-dollar debacle on the historical book deal authorized by county staff, and paid with taxpayer dollars, as yet another example of lack of accountability.
Please don’t let this tragedy be swept under the bureaucratic “rug” like so many other “missteps” over the years.
Killian Byrne
San Jose
‘Mr. Roadshow’ made
a difference for readers
Re: “‘Mr. Roadshow’ remembered for dedication” (Page A1, Dec. 19).
I am feeling such sadness at the passing of Gary Richards, Mr. Roadshow.
I’ve been a faithful reader of his column for decades. He was so helpful, so kind, so smart. My condolences to his colleagues and family.
Talk about making a difference. He will be missed.
Terri Lehab
San Jose
Homelessness affects
whole communities
Re: “Families should step up for homeless” (Page A12, Dec. 17).
Families are taking care of their adult children with mental health, cognitive and developmental disabilities. Many of us are alone with no family member to help. We are aging and providing care for this “invisible population” who will become homeless once we are incapacitated or dead.
Solutions for Supportive Homes, a grassroots organization, is a group of parents advocating for and looking to create permanent, affordable, supportive homes that so many need. We need the assistance of social agencies today to prevent future homelessness. We need cities and counties to plan ahead and invest in housing solutions for this vulnerable population that requires support in order to thrive and not end up in the streets.
The homeless problem will not go away as new generations of people needing supportive housing continue to emerge in communities where appropriate housing is unavailable.
Carolyn Shepard
Belmont
Apply CEQA to effects
of too few homes
Re: “Stop scapegoating CEQA for our affordable housing crisis” (Page A12, Dec. 17).
Jennifer Ganata and Doug Carstens are partially correct when they argue that CEQA is unfairly blamed for all of our housing problems. CEQA is only one of many problems why we don’t build enough housing.
A good start for environmentalists would be to apply a CEQA review of what happens when we don’t build enough housing. For starters, it would reveal far greater environmental damage when the housing gets built in faraway places and people drive much longer distances to work in older cars. It would also reveal our utter failure to build mass transit half as well as our grandparents did, and would also tell us that most of the traffic people think comes from high-density housing near them is actually coming from cars being driven from cities far away and through Coyote Valley using “byways” on their way to work.
Thomas Scott
Morgan Hill
If Trump is reelected,
he’s unlikely to leave
Re: “Appeals court again upholds Trump gag order” (Page A4, Dec. 15).
Donald Trump’s inability to accept even tiny bits of fact and truth is mirrored in his claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
Republicans wouldn’t impeach Trump but climbed on each other’s back to launch an impeachment inquiry of President Biden.
We’re all very nervous, but few seem to express that if Trump gets the Republican nomination, he is unlikely to accept the count and certification. Think of everything he’s done and double it. If he wins the presidency for four more years, does anyone think he will leave?
In either scenario, there are many more Proud Boys, not in jail, who would come to his aid.
David Eisbach
San Jose
Send Israel’s military
aid to Ukraine
If we want to try to keep Benjamin Netanyahu from completely obliterating everyone in the Gaza Strip, especially the civilians, just cut off all funding to Israel.
They already have a huge advantage militarily, so why give them more money to slaughter innocent civilians? The United States could use that money for the war in Ukraine which is more important to world peace than Netanyahu’s desire to wipe out the Palestinian people.
Hamas should be punished, but not the civilians who just happen to live there.
John Bingham
San Jose
Rules of engagement
need a rewrite
Re: “Israeli troops accidentally shoot, kill 3 Israeli hostages” (Page A4, Dec. 16).
The IDF reports the unintentional killing of three innocent hostages in Gaza. According to reports, three unarmed, shirtless men waving a white flag were shot by soldiers. Two died immediately while the third prisoner, wounded and pleading for help in Hebrew, was killed when he reappeared. According to an IDF spokesman, the soldiers involved “broke the rules of engagement.”
They certainly can’t claim ignorance. These are the same rules that all 5 million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have memorized by now, although the rules clearly need updating.
Keith Meehan
Los Gatos
