Responses to some recent letters

1. Anti-Semitism — It is not antisemitic to criticize the Israeli government for oppressing Palestinians, or for bombing their neighbors. Both are true. Read Truah, Jewish Voice for Peace, and J Street — all Jewish publications that criticize the Israeli government for the same reasons. Many Jews I know also agree, and Israelis in Israel have recently been demonstrating for necessary changes their government needs to make.

2. Socialism — Is not communism. Social democracies have democratic governments, and practice capitalism too.

The difference is that they provide a safety net where all are fed, housed and have medical care. These countries claim the money they save on crime prevention, and otherwise expensive long-term health problems, pays for most of their social programs. People who are fed, housed and healthy are far less likely to commit crimes. These societies are much more stable and their citizens report the highest rates of happiness. The Wall Street Journal and US News & World Report list the best places in the world to live and all are democratic socialist countries, including all Scandinavian countries, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Germany.

3. Antifa — Please don’t confuse the good people who are peacefully demonstrating for fairness in law enforcement with those who commit violence. Further, it has been known that police, FBI and even CIA infiltrate demonstrations and groups, encouraging violence in order to excuse harsh crackdowns and upending social movements. There is also a criminal element that attach themselves, simply as opportunists.

— Jeanne Thatcher, Chico