Disturbing details in scandal
Regarding “Noted UC professor quits amid scandal” (Oct. 15): In reference to the resignation of Geoffrey Marcy after complaints of sexual harassment against him, I am still trying to decide which detail disturbs me the most.
There’s his groping of students for over 10 years with no consequences, that this behavior was widely known in the astronomy community, or that another Berkeley professor feels that a supposedly brilliant scientist and possible future Nobel Prize winner would need to be told that groping students is unacceptable. (If someone had intervened early on, he wouldn’t have had to resign.)
Nancy Crisona, Richmond
End the violence
I mourn both Palestinian and Israeli civilian lives lost in current violence in Israel/ Palestine. When will Israel learn what more and more American Jews are beginning to understand? There will be no peace in Israel/Palestine until Palestinians achieve full human rights and equality and the right to live peacefully in their land.
Israeli peace activist Amira Hass recently wrote a piece in the Ha’aretz newspaper titled “Palestinians are fighting for their lives; Israel is fighting for the occupation.” Hass writes, “That we notice there’s a war on only when Jews are murdered does not cancel out the fact that Palestinians are being killed all the time.”
Months of incitement by the Israeli government in Jerusalem and decades of occupation, institutionalized discrimination and displacement have led to this point. As a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, I have chosen to support the international, nonviolent boycott divestment and sanctions movement as one way to pressure the Israeli government to take the steps necessary to end the violence it has started. I urge others to join me.
Ellen Brotsky, Berkeley
Bottom line
Regarding “Gun shop to pay $5.73 million to injured police,” (Oct. 15): The door to firearm regulation seems to have opened a crack with the Milwaukee state court jury’s decision to hold Badger Guns responsible for the shooting and wounding of two on-duty police officers in 2009.
The verdict centered around a “straw purchase” caught on videotape. This is the same technology, requiring video evidence of each gun shop purchase, that will force the last remaining gun shop in San Francisco to close its doors at the end of the month. According to an interview with the owner, it was the primary reason. Weapon purchasers are so shy. So if Washington can’t or won’t buck the NRA and pass meaningful gun laws on background checks, gun-show restrictions, an assault weapons ban and requiring the mentally unstable to forfeit their guns until deemed sane enough to have them, then turn the judicial system loose whenever an infraction occurs. Hit weapons dealers and manufacturers where it hurts the most ... the bottom line.
Michael Haworth, Vallejo
Traffic rules
I must admit to being confused by the article by C.W. Nevius “Guerrilla war against bicyclists is wrong tack” (Oct. 15). Nevius writes as though drivers of vehicles are against cyclists using public streets when most of the noise is actually in the opposite direction. The typical driver has no problem with cyclists — but does have a problem with cyclists who will not obey traffic rules.
I am sure that most pedestrians are in the same camp as drivers on that issue. Go to any developed part of the world where bicycles are in heavy use and you will see that they obey traffic laws, which is what every road user must do. Even if we removed every motor-powered vehicle and everyone commuted by cycle, horsedriven buggies or on foot, we would still have accidents if the rules were not followed. This article seems to condone bad behavior by a minority of cyclists, and that is troubling.
John Moore, Petaluma
Too much noise
Regarding “Wine Train is no laughing matter” (Open Forum, Oct. 16): Despite her academic credentials and scholarly article, Kim HainesEitzen fails to consider another possibility besides racism that lies behind the Wine Train debacle. It is possible that the laughter was so raucous and loud that it spoiled the enjoyment of others on the train who had paid their fare to have a good time.
Too much noise on the train, whether it is inappropriate laughter, music overamplified for the occasion, or a jackhammer on board the train needs to be addressed for the comfort and enjoyment of all. Race may or may not have played a role. Having not been on the Wine Train at that time, I dare say that Haines-Eitzen is unqualified to comment.
Paul Sheeran, San Francisco
Right revolution
In her column, “Dems’ revolution already is here” (Oct. 15), Debra J. Saunders argues that “the revolution has come,” pointing to the fact that Democrats have coalesced on various immigration issues. Among those mentioned were driver’s licenses, in-state tuition and a path to citizenship for immigrants who arrived illegally. A recent Gallup poll indicates that 65 percent of U.S. adults, including half of Republicans, support a path to citizenship.
Jeb Bush and even some Republicans in the Texas Legislature support in-state tuition as sound public policy (Dallas Morning News, Oct. 15). Agree or disagree with Democrats, but at least they are debating about specific issues, rather than engaging in a food fight about who is or isn’t a “true conservative.” Many thoughtful, well-informed Americans identify as Republicans and principled conservatives.
I have to believe that many of them are scratching their heads when even Paul Ryan is deemed by some of his fellow House members as too “squishy” to be Speaker. If there is a revolution afoot as suggested by Saunders, it’s coming from the fist-shaking far right.
John Walkmeyer, San Ramon