NFL players’ right to convey opinions
Regarding “NFL controversy about more than a flag” (June 1): I’m weary of conservative columnists like Andrew Malcolm who, in his latest column, describe U.S. citizens with progressive values as being “coastal elites.”
There are many people across our country who respect free speech and accept the rights of football players to publicly protest. You don’t have to be wealthy or well-educated to understand this concept, even though someone who fits this description and routinely attacks journalists, is sitting in the Oval Office. Malcolm also criticizes TV talk show hosts for promoting their “alien coastal values” to those viewers in flyover states who simply want their entertainment to be free of political content.
Well, I’d rather live in a country that allows anyone — including actors, TV hosts, athletes, and everyday folks — the right to express his or her opinion, than to live somewhere (like North Korea or Russia) where everyone is expected to be subservient to their leaders and dissent is not tolerated.
Careless statements
Regarding “Mayor walks back wary remark about cleanup scandal” (Page One, May 31): Really dismayed by Mayor Mark Farrell’s glowing comments about the safety of the Hunters Point Shipyard site.
I’ll bet that I’m not the only person to read this front page article with eyes bulging in disbelief at his careless statements. So he thinks that the shipyard site is an “amazing opportunity” for San Francisco residents. Maybe he and Supervisor Malia Cohen would like to sell us a bridge, too.
Well, I ain’t buying. And I would sure have to look twice at any endorsements in the forthcoming election they might see fit to sell us. Why, if that site is not contaminated, I might write in Willie Brown for mayor again. And I’ll bet Brown ain’t buying those laughable comments either.
Demand a change
Regarding “City tells Uber, Lyft to provide driver pay info” (May 30): I commend City Attorney Dennis Herrera for calling in the documentation that will show whether Uber and Lyft misclassify their workers in order to cheat them out of their legal rights and protections!
The San Francisco Administrative Code requires that drivers who haul the city’s sewage sludge be classified as employees rather than independent contractors. This law was enacted because some companies had adopted a business model of misclassifying workers to save money. After deducting expenses for maintenance and gas, drivers were often paid less than minimum wage.
San Francisco should demand a similar change from Uber and Lyft. While we’re at it, let’s demand that those new permits for scooters require that the companies classify their workers as employees.
These companies (that grew out of the ride-sharing industry) hire “independent contractors” to pick up the scooters, charge their batteries and put them back on the street. I think we’ve seen enough of this gig economy business model where the out-of-town companies get rich and San Francisco workers are left to scramble to make a buck with no rights to employee benefits.
Stick to the basics
Regarding “Digital license plates inspire promise, fears” (May 31): Digital license plates are a $700 solution to a $5 problem. A simple, reflective aluminium plate without any electricity does a fantastic job of identifying a vehicle.
All the functions (assuming any of them are worth doing at all) claimed by Reviver Auto’s CEO, Neville Boston, can be implemented elsewhere in the chassis and not be vulnerable to damage when parking or getting into an accident. Just because it can be done does not mean it should be done. Stick to basics, please.
Karl Gustafson, Half Moon Bay
Corinne Dowling, San Francisco
Donna Levitt, Nevada City
Ted Loewenberg, San Francisco
‘Wild’ NBA finals theory
Regarding “A wild one to start with” (Page One, June 1): Game 1 of the NBA Finals was, indeed, wild. And I have a “wild” theory about why the Golden State Warriors were able to overcome Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Lebron James’ 51-point performance.
Maybe the mind of James’ teammate, J.R. Smith, who thought the Cavaliers were up by a point in a tied game and dribbled away from the basket, was being controlled by invisible “Area 51” aliens in the last seconds of regulation time. Whatever the case, I thank the basketball gods for a fantastic game. Go Dubs!
Vernon Greene, Oakland
Don’t use ‘skeptic’
Regarding “Climate change skeptics working closely with EPA” (May 27): Please, please don’t refer to climate change deniers as “skeptics” as you did in the headline of Ellen Knickmeyer’s commentary. Skeptics rely on good scientific evidence to form their opinions and political policies.
The Heartland Institute and other right-wing “think tanks” funded by the fossil fuel industries are climate change deniers. There is a big difference. The Associated Press has agreed with the Center for Inquiry in that they will not use the term “skeptic” when referring to those who ignore, deny, or worse, make up fake science to further their agenda.
Dave Murphy, Petaluma