Get families involved in homeless solutions

In all the talks about the problem of homeless people in the Bay Area, I find one key word missing: family. Experts, politicians, activists and wellmeaning citizens are all working hard to come up with a solution, but what about the families of these homeless people?

It appears that many of these homeless people have either been abandoned by their families or are purposely avoiding any contact with their families.

I believe firmly that we must get families involved if we are to find a viable solution that will not only take people off the streets but keep them off the streets forever.

If we truly believe that blood is thicker than water, we need to take responsibility for our parents, our children and our brothers and sisters and do all we can to help them in their time of need.

Of course, the authorities should do everything possible to alleviate the homeless situation, but we all need to pitch in. It is up to all of us in general and the families of these homeless people in particular to step up and help solve the problem before it overwhelms us and destroys our communities.

Myo Myint, San Jose

The real fraidycat

So according to “Study: Cougars terrified when humans draw near” (Page 1, July 17), the presence of people turns mountain lions into veritable fraidycats and causes bobcats, skunks and opossums to change their behavior to avoid detection? The same can be said of a certain bully in the White House whenever he is confronted directly by strong women in politics and elsewhere.

Francine TompkinsOliviera, Berkeley

Double insult

The writer of “Immigrant nation” (Letters, July 16) mentions that we are a nation of immigrants. Yes, that is true, but our presentday country also has a number of original “Native Americans.”

This is not surprising in as much as the original occupancy of almost all the American sphere was by Native Americans. In fact, some of us can see that many of the aspiring new immigrants along the present border of the United States are largely descendants of original Native Americans.

Who has a better argument to travel into the Americas, descendants of Native Americans or President Trump?

Mary Pedraza, San Francisco

Twitter’s confusion

If Twitter says that President Trump’s tweets attacking “the squad” didn’t violate its hateful conduct policy, then what in hell does? Elizabeth Manning, Novato

What is Trump hiding?

Knowing that a blatantly racist tweet would dominate the attention of social media and the mainstream media, President Trump did exactly that.

That tweet should make the world wonder, what’s he covering for this time?

Does he expect voters to forget the epic struggle to place a citizenship question on the 2020 census? Is it an effort to deflect attention from the inhumane conditions in which immigrants are being held at the U.S. southern border?

Is it a whitewash to cover the millions that were transferred from national parks and the Department of Defense to pay for the parade?

Was it the intent to distract from the easing of restrictions on tailpipe emissions?

Did someone in the administration notice that Democratic candidates have presented plans which can’t help but benefit the majority of Americans, while his administration’s efforts have only benefited the 1%?

Has someone close to the president pointed out that one tiny tweet of congrats to the victorious U.S. women’s soccer team didn’t atone for the harassing tweets earlier?

Or maybe the nation’s attention needed to be shifted from the accurate assessments made by the recently retired British ambassador? We’ll find out sooner or later.

Gene Nielsen, Crescent Mills, Plumas County