Don’t turn a blind eye to homeless suffering
Concerning “S.F. bursts bubble of domed dining” (Business, Aug. 19): Count me as someone who is not disappointed that Japanese finedining spot Hashiri, located in an area where many homeless people congregate, was ordered by a Department of Public Health officer to take down its geodesic domes for diners due to improper ventilation. During this coronavirus pandemic, when the COVID19 virus is disproportionately affecting the city’s homeless population, it’s unconscionable that Hashiri turned a blind eye to those suffering around them by constructing domes in which to serve welltodo customers its expensive meals. Clearly, this restaurant does not embrace an oftenheard expression during this health crisis: We’re all in this together.
George Alexandrou, San Francisco
Humane injunction
So, according to “Transgender ruling” (News of the Day, Aug. 19), President Trump thinks that a federal judge’s decision to block his administration from rolling back health care protections for transgender people is horrible and politically charged? Well, this transgender person thinks this injunction is humanitarian and apolitical, two adjectives I’d never associate with the current Oval Office occupant.
Finn MacLaughlin, Daly City
Corporate greed
Concerning “Automakers out of reverse” (Editorial, Aug. 19): Our once Golden State is now droughtstricken and being plagued by excessive heat and wildfires. And though California and other states are trying to address the reality of climate change with responsible auto emission standards, the probusiness Trump administration wages antienvironmental court battles and advocates opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.
It’s truly tragic that corporate greed has overtaken common sense, and that the GOP doesn’t seem to care about wrecking the world we are leaving to future generations.
Micah Goldfarb, Mountain View
A drop in the bucket
Of course the federal government should support the U.S. Postal Service with needed funds, keeping it robust and highly functional for a myriad of good reasons. It should not be required to justify its existence by being more profitable than, say, the interstate highway system, which certainly doesn’t produce any significant revenue at all. It’s an essential service that our government needs to provide for the good of all.
That said, the talk of the Postal Service being inundated by mailin ballots is silly. The USPS delivers over 450 million pieces of mail on an average day, six days every week. In 2016, about 138 million ballots were cast in the presidential election, the largest number ever. This number of ballots, spread over several weeks of mail, is a drop in the bucket for the USPS. Unless its functionality is significantly reduced, as is being threatened, there shouldn’t be any capacity problem with every American voter voting by mail. And the “fraud” card is another bogus play — voter fraud in mail voting (also true of inperson voting) has been shown to be exceedingly rare.
Tod Brody, Mill Valley
Teachers deserve praise
As Bay Area school districts begin their academic years with mostly online instruction, this father of two teenagers would like to offer praise to a muchmaligned group of people: teachers. These dedicated professionals have spent their summers preparing to educate students under very challenging circumstances, but have been attacked in the media for resisting President Trump’s absurd national edict to open the schools! Unless and until our public school districts can provide proper classroom ventilation and personal protective equipment to all educators and students, the risk of spreading the COVID19 virus outweighs the benefits of full inclass learning. Only infectious disease experts should advise teachers of when it is safe to move from online to a hybrid or backtoschool model of instruction. In the meantime, it’s important to support the people who have one of society’s most important jobs: educating our children.
Herman Rivera, San Jose
Ignored report
I’m not surprised that our selfdescribed stable genius president is rejecting a bipartisan report from the Senate’s Intelligence Committee, which found that his 2016 campaign’s interactions with Russian operatives posed a grave threat to our national security. Since President Trump will continue to call this investigation a witch hunt and a hoax during his efforts to seek a second term, his new 2020 campaign slogan should be this famous quote from George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984”: “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”
Vivian Wexford, San Francisco
Support the press
Regarding “Support bill to save newspapers” (Open Forum, Aug. 18): I was intrigued by the line “when we take things for granted, the things we are granted are taken.” Meanwhile, the headline at the top of the page reads: “Postal plot delivers alarm, outrage” (Editorial, Aug. 18). It’s hard to imagine a life without the local press and the U.S. Postal Service, as both deliver information, community and commerce. While these institutions may seem like relics of the past, we will not be better off if they disappear. Please support your local press by continuing your subscriptions if you can, then take a minute to write your state representative in support of AB323, and to your congressional representatives in support of the Postal Service ... lest the things we are granted are taken.
Jim Hallock, Oakland
GOP’s betrayal
Regarding “Trump campaign’s Russia contacts ‘grave’ threat, Senate says” (sfchronicle.com, Aug. 19): A Senate panel concluded Tuesday that associates of Donald Trump had regular contact with Russians and expected to benefit from the Kremlin’s help. Despite reports from its own committee detailing Russian involvement with the Trump campaign, Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Mitch McConnell, refused to allow witnesses and testimony during Trump’s impeachment trial, leading to his acquittal. All we need to know about Republican attitudes toward our country and their oaths of office is contained in this one word: betrayal. There is no other word to describe it. The people who made their accusations against this dimestore mob boss were willing to testify to that effect under oath. They are patriots. And then, there are the Senate Republicans.
Ben Janken, Oakland
Overworked employees
I’m glad to learn that the proposed changes to the Postal Service budget and operations will be delayed until after the election. However, I am confused as to why anyone was upset that the postmaster general wanted to cut overtime hours as part of his proposed changes. The post office has been underfunded for years, and post office employees have had to work overtime for too long. It indicates to me that the post office needs to hire more people, not continue to encourage or require overtime, which can lead to fatigue, stress and injuries to the employees.
Kay Feallock, Richmond
Call her Sen. Harris
“Mispronouncing ‘Kamala’ strikes familiar chord” (Aug. 16) provides an interesting description of folks’ seeming incapability to wrap their brains around a pronunciation of a name that doesn’t fit into the European language that Americans have been primed for. Perhaps it would be easier for them to refer to her as Sen. Harris.
Gail Halava, Kula, Hawaii