Denial of justice in Breonna Taylor decision
The lack of any murder charges by a grand jury in Kentucky against three white officers involved in the killing of emergency medical worker Breonna Taylor is another heartwrenching example of racial injustice in our nation. If a noknock warrant by police into Taylor’s home, which was not even where a drug suspect lived, resulted in an exchange of gunfire between police and her boyfriend, is Taylor’s having been shot dead by law enforcement just considered collateral damage?
Once again, a justification of selfdefense has been used to prevent any accountability in the shooting death of a Black citizen. Ms. Taylor was not involved with any illegal activity, and did not deserve to be shot multiple times and killed in her own home by police officers. Once again, justice has been denied in a legal case involving race.
Xavier Betancourt, San Francisco
Hazardous batteries
So, according to “Tesla CEO unveils battery advances” (Business, Sept. 24), Elon Musk is vowing to create a $25,000 electric vehicle with a battery that will be able to travel 500 miles or more on a single charge?
Well, since Tesla cars have lithiumion batteries that currently cause significant environmental harm, I’ll stick to biking, walking and public transit in an attempt to reduce my carbon footprint. And I hope that Mr. Musk will try to do the same with his vehicles as technology changes.
Vernon Greene, Oakland
Rename it ‘Sanity Road’
Concerning “Clearing cars from path to the Pacific” (Sept. 24): The creation of a carfree zone for bicyclists and pedestrians from the Panhandle to the Pacific Ocean via Golden Gate Park is long overdue.
During the past half year, residents have been sheltering in place under coronavirus restrictions. Now, they have opportunity to get some exercise with face masks and social distancing, but without inhaling noxious fumes. And here’s my suggestion for a name for this new pathway, which can offer muchneeded relief from all of the daily stress under which were still living: Sanity Road.
Vivian Wexford, San Francisco
Worried over tracking
Regarding “Young voters’ mailin ballots rejected more often, study says” (Sept. 24): It is not only disturbing that a larger percentage of young voters’ ballots are being rejected, but the larger picture worries me greatly. This story indicates that our voting systems can track individual voters’ turnout via the bar codes on the return envelopes, but also seem to track the contents. In other words, while the envelope scanner is recording that a specific person mailed in his or her ballot, the system is also tracking whether that person’s ballot was rejected. If that is the case, is the system also tracking that person’s votes? Is my secret ballot not really secret?
Patrick Andersen, San Francisco
Health care is a right
Regarding “Health care law hangs in balance” (Front Page, Sept. 22): The GOP’s endless efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act should be a major campaign issue, especially since President Trump’s promise to replace it with something better has never been fulfilled.
It’s disheartening to imagine that federal funding to help low and moderateincome Americans obtain health coverage, especially those with preexisting conditions, might be ended by a new conservativemajority Supreme Court. After all these years, our leaders in Washington, D.C., are still unable to view health care as a basic human right.
Natalia Giordano, Mountain View
In defense of archbishop
Regarding “An entitled attitude” (Letters, Sept. 24) and “Worship outdoors” (Letters, Sept. 24): I am extremely annoyed with the number of letters criticizing Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, without any opposing views. One writer said the archbishop’s actions were triggered by empty collection baskets, which does not deserve an answer.
Another letter endorses the outdoor worship rule, which raises an obvious question. Has anyone seen the red skies in the Bay Area lately? The air quality made outdoor worship impossible. In my parish, we have not had an outdoor service for weeks. This was occurring while all the churches were empty. Most galling of all is one person in church at a time. What is the rational basis for this rule? Churches can safely accommodate large numbers of people while complying with social distance and mask requirements. This is all the archbishop and his flock is requesting.
Cathal Gallagher, San Jose
Imagined martydom
It would be hard to come up with a more manufactured crisis than Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone’s complaint about the Health Department’s restrictions on indoor church services. We’re in the midst of an enduring and unpredictable health crisis that has disrupted everyone’s lives profoundly. Many have died, many more have been severely ill, with uncertain recoveries and longterm adverse health effects. Complaints that retail is allowed while church services are not ignores the significant restrictions that retail, as well as all large gatherings, continue to face.
Cordileone’s impassioned protest of a problem that doesn’t exist is far more about his need for attention and the enjoyment he gets from reveling in an imagined martyrdom. It’s pretty sad when the secular authorities are more interested in protecting the faithful than their socalled shepherd.
Ronald Baumhover, Concord
Detrimental system
Our constitutional framers included the electoral college provision to keep the smaller colonies in the union. Contrary to their intent, it has resulted in victories to unsuitable candidates, sometimes with tragic consequences — former President George W. Bush in 2000 and President Trump in 2016 are examples: Bush had justified his 2003 Iraq invasion on their alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction, based on questionable or nonexistent evidence.
He ignored advice from our allies, our own intelligence, and weapons inspectors who had been there several years. This invasion destabilized Iraq and the entire region, enabling access of thousands of militants, eventually resulting in total losses of one half to 1 million lives so far. Sixteen years later, Trump grandstanded the COVID19 pandemic for political gain, using his familiar disinformation tactics, which include crediting himself for factitious achievements, and discrediting the medical profession while declaring worthless and even dangerous remedies.
The delays and inaction from these antics caused over 200,000 American deaths so far. It is remarkable that our government cannot replace this detrimental electoral college voting system with a logical onepersononevote system as our framers had originally intended.
Robert Settgast, Novato
Strong Black writers
I very much appreciate that The Chronicle publishes the columns of Justin Phillips and Otis R. Taylor, Jr. Black views matter. Richard Hewetson, Mountain View