Anti-Semitic horrors front of mind as voter

Mueller, Huynh capable candidates for board

Considering all the problems on the Alum Rock School Board, I have dedicated my time for many months to support a movement to replace Trustees.

For two years, many of us encouraged two community members to run this year.

One person I wholeheartedly support is Bruce Huynh (I’ve been walking precincts for him nearly every day). Bruce is intelligent, honest, capable and talented, and I believe he is committed to focus on the needs of the students.

The other highly capable candidate is Ray Mueller. Ray has given his time and effort for many years at his son’s school and as a bond oversight committee member.

I am confident they will work with the other Trustees with respect and decorum, bringing their unique experiences to the job.

— Tanya Freudenberger Former Alum Rock School District Trustee 2004-2008

San Jose

Dialysis clinic operators want to create fear

Re: “Dialysis firms spend $111M to beat Prop. 8” (Mercurynews.com, Oct. 31):

Although I have been injecting insulin for 45 years, my kidneys are still functioning normally.

But before I was diagnosed and treated, I experienced kidney stress from filtering excess sugar and fluids from my body.

I am very sympathetic toward people who need kidney dialysis. My healthcare activism has made me aware of the unsanitary conditions and inadequate staff attention in too many dialysis clinics.

Prop. 8 establishes higher process standards for which the major clinic operators do not want as SOP. They can spend the money opposing Prop. 8 because their special

Vote yes on Prop. 8 because these clinic operators are specialists at creating fear because their captive clientele have one other option, a transplant.

— Gerald Hunt, San Jose

World needs us to vote climate in this election

Did you know that Sweden had a severe drought this past summer?

The sun was shining with extraordinary hot temperatures for months. Initially people were overjoyed: Mediterranean-like swims in the ocean, outside all evening without a sweater, no heavy bags full of rain gear, barbecue almost every day.

People thought the summer was amazing! In the beginning at least.

Until people felt the effects of overheated houses, water restrictions and yellow lawns, animal-food shortages and, in some cases, emergency slaughters, a fire ban and no more barbecues.

When the wildfires started, people were crying for rain. The rain came eventually but too late to prevent major financial and emotional losses.

As a third-generation Jewish-American, whose great uncle Chaim Sternlicht, along with his wife and young son, were murdered by the Nazi’s at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp, following the May 1943 liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto, I watched in horror as neo-Nazis and white nationalists marched with torches and chanted, “Blood and soil,” and “Jews will not replace us,” in Charlottesville in August of 2017.

Our president then doubled-down on my horror proclaiming that there were, “Good people on both sides in Charlottesville.”

On Tuesday in Pittsburgh as the first of 11 Jews allegedly slaughtered by a virulently anti-Semitic gunman were buried, our president vehemently disavowed antiSemitism.

As for who the real Donald Trump is, I will render my opinion at the ballot box on Tuesday, in honor of my great uncle Chaim.

— Barry Goldman-Hall,

San Jose

Kids will be 40 before SamTrans tax ends

SamTrans proposed halfcent sales tax has attracted opposition owing to its 30-year-term.

With rapidly evolving technological changes, that’s much further into the future than anyone can predict. Kids in third grade will be 40 before they vote on SamTrans’ priorities again.

You wouldn’t know this from all the flyers.

Vote no on Measure W.

— Gladwyn d’Souza, Belmont