Letters to the editor

Tech firms may want to rethink Texas plans

Hey Silicon Valley tech companies. Come on down to Texas where there is no fuel, electricity or water.

— Larry Stone, Sunnyvale

Column seeking Biden apology is disingenuous

Marc A. Thiessen’s Sunday, Feb. 14 column (“Capitol Police deserve apology from president, Page A13) requests President Biden apologize to the Capitol Police. It is in the 12th and last paragraph of the column that Thiessen writes, “Let’s be clear: Donald Trump is responsible for what happened in the Capitol that day.”

Thiessen never asks Trump to apologize to the Capitol Police and the nation in response to the insurrection at the Capitol. Thiessen knows that Trump never apologies for his actions. That is why Thiessen’s article is both cynical and disingenuous.

— Phillip Doppelt, San Jose

City podcast on zoning change one-sided

Taxpayer-funded advocacy by the San José Housing Department is clearly on display in the Dwellings podcast. This podcast is one-sided, unbalanced and didn’t adequately explain key concepts in layman’s terms.

The “Opportunity Housing” proposal — a wonderful marketing term — is the elimination of single-family zoning citywide. “By right” means no community input or appeals. Processes are streamlined so that approval is received without discretionary reviews provided zoning standards are met. This is a critical, citywide, irreversible, fundamental proposed zoning change. City staff should be providing complete, fair and balanced information. Instead, they’re advocating for one side with our tax dollars. If you want more information on reasons why eliminating single-family zoned housing citywide is a bad idea, go to familieshomessj.org (an unfunded grassroots group of concerned residents). — Sandra Delvin, San Jose

Tribes should get paid for use of their terms

Re. “Cherokee Chief: Time for Jeep to end use of name,” Page C7, Feb. 23: It is long past due that Native American tribes and nations need to unite in order to license all native related words used by huge corporations and the sports industry to identify their products like Cherokee, Seneca, Dakota, Redskins, Braves, Winnebago, Chiefs and more, to advertise trucks, cars and sports teams both professional and at the college level.

This move would allow muchneeded financial support to our Indigenous people and the reservations upon which they struggle to live and survive. Our Indigenous peoples need all our support to improve their deplorable conditions and the shameful existence we have forced upon them.

— Susan Dillon, Morgan Hill

Mallard Fillmore attack on AOC is ‘truly insipid’

I appreciate The Mercury News putting varied voices in their opinion and comics sections, but the Feb. 23 Mallard Fillmore goes from the usual right-wing propaganda to become truly insipid.

Comparing Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who went to Texas to help those in need while one of their elected representatives fled to Cancun, to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a QAnon believer who blames “Jewish space lasers” for wildfires, is like comparing apples to mold. You can have an opinion on the former, but the latter will make you sick, period.

— Sajeev Toprani, Los Altos

Impeachment letter missed an opportunity

I am disappointed by the way former Rep. Ernie Konnyu chose to address the outcome of the Senate trial of Donald Trump’s second impeachment (“Impeachment acquittal a righteous decision,” Feb. 19). He could have explained why he felt the trial invalid after Trump left office, the implications of then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell putting off the trial until after President Biden’s inauguration and what remedies would have been more appropriate. Even McConnell expressed that Trump’s actions were deeply inappropriate.

Instead of using his position to educate, he chose to simply reiterate the fact that Trump was not convicted and to take a swipe at another local representative, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. If Konnyu wishes to compare unsuccessful attempts at political action, I would suggest that Trump’s several dozen failed lawsuits after the November election put him in a much worse position than those pursuing the second impeachment, in which more same-party Senators voted to convict than in any former presidential impeachment trial.

— David Green, Milpitas

State must act now to reopen schools

Children, families, communities are suffering because of continued school closures. Women and families are being disproportionately impacted with increased stress, responsibilities and income loss.

If bargaining units are unwilling to teach, Gov. Gavin Newsom must act to restore public education services in California.

Liz Block, El Cerrito