San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Ready for electric cars
Regarding “S.F. candidate decried for referring to Jewish journalist as a Nazi” (Bay Area & Business, Aug. 25): As an Asian American, I find Leanna Louie’s comments appalling and divisive.
Just as Asian Americans have been labeled “foreigner” despite our over two-century history in America, slinging “Nazi” at a newspaper reporter smacks of ignorance and simple racism.
The words are meant not only as insults but exhibit the perpetrator’s ignorance of self-superiority over their targets, who they deemed less American and therefore unworthy of respect and humanity. Those words can cut divisions among communities.
In the 1980s and 1990s, some members of Congress wanted to eliminate several legal family reunification immigration programs that had been utilized by Asian Americans. African American, Jewish and Latino organizations came together to campaign alongside Asian Americans, thus we were able to preserve family-based immigration that has continued to unify future generations of Americans with their family members.
Our coalition wasn’t formed simply because the exclusionary proposal was anti-Asian, it was anti-American.
Today, we are living in an increasingly nationalistic and fragmented America. As Asian Americans and San Franciscans, we must continue to learn from and respect each other’s unique and common American experiences. Only then can we stop hate of any form against any one and all of us.
Yvonne Lee, San Francisco
Leanna Louie, who was disqualified as a San Francisco District Four supervisor candidate because she did not qualify on residency requirements, is being criticized for referring to a Jewish journalist as a “Nazi” in social media posts.
Regarding “Electric plan affirms state’s status on climate” (Front Page, Aug. 26): Kudos to California for enacting the electric vehicle mandate. While it is a bit odd that the Air Resources Board decided to allow a small number of plug-in hybrids after 2035, it does seem like the big auto manufacturers are now (finally) coming on board to the electric car revolution (even Chrysler will soon replace their muscle cars with EV versions).
Auto makers will have no interest in putting both electric motors and combustion engines in cars by 2035, that is, as long as the electric-vehicle charging
infrastructure is robust enough by then to meet the demand.
Just as California has pushed solar electric and battery systems for new homes, solar panels and batteries ought to be encouraged — and possibly mandated — at new EV charging stations. Doing so would ameliorate concerns about car charging stations putting strains on the power grid and ensure some juice for charging even during power outages.
A word about electric car prices: Don’t focus on average prices. There are many new EVs in the $20,000 and $30,00 range. And the Nissan Leaf, the first EV from a major manufacturer,