Police abuse protests a two-sided serious problem

Regarding: “Police union leaders call for cooperation,” (Open Forum, Dec. 26): The problem is that they say that their “members ... have been shaken to the core by the brutal slayings of two New York City police officers.” But nowhere do they mention that millions have been shaken to the core by the brutal slayings of young black men. They suggest that it is understandable that some may protest, but the police union leaders in Ohio asked for an apology from an NFL team where a few members wore a T-shirt raising this unacknowledged brutality.

Cooperation is not likely to be received in response to onesided acknowledgments of a two-sided, serious problem.

Robert Levy, Novato

Protests a cover

While reading about the latest “peaceful protest” in Oakland, I’m wondering when we will realize these events are not protected peaceful assembly but instead cover for serious criminal acts, including looting, vandalism and assault. When each and every one of these protests turns to violence, they are in fact riots — nothing else. If these continue, they will escalate and become a prelude to anarchy. Nothing that our founding fathers intended in drafting the Constitution and Bill of Rights sanctions these type of events. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. would be outraged at these “protests,” as we all should be.

Frank Arthur, Piedmont

Missed message

While I am all in favor of freedom of speech, on the other hand I feel I must voice some objection to the snide and petty put-down of Nancy Pelosi (“She is the very leader of the Democrat minority”) written by Debra J. Saunders and appearing on Christmas Day. What a very mean-spirited, not to mention trite, missive! Saunders does nothing more than promote hatred in this season when most of us are trying to remember these key words of the holiday: “Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men (and women).”

Joan Sutton, San Francisco

Welcome sight

Warms the heart (if not the pant legs) to see Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell ford a creek in Northern California instead of sitting in the hallowed halls of Beltway government (“Monumental effort,” Bay Area, Dec. 20). Yes to this Berryessa wilderness. Hope you can talk the president into it, Madam Secretary. And keep up the good (foot) work.

Stephen Altschuler, Santa Rosa

No carols

Regarding “A shared tradition” (Letters to the Editor, Dec. 25), in which the writer glorifies the connection between peers through the sharing of Christmas carols in public schools and laments that banning such carols “eliminates Christianity.” I would ask who she deems her peers. Her fellow Christians?

A public school is populated by those besides Christians — Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and others following a non-Christian lines of spirituality. Perhaps she does not recognize them as peers.

As for the removal of Christianity from Christmas, let us consider: Mistletoe and trees are from pagan fertility rites; the yule log is representative of Mithras, the sun god; gifts are a Babylonian tradition; angels are derived from Greek and Assyrian gods; tree decorations come from the Roman Saturnalia; and the timing of the season corresponds with both the Saturnalia and pagan solstice celebrations. If Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, he is estimated to have been born in September.

Christians complain of a war on Christmas when it is the Christians who declared war and co-opted these traditions for themselves.

The proper school for learning these carols and traditions is Sunday school, surrounded by peers

Bruce Folck, Oakland

The real warning

I watched “The Interview.” I think warnings of violence if the movie opened were a misinterpretation of the hackers’ warning. They simply meant the movie was a bomb.

Dale Dombkowski, San Francisco

Mission change

The article “A changing Mission” (Dec. 21) revealed truly shameful behavior by an ethnic group that itself has suffered from discrimination. It demonstrates the universal human trait of xenophobia. Change is never welcomed; especially by those who feel they have something to lose with the arrival of people who look different from themselves. “Keep the Mission brown” and Noemi Sohn’s comment that “Certain businesses don’t fit here” are proof of that.

Yaron Milgrom had a restaurant-seating policy that was evenhandedly applied to all groups. And, yet it was his lack of “Latin-ness” that contributed to the downfall of his business. It probably wouldn’t have mattered what kind of restaurant he opened if the neighbors didn’t like his ethnicity.

Does anyone remember Kristallnacht? This time it was a New York Jew who was the victim. Next time, it could be Salvadoran immigrants who get kicked out of the Marina. Who will speak for them? The Latinos in the Mission can hardly show up with clean hands!

This was a piece of good journalism from the Chron. Hope to see more.

Robert Baker, San Mateo

Green benefits

Gas price a threat to green car sales (Front Page, Dec. 25)? Not. For an electric vehicle (e.g., the Nissan Leaf ), the real sav- ings come from: No tuneups, no smog check, no repairs to cooling system, exhaust system, transmission gears or gasolineengine parts, no antifreeze, no oil changes, no belts to change, etc. etc. Routine maintenance? Just rotate the tires, and change the cabin air filter and wipers. The battery is guaranteed for eight years. The longer you own the car, the more you save on maintenance. Simple, sustainable savings. Plus, you get to use the carpool lane.

Richard Bailey, Novato

Blood policy

As a leukemia patient in need of frequent transfusions, I am one of the reasons blood banks exist. I don’t favor any change in blood-bank policy that would increase my chances of acquiring HIV. To me — and the FDA — that should mean that no one — gay or straight — who is having sex outside a strictly monogamous relationship should be giving blood. There is no constitutional right to give blood; nor do blood banks exist for the purpose of accommodating an imagined right to donate blood. We rightly expect the blood banks to protect the blood supply and act on behalf of the recipients and not on behalf of the donors. A gift is a gift, not an obligation, a right or a privilege.

Robert Miller, El Cerrito

Cuba outreach

President Obama’s actions to normalize relations with Cuba already receive support from two-thirds of Americans polled. The 53-year-old stalemate with the Castros has produced nothing but global headscratching and tremendously wasted economic opportunity, but the minuscule minority of (mostly older) Cuban Amer- icans is predictable: They want revenge on Castro. So badly, in fact, that they ignore two essential truths: First, the most powerful American weapon is its indomitable blend of free expression, personal entrepreneurialism and tolerance to new ideas. President Bill Clinton disarmed the Cold War in Vietnam with this same strategy. Cubans will readily adopt these principles when we offer them in friendship, or at least in the interest of good business.

Second, forgiveness, compassion and humility are core Catholic beliefs. The pope has acted to end the suffering of economic isolation and to reconnect families. His mostly Catholic critics might argue well on grounds of extending hostilities and drawing hard lines, but they’ll fail on grounds of a true Christian response.

Peter Albert, San Francisco