Widespread pothole issue
Concerning “Oakland blitzing potholes” (May 29): Showing workers in orange vests shoveling asphalt into our city’s potholes doesn’t mean that this widespread problem has been fixed. And how can Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf honestly say that this pothole blitz shows a sustained commitment to being a responsive, trustworthy government when our complaints about police misconduct and the growth of tent cities due to a lack of affordable housing aren’t being addressed? Demetrius McDaniel, Oakland
Inexcusable action
Regarding “Fake news on Facebook” (Editorial, May 29): It’s inexcusable that social media giant Facebook (along with Twitter) did not remove a doctored video that slowed down House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s speech to make her sound inebriated or unwell.
Such a falsehood came right out of the GOP’s bag of dirty tricks. On the other hand, anyone who watches a video of President Trump speaking at a normal speed can surely ascertain that he has been neither physically nor mentally well since the first day that he became president. No amount of manipulation can change that fact. Henrik Lundquist, Larkspur
No price paid
So the police chief gives the OK to sledgehammer a journalist’s gate, hold him for six hours in handcuffs and at gunpoint, violate any number of freedom-of-the-press laws, not to mention the First Amendment, and after being called on it, just apologizes and doesn’t have to pay any price. Priceless. So ultimately, we’re being told that any time city officials egregiously abrogate the public trust like this, they can just say “sorry” and keep going until the next time. And apologize. And the mayor will back them up. Alan Collins, San Francisco
Discriminatory rule
Regarding “Trump rules on LGBTQ care assailed” (May 29): I’m horrified to learn that as a gay American in 2019, I might be denied care by medical staff members who — due to their religious beliefs — object to my sexual orientation. Would these individuals raise similar objections about someone’s race or gender? I’m glad this latest discriminatory Trump administration rule (which is set to take effect in July) is being challenged in court. Perhaps those medical staff members who justify their rejection of LGBTQ people because of their religious beliefs should remember this quote from the Bible: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
Hugo Montoya, Mountain View
President’s attorney
Isn’t the U.S. attorney general, the chief law enforcement officer in the federal government, supposed to represent our nation in court cases and legal matters? After reading “The season of the witch hunt” (Editorial, May 29), which describes how U.S. Attorney General William Barr is now investigating the investigation of the probe of the Trump campaign’s relationship with Russia (after having also provided Congress and the American public with a misleading summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report and refused to testify before the House of Representatives), I can only conclude that Barr serves as the president’s — not the people’s — attorney. Agatha Abernathy, Palo Alto
Distortion of evidence
In regard to “Trump to harden his attack on science of climate change” (May 29): Sadly, it comes as no surprise that even in the face of massive flooding, fires, severe storms and multiple tornadoes, not to mention species extinctions, ocean acidification, surging sea levels and migration, the Trump administration chooses to double down on denial and distortion of the scientific evidence.
This administration has deliberately promoted ignorant, incompetent and morally compromised individuals to head agencies to whose missions they are actually antagonistic. Let’s face it: The Death Eaters are running Hogwarts, and the minister is an impostor. It is well past time for Dumbledore’s Army to arise and take back our hallowed institutions. Unite and vote in 2020! Stephen Upjohn, San Francisco
Source of fake news
It’s important to note that former Special Counsel Robert Mueller, in commenting on his final report and the matter of whether or not President Trump committed obstruction of justice, has stated: “If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”
The American public needs to be reminded that U.S. Attorney General William Barr mischaracterized Mueller’s findings, as did the tweeter in chief when he boasted of complete and total exoneration. Ultimately, it’s the White House — not the press — that is the source of fake news in this country. Julian Grant, Pacifica
Understandable decline
Regarding “Domestic birthrate continues to decline” (May 18): It is entirely understandable that many young people do not wish to bring a child into a world where a crooked playboy can become the U.S. president. Sad!
Leslie Wellbaum, San Francisco