Those on the extreme left are not progressives
Regarding “Progressives under attack from right — and left” ( Justin Phillips, SFChronicle.com, Oct. 15): As a 62-yearold activist, lifetime Democrat, and proud Jewish progressive, I found myself cheering as I read Justin Phillips’ column.
The far right of the Republican Party — and even some moderate Democrats — have been incredibly effective at vilifying language used by progressives to describe positive change we’d like to see.
Phillips rightly points to the right’s linguistic destruction of “progressive” (which I see as making forward progress with sensitivity to those who may have historically been marginalized or left behind) and “woke” (originally coined by Black activists and later adopted more widely to mean opening our eyes to institutional racism and developing anti-racist, pro-LGBTQ and other policies).
The Israel-Hamas conflict is just the latest example of this. Yes, there are extreme left groups out there — many of them on college campuses — that have tried to justify Hamas’ attack and the deaths of innocent Israelis, but these are fringe groups and not the “progressive left.”
I mourn with sadness the savage death of any innocent person, Israeli or Palestinian, caught up in this seemingly intractable conflict. I am the “progressive left.”
Abby Margolis Newman, Mill Valley
Military is necessary
Regarding “Peace not weapons” (Letters to the Editor, Oct. 13): David Spero wants peace and criticizes the U.S. “military-industrial complex,” but Hamas and Fatah leaders want terrorism and don’t want peace with Israel. They want Israel destroyed and have rejected many offers for a two-state solution.
Israel can’t end the so-called occupation of Gaza until the Palestinians have new leaders who will accept a peace agreement. Until then, Israel, Ukraine and the U.S. cannot defend themselves without the “military-industrial complex.”
Spero is a well-meaning idealist who, unfortunately, is wrong.
Norman G. Licht, Palo Alto
Oust D.A. Jenkins
Regarding “S.F. district attorney deletes tweet calling march for Palestinians a ‘pro-Hamas rally’ ” (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, Oct. 16): As a Jewish great-grandmother, I was offended and shocked by the behavior of San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who claimed that a demonstration in our city was “pro-Hamas.”
The Hamas attack on Israel was awful and was triggered by the ongoing hostilities of Israel, which has kept the Palestinians in Gaza without the freedoms that Jewish Israelis can enjoy.
Ordinary, already oppressed people are being made homeless in retaliation for things done by a military force. They are being sent “south” and can find no refuge. It is those people for whom San Franciscans were demonstrating.
I am not able-bodied enough to have joined those demonstrators, but my heart was with them and so should all people who believe in peaceful coexistence be with them.
For a district attorney to show such disrespect for people protesting against the Israeli government was wrong. Having made such a declaration, she should be removed from office. We are learning to live together, and Brooke Jenkins is teaching us to hate.
Sydney Gurewitz Clemens, San Francisco
Not much progress
Regarding “Before ‘Eras’: 20 best concert films to watch right now” (Arts & Entertainment, SFChronicle.com, Oct. 12): After reading the article, I watched “The T.A.M.I. Show” from 1964. I got a kick out of watching the go-go dancers in the background, working themselves into a frenzy — a group of Black and white kids having fun!
The predominately white audience went wild over the Black performers: the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Chuck Berry and especially James Brown. The show was the intersection of Motown, the British Invasion with the Rolling Stones and Gerry and the Pacemakers, and the California surf sound of the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean.
At the end, it was one big party as all the performers and backup singers danced around the stage together. What struck me was how this was such a hopeful time in our history.
They say music is the “great uniter,” but now nearly 60 years later, I look at how far we haven’t come.