Thursday's Letters to the Editor

<p><b>Biden's remarks</b></p><p>EDITOR: Vice President Joe Biden assured debate watchers that he and the president will know long before Iran gets a nuclear bomb, but they didn't even know that our diplomats Libya were begging for protection before the attack on Sept. 11.</p><p>Biden claims to be a Catholic who believes abortion is the taking of a human life, but he wholeheartedly supports President Barack Obama's efforts to force taxpayers and churches to pay for abortions that violate their consciences.</p><p>And what was with all the snickering and interruptions while Paul Ryan was speaking? Was it just a rude sign of contempt for his opponent, or was Biden trying to shrug off Obama's miserable record over the past four years?</p><p>DAVID BJORNSTROM</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><p><b>A welcome gesture</b></p><p>EDITOR: As a centrist, I welcome the attempt by two candidates for City Council — Mayor Ernesto Olivares and Erin Carlstrom — to achieve “detente.” It suggests that these two candidates wish to bridge the divide between council factions.</p><p>It is in Santa Rosa's interest that its council come together to find reasonable solutions to critical issues (pension reform, economic development, intelligent growth, etc.). It may prove to be a daunting task, yet I applaud Olivares' and Carlstrom's effort.</p><p>As a member of the Charter Review Committee, I am aware of their differing positions on district elections. It is a bit ironic should Measure Q pass that we would not be afforded this opportunity to vote on such future alliances. Measure Q would remove our right to vote in citywide council elections every two years.</p><p>Unity is never gained through division. I have long been impressed by Olivares' quiet competence, and I welcome Carlstrom's willingness to extend her hand across the council divide, too.</p><p>CURT GRONINGA</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><p><b>Looking forward</b></p><p>EDITOR: My kids and I have ridden in the GranFondo the past two years. They are old enough (11 and 13) to read the headlines. I now get to have the conversation with them about choices, how we all get to make them and how those choices guide us through life.</p><p>I am just another number in the Fondo; I have supported and ridden in it since the first year. I have happily paid my entrance fees because of the community support from Levi Leipheimer and his wife and for the opportunity to train for an epic Sonoma County ride. Leipheimer's notoriety as a top international rider helped make the GranFondo possible, and his next few moves will determine his future beyond cycling. We shouldn't let poor choices define who we are; it's how we react to and rectify the mistakes we make that tells the tale of what we are made of.</p><p>Obviously, this was not Leipheimer's proudest moment. Let's see what happens. I am hopeful that professional cycling is in fact cleaning up and will emerge from this cloud of suspicion that seems to follow it wherever it travels.</p><p>MARK WARREN</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><p><b>Cooties in your beans?</b></p><p>EDITOR: Remember when California mandated a cleaner-burning gasoline? The big oil companies fought this and lost — the end result being cleaner, healthier air quality. Remember when California mandated better gasoline mileages for cars? The auto industry fought this and lost — the result being cars nationwide are getting better gas mileage.</p><p>California is now at another watershed moment. International agribusiness giants Monsanto, Dupont, BASF Plant Science, Bayer Cropscience and Dow Agribusiness, etc. are spending millions of dollars on slick and deceitful mailers and TV ads to defeat Proposition 37.</p><p>That can of beans on your kitchen shelf — wouldn't you like to know if it contains cooties? Good cooties, bad cooties, neutral cooties or 1 percent cooties; today there are many kinds of genetically engineered cooties in the foods we buy. U.S. food labels should show genetically engineered cootie content. They already do this in Europe. We can again lead the nation by passing Proposition 37. Vote yes on Proposition 37.</p><p>BILL KRUMBEIN</p><p>Santa Rosa</p>