Friday’s Letters to the Editor

U.S. must join the fight

EDITOR: I watched the State of the Union address. I was mortified to hear Joe Biden say that the U.S. is doing everything it can to help Ukraine. I wanted to hear him say that, with U.S. leadership, the NATO countries will crush Vladimir Putin.

It is 1939 all over again. With the Russians targeting civilians with illegal thermobaric and cluster bombs, there is no name we can give the conflict except genocide. The world is faced with a unique opportunity — to get rid of Putin and his criminal cronies. One person stands between that objective and the rest of the world: Biden.

Sending weapons may help the Ukrainians, but it is not enough to defeat the Russians. We should be bombing their tanks and armored personnel carriers and shooting their planes out of the skies.

And where is Congress? All I’ve seen is hand-wringing. The standing ovation they gave Ukraine at the State of the Union affair is mere posturing. It will not save a single life.

I understand that nobody wants the U.S. to be the world’s savior. But we are the only country that can do it.

MICHAEL BURWEN

Petaluma

Unsupported assertions

EDITOR: Sandy Metzger betrays ignorance by saying that the state school board and Legislature are installing critical race theory into California schools (“Why people leave,” Letters, Feb. 28). They’re not. The mandate for inclusion of ethnic studies doesn’t include critical race theory. She should read it. Instead, her reading seems to consist of radically conservative publications.

The “critical” in critical race theory means the same as in critical thinking: the individual must objectively research, analyze and evaluate information before blindly accepting what some authority says is true. That approach is equally critical of both conservative and liberal positions. Its ultimate goal is accurately determining what is or isn’t so.

Her other claims must also be subjected to impartial analysis before she can assert so confidently that she knows why so many people have “fled” California. Have they?

The previous president’s harsh immigration policies drastically curtailed the number of people moving here, as did COVID pandemic travel restrictions. Death rates were up due to the virus, and births have been declining here and throughout the country for decades. She mentions none of these factors as contributors to our population loss. Why not? Might they weaken her unsupported assertions?

JIM LOBDELL

Santa Rosa

U.S. is far better off

EDITOR: David Korte asked if things are better since Donald Trump left office (“Are things better,” Letter, March 3). Emphatically, yes. We do not have senseless tweets coming out of the White House that are boorish and divisive. We are not building a stupid wall that was breached 3,272 times in the past three years. We do not have the politicization of every governmental office at the behest of a president with no sense of norms or national history. And we are focusing again on climate change, the Iran nuclear deal and NATO. We have a leader who is concerned about everyday people. The county is far better off now.

NOEL J. O’NEILL

Willits

Experienced candidate

EDITOR: I write in support of the candidacy of Kevin Burke for sheriff. I came to know and interact with Burke while he served as police chief in Healdsburg. I developed the utmost respect for his leadership skills while he served in that capacity. I served as police chief in Healdsburg, San Bruno, Cloverdale and as interim chief at Santa Rosa Junior College. I understand how important it is to have a person with strong leadership skills in charge of a community law enforcement department.

I also found Burke to be active (and proactive) in community outreach efforts. As one example, he facilitated a valuable mental health program during his tenure in Healdsburg. As we all know, the ability to recognize and address mental health issues has become an increasingly important component of law enforcement efforts and activities.

Finally, I have found Burke to always be accessible. Given the broad scope of responsibilities associated with the sheriff’s office, I believe his demonstrated leadership, accessibility and responsiveness to the overall community will serve our county well. I am pleased to endorse Kevin Burke for Sonoma County sheriff.

JOE PALLA

Cloverdale

Slow down. It’s patriotic

EDITOR: Regarding Ukraine, we need to wage an information war, even through heavy Russian censorship. Vladimir Putin has already engaged us in that, but he has developed so many disinformation allies, he hardly needs to continue his efforts. His war in Ukraine shows him running a terrorist state.

There is something we all can do against Putin that will not only save us money, it will also be environmentally friendly. When you put the pedal to the metal, you have a partner in Putin. I estimate the average freeway speed in Sonoma County under good conditions is 70 mph. This is basically like driving your car into a hurricane force headwind. With the global factors in the price of gas, this puts money in Putin’s pocket. Also, social spacing in traffic is desirable even in non-pandemic years. Drive slow. Drive safe. It’s patriotic.

JON WOBBER

Cotati

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.