Monday’s Letters to the Editor

No free lunch

EDITOR: The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office posted on its Facebook and Instagram pages a thank-you note to Chik-Fil-A and In-N-Out Burger for “donating” dinner to an entire shift of deputies, dispatchers and other personnel. The donation was said to be “in honor of September 11” and the post featured pictures of happy deputies holding bags of free food and tables piled high with more free food in the background.

Perhaps the sheriff and his deputies need a reminder that there is no such thing as a free lunch. These “donated” gifts carry an expensive price tag.

The businesses involved will enjoy the additional security provided by a more visible police presence, a benefit enjoyed at the expense of other businesses. They also expect preferential treatment should they themselves run afoul of the law. Even absent such expectations, the perception of preferential treatment has been made very public. Those unable to buy dinner for an entire shift of deputies are right to question whether fair and impartial treatment can be expected from the Sheriff’s Office.

Gratuities such as these are little more than thinly veiled bribes. They breed a culture of corruption and undermine public trust in law enforcement.

Taxpayers pay a fortune for professional law enforcement. They shouldn’t have to buy it a burger first.

DAN DRUMMOND

Executive director, Sonoma County Taxpayers Association

No place for petty politics

EDITOR: On the face of it, our local recall election was about a district attorney. In reality, it was about something more important. The outcome plainly demonstrated there is no place for the petty personal politics of revenge in our community. That message needs to be heard loud and clear by Bill Gallaher and by any candidate for office who might consider accepting his poisonous campaign contributions.

BILL STONE

Santa Rosa

Pot isn’t like other crops

EDITOR: The idea that cannabis is like all other agriculture is simply not true. Treating cannabis like any other ag crop violates state law and was voted down by the Sonoma County Planning Commission on May 18.

Residents are being underserved by county counsel and the Board of Supervisors. There has been abuse of ministerial permitting of multi-tenant grow operations. The ineffective provisions for proliferation and overconcentration of cannabis have opened cultivation to all agricultural land without localized and specific environmental review at a scale that defies wholesale mitigation.

This is especially so in the Dairy Belt with varied topography and conditions and the many residential enclaves adjacent to agricultural land. The concern and impacts residents have identified to the supervisors should make it clear more control needs to be exercised in identifying and mitigating the impacts of locating cannabis near rural communities.

Why has the Board of Supervisors been unwilling to address neighborhood compatibility under the county’s cannabis ordinance? Residents urge the board to enact a moratorium on all ministerial cannabis permitting in Sonoma County.

Would the supervisors or county counsel like to have one of these cannabis operations pop up next door to their home?

ERIC FUGE

Bloomfield

Afghanistan successes

EDITOR: The 20 years America invested in Afghanistan are seen now as an abysmal failure, mainly because of a chaotic exodus played up by a media determined to compare it with the end in Vietnam. And while that’s what it certainly looks like, the unsung truth is that the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and children have been permanently changed for the better by our presence. We pulled Afghanistan out of the Dark Ages into the 21st century, and no matter what the Taliban say, it’s not going back. Women will get educated and have the opportunity to realize their dreams, and this also means that Afghanistan and our relations with it will be changed for the better. And isn’t that really what we wanted to achieve after all?

PETER BARMUS

The Sea Ranch

Anti-vax police officers

EDITOR: The many lawsuits and settlements involving local law enforcement agencies seem to have a couple things in common: the offending officer’s lack of critical thinking skills and a total absence of empathy for the community in which they serve. The scientific community has developed a fantastic opportunity to help rid police forces of miscreants. The police officers refusing vaccination (for reasons other than actual real medical reasons) are obviously exhibiting poor critical thinking skills and a lack of empathy for the public they swore to protect. Fire all the anti-vaxers immediately and eliminate at least some of the ignorant conspiracy theorists who happen to wear a badge and carry a gun. The now and future benefits would far outweigh the temporary manpower shortage.

STUART CAVENEY

Santa Rosa

The voters spoke

EDITOR: Sonoma County voters saw Bill Gallaher’s recall attempt for what it was: an outraged reaction from a man who thought that his wealth could accomplish revenge, which cost us, California taxpayers, millions of dollars. He has misused his wealth before to chastise others who had the audacity to oppose him or call him to account for his unpopular plans, mistakes and misdeeds.

This is another reminder that wealth, egotism and petulance will not be permitted to control our electorate. Now, let’s tighten up the rules on recalls. The ballot for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recall was ludicrous and made our state a figure of derision. Enough is enough.

PATRICIA F. CLOTHIER

Santa Rosa

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