Monday’s Letters to the Editor

Cluster bomb dangers

EDITOR: When I served in Vietnam as a weapons mechanic on F-100 jet fighters, we loaded a lot of ordnance to support the ground forces, including cluster bombs, which even at that time were considered very unstable. The problem was that not all the bomblets would explode, leaving many of them on the ground for years, waiting for someone unfortunate enough to stumble onto one. To make matters worse, the Viet Cong would carefully gather them up and make them into booby traps to use against our troops. Hopefully, Ukraine will be very careful about how they deploy these controversial weapons to avoid more tragic consequences down the line.

ANTHONY CARLSON

Santa Rosa

Closing off options

EDITOR: I was dismayed to learn that the updated coastal plan contains provisions banning desalination and offshore wind farm infrastructure (“Updated coastal plan up for vote,” Saturday). Sonoma County prides itself on its leadership in switching to renewable energy and its willingness to address the consequences of climate change.

I don’t particularly want to see our gorgeous coast spoiled with unnecessary and unsightly development, but if we’re all in on fighting climate change and preparing for its consequences, we can’t abandon tools that might enable us to win the battle. Shouldn’t we let the California Environmental Quality Act and other existing regulations rule on such developments rather than taking them off the table before their scope and impacts are even known?

Technology is evolving very quickly, and the size and impact of energy and water security developments may be vastly different over time, making them less impactful on our shores. Why say “no” without giving them a fair shot when so much depends on our ability to switch from fossil fuels? It may be appealing for supervisors to issue such a blanket ban, but it seems shortsighted.

MATT STONE

Petaluma

Nature’s democracies

EDITOR: A Close to Home article asserted that democracy was a recent invention not seen heretofore in nature (“Nature loves a dictator, but humans don’t have to,” July 2). A book that will be available on Tuesday, “The Hidden History of American Democracy: Recovering Humanity’s Ancient Way of Living,” documents that democracy was the human way of life prior to the agricultural revolution. It is our natural way of doing things. In addition, it has been found that democratic societies are the most resilient and our founders got many of their democratic ideas from Native American groups.

Even more amazing, Tim Roper and Larissa Conradt, biologists from the University of Sussex in England, have asserted in an article in the journal Nature that democracy is the way of life for all social animals. The British science magazine New Scientist published a study showing that red deer make decisions democratically.

Don’t get me or my sources wrong. I don’t think anyone is saying that being bigger and stronger or socially “superior” in some way doesn’t give one a reproductive advantage. It just doesn’t put one in charge of the group.

EDWARD MEISSE

Santa Rosa

Neutrality is complicity

EDITOR: The recent Israeli military onslaught in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank should concern and distress all Americans, as our annual gift to Israel of $3.8 billion subsidized it, and our government stood by and allowed it to happen. Palestinians are tired of being excluded, oppressed in every way, living as prisoners in their own land under a brutal Israeli military occupation for 56 years. After all, Israel in 2018 made it a law that it is a nation-state for Jews only. What are millions of indigenous Palestinians to do? They will never disappear but will continue to resist with their lives and protect their families and homes. Please, let’s stop calling them “militants.” The oppressors are the militants, not the oppressed.

For decades, Israel has criminalized any resistance to its stranglehold on Palestinian land and its inhabitants. And it’s getting worse. Why shouldn’t Palestinians want to be free? Why shouldn’t they want to live on their own land with equality and dignity? Israel’s illegal occupation and theft of the West Bank, Gaza and Palestinian East Jerusalem is the root cause of the problem and the ongoing violence. Our neutrality is complicity and worse.

THERESE MUGHANNAM-WALRATH

Santa Rosa

Taking exception

EDITOR: As a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Santa Rosa, I take exception to Pastor Jose Guadarama’s statement that our denomination and many others are “misguided” in our belief that one can be both gay and a member of the church (“Anti-gay church gets $400,000,” July 9). I have to assume he is referring to his church, Victory Outreach. In contrast, there are so many churches that celebrate the diversity in God’s creation. As I understand it, Jesus welcomed all and is our role model for love and inclusion. Gay, lesbian and transgender people continue to provide thoughtful and leadership throughout the religious community. It is my sincere hope that people reading this article will understand that there are many religious communities that do not share the opinions of this pastor.

VIRGINIA GREENWALD

Cloverdale

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