Saturday’s Letters to the Editor

Putin’s climate threat

EDITOR: The Russian military surrounds and threatens the Ukrainian people. In doing so, Vladimir Putin has vastly increased the price per barrel of oil on the global market, making him the big winner, while we all suffer higher prices.

The more troops on the border, the higher the price per barrel of oil. This trend is locked in place, especially in winter. On the one hand, Putin threatens Ukraine, and on the other hand he threatens the global economy with record inflation because of this oil price spike. This weakens the U.S. economy and all our democratic allies.

To defeat Putin in the short term we need to arm the Ukrainians, and in the long-term we must transition to climate-friendly green power.

President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan has a tool kit for this transition. This will not be easy, and we all may have to sacrifice for the short haul.

To get to the next mountain, first you must go down into the transition valley, ending fossil fuel dependence. Therefore, one positive outcome of this green revolution would be the collapse of the Russian dictator’s oil economy so we can throw Putin onto the dustbin of history.

STEVEN GARCIA

Sebastopol

Disparity vs. injustice

EDITOR: The recent study about quality of life in Sonoma County and certain neighborhoods referred to “inequity” (“Uneven progress for some,” Jan. 26). One quote was this inequity is the result of decisions made by those in power.

Disparity can easily be quantified. Inequity implies injustice and victimization, and is a judgment, not a quantifiable statistic.

Disparity is far more complicated than injustice, and its correction will never be obtained by judgments of injustice and victimization. That is passing the buck and will never result in equality. It is a problem far more complex than injustice or inequity.

It is certainly more complex than neighborhood.

ROGER DELGADO

Sebastopol

Americans at war

EDITOR: As a Japanese American, and having been an internee during World War II, I read the Jan. 30 articles about veterans with great interest. The interview with Anne Ohki about her husband, Ed, who was part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team fighting in Europe during the war, brought back memories of my father volunteering in the Topaz camp and fighting in Italy and France (“Exploring lives of veterans’ families”). My mother always said she would take fewer medals if it meant fewer wounds.

The other article was about H.R. 6434, the bill introduced in the House to create the Japanese American World War II History Network to promote heritage visits to the sites linked to Japanese American internment (“Highlighting historic tragedy”). I hope it passes on Feb. 19, the date Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 creating our internment and helps prevent it from happening to any other group of Americans.

JON YATABE

Bodega Bay

Making history personal

EDITOR: I was honored with a mention once in Gaye LeBaron’s column, when she profiled my accordion teacher, Guido Canevari. That was cool. But what really resonates for me is how she created community (her old-older game) and taught community history.

Because of her, I know so much more about Sonoma County than I ever could have learned from travel guides or coffee table books. I moved here from Calistoga in 1963 (big move for a 7-year-old), and I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t learning from LeBaron’s column, even during her first “retirement.” No one could have made history more interesting, because she made history personal. And because she is a fine writer.

Enjoy your retirement, Gaye. You are one of my beloved-friends-that-I’ve-never-met.

JAN LAPPIN

Rohnert Park

Look at sheriffs’ records

EDITOR: How many of my fellow citizens read Dave Edmonds’ Close to Home column (“Time to fix the broken Sheriff’s Office,” Jan. 23)? I encourage readers to investigate every point made by Edmonds, a candidate for sheriff and a 30-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office.

If you have been paying attention to the office under the last two elected sheriffs, you can hardly be surprised by this insight. Allow me to recite the results of their leadership. Last year the county’s annual insurance premiums jumped a whopping $2.7 million, or 46%, due to use of force settlements; Andy Lopez was shot and killed by a deputy in 2013; and the Sheriff’s Office continues its political games to stymie progress of the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Oversight.

They opposed the will of 65% of the community in exercising every possible angle to block Measure P, they file lawsuits against the Board of Supervisors and are accused of bullying Supervisor Lynda Hopkins. Last May, the sheriff went rogue again, defying the county health officer’s COVID-19 orders.

Where is the respect for community interests and trust? Do your homework and support a candidate who campaigns for real change and will have nothing to do with the ethics and methodologies of our last two sheriffs.

FRANK DARIEN

Santa Rosa

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