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Reaction to this shooting
will be predictable
Re: “2 children killed in school shooting” (Page A1, Aug. 28).
Once again, we hear of another in an endless string of uniquely American single-shooter mass casualty events, this time at a Catholic school in Minneapolis. Two children are dead, many more are seriously injured, and the well-armed alleged assailant committed suicide.
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Initial reports echo the all too familiar responses, including, “absolutely incomprehensible … unspeakable tragedy … horrific,” and “Pope Leo XIV is praying for the families of the dead.” My heart bleeds for the families who sent their children to school, and will now plan their funerals or sit vigil at the hospitals. But, please, incomprehensible, unspeakable, horrific? Not in America. Our leaders, our policymakers, did absolutely nothing after Columbine, Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, Las Vegas and the list goes on and on.
Following a period of political hand-wringing, NRA silence and the requisite thoughts and prayers, absolutely nothing will happen until the next time. What was that definition of insanity?
Barry Goldman-Hall
San Jose
Don’t turn California
into Manhattan
Re: “We need more housing next to mass transit” (Page A6, Aug. 8).
SB 79 aims to remake California in the image of Manhattan. The bill increases housing density near dedicated bus, train and ferry stops by reaching deep into the neighborhoods around those stops and permitting, by right, five- to seven-story rental apartment buildings. The bill does little to make this new housing affordable and wreaks havoc on the planning efforts made by cities with compliant Housing Elements. The bill says nothing about its displacement of established residents and businesses.
The rush to convert land near transit to high-rise rentals might be justified if housing supply were the problem. Supply is not the problem. The crisis in housing is affordability — the gap between what middle- and low-income residents can pay and what housing costs.
Residents can help defeat the Manhattanization of California by sending a short email message or calling their legislators. Just say, “Oppose SB79.”
Ann Duwe
Cupertino
State can’t afford
to simply be right
Re: “Gerrymandering issue to be decided by voters” (Page A1, Aug. 22).
We begin now on the path to combat the Texas scam to move House seats to the GOP.
Already in the past two weeks, my mailbox has had three fliers telling me how wrong it would be for California to follow suit. None of the pieces talk about partisan politics, the fact that this effort is in response to the Texas action. They all appeal to the purity of policy, and I agree with the principle. However, we have to do this. Too much is at stake to ignore this blatant attempt to keep Americans from switching control of the House.
The Republicans hope we will do what we too often do — default to being right rather than winning.
William Fisher
Cupertino
Temporary gerrymander
will preserve democracy
Years ago, a competition was held where computer programs fought each other, with the shortest program winning by simply returning whatever the attacking program did to it. It was named “Tit for Tat,” making it clear that “fighting fire with fire” is the most effective tactic to win. Thus, we must fight fire with fire to counter President Trump’s instruction to Republican-held states to redistrict (gerrymander) to put more Republicans in the House of Representatives during the midterms next year.
As distasteful as it may be for many of us, we must temporarily gerrymander if we do not want our country to become a white, Christian male-dominated dictatorial regime. It is obvious that this is the intent of Trump and his MAGA supporters. The Republican argument that our gerrymandering would threaten California’s democracy is a red herring, as Californian democracy is useless without U.S. democracy.
Lawrence Koepke
San Jose
Numbers a testament
to SJSU’s leadership
Re: “SJSU sets mark for campus numbers” (Page B1, Aug. 27).
As a volunteer scholar at San José State University for more than a decade, I was proud to see the Mercury News highlight our record enrollment of nearly 40,000 students.
This milestone reflects the visionary leadership of President Cynthia Teniente-Matson, whose expansion of student housing and renovation of the International House are reshaping campus life. Equally, Dean Sheryl Ehrman’s modernization of the engineering curriculum positions SJSU at the forefront of innovation.
SJSU’s growth is more than numbers — it is a powerful investment in students and a vital strengthening of Silicon Valley’s talent pipeline.
Professor Baltej Mann
San José State University
San Jose
Ignoring principles
is the desecration
Re: “Trump seeks to jail people who burn flag” (Page A1, Aug. 26).
The American flag is a symbol that we view with pride while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Yet it is not the flag, but the Pledge that has meaning. The Pledge is the commitment that we share as Americans. “The flag” is unnecessary to the Pledge. “I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republic. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” “Indivisible”, as in together no matter what. “Liberty and Justice for all” includes everyone. “All” doesn’t even acknowledge borders or citizenship. The sentiment itself implies that we are “under God.”
It gives me goosebumps when I say these words. I feel safe and a part of something sacred.
Not living up to the commitment in our often recited Pledge is the true desecration.
Lora Riopel
Cupertino