Letter: Rank Picks | support workers

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rank-choice voting
bad for oakland

again. “Rank choice voting is at risk for our local elections,” page A6, April 8:

Outgoing Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf laments the fact that rank-choice voting may be over. I for one think that the majority of Oakland voters wish it had never been adopted.

Just look what they got. Possibly the worst mayor of Oakland ever, Jean Quan was the first person to be placed by rank-choice ballot. no one wanted him as mayor because he only got Minimum first place vote, And because no one really knew how the system worked, he got it anyway. Oakland’s second round did not go much better with Schaff elected.

Bruce Onken
Fremont

support workers
no matter their position

The pandemic has made the need for benefits and support for workers clearer than ever. The article “California has new benefits for undocumented immigrants. They are not enough, activists say” (April 3) highlights this need.

Although California recently expanded public health care to undocumented residents age 50 and older, it really isn’t enough. Health care should be made available to residents of all ages. My outlook has been shaped by my role as the parent of a child with medical needs. I could not support my family without the support I got from my doctors, therapist and other specialists.

Our communities will not be strong if our families and children are not supported. We need to do what we need to do to support the ability of caregivers in our communities to care for their families and children, including access to health care benefits regardless of legal or immigration status.

Lali Lorenzo
Fremont

different opinion different
by pure propaganda

again. “Conservatives Do Not Tell Others to Silence,” Letter to the Editor, page A6, April 6:

How do we know if something is true? This is true if it is in accordance with measurable reality. Mr Mahler is confusing miscellaneous views with outright propaganda from a well-funded media conglomerate.

Fox News excels at creating a different reality. Using popular terms such as same-sex marriage, abortion, critical race theory, and stolen elections; They can trigger a panic reaction to persuade supporters to vote against their own interests.

This is Gaslighting 101: a psychological technique that undermines a person’s perception of reality. Free speech allows them to reduce the reality of their supporters. We have laws that make it illegal to set fire to theaters. It must be illegal to lie to Americans in order to destroy our democracy.

Bringing back the fairness principle will stop the polarization of news, providing a balanced view. In the meantime, try balanced sources for your news. Then vote in November to save our democracy.

Andrew Wise
Fremont

don’t ban protest
Idea; learn from them

Given the continuing and widespread banning of books across the country, a recent reader paper asserting that liberals are the sole participants in canceled culture (“Conservatives do not ask others to silence them,” p. A6, April 6) , benevolently, is abbreviated for the visually impaired. This doesn’t detract from the author’s point: calling for silencing voices like Mark A. Thiessen or Victor Davis Hanson is counterproductive. One example: January’s op-ed depicts the ridiculous idea that Russia would not invade Ukraine if Trump’s US oil policy was still in place. There was a hidden gem in it.

A staunch supporter of renewable energy, I had forgotten about fighter jets and naval destroyers. Akshay alone will never be enough; Hydrocarbons will always be needed.

This is just one example. My point: Opposing scholars bring relevant ethical, civic and practical perspectives on what makes us all better. We do not need to agree, but instead of banning (cancelling) we must adopt opposing views for the sake of understanding and knowledge. Though calm.

Antonio Inserni
Alamo

Column for one time offer
clear view of the world

Well, I apologise. Victor Davis Hanson can really think.