Leters to the Editor 06.02.16

Just the Facts

The Mary Adams campaign launched PotterFacts.com, and I suggest you read it (“Squid watches the mudflinging – and campaign contributing – in the District 5 supes’ race,” posted May 23). Supervisor Dave Potter has held up his experience as the case for his re-election. Potterfacts.com takes a hard look at what our experience with Potter has been. Someone has to tell it like it is and Adams has done just that!

Adams has run a very positive campaign, laying out her views on issues like Monterey Downs and our chronic water crisis. I do not fault her for bringing these questions to the public’s attention. People who serve in public office need to meet high standards. Dave Potter clearly does not. Susie Franklin | Carmel Valley

Hillary Comes to Town

I’m pretty sure her campaign picked Salinas so she can reassure a certain and sizable demographic here that they will be allowed to stay and that their benefits and entitlements – courtesy of hard-working taxpayers and legal citizens – will continue (“Hillary Clinton will visit Salinas Wednesday,” posted May 23). Janpaul Jones | via Facebook

Salinas Valley State Prison, Soledad Prison – she’s there to court a voting block she and Bill helped create, people who work in the prison industry. We need policies that work for everyone, not a wealthy few. Vote Sanders. Stanley Bransgrove | via Facebook

Hillary might cause an earthquake with all that flip-flopping she does. Lexi Maceira | via Facebook

I am disappointed but not surprised Jimmy Panetta is supporting her; his father and Bill are close (“Hillary Clinton rouses hundreds of supporters in Salinas,” posted May 25). What surprises me is that Sam Farr still has not spoke up in favor of Bernie Sanders over Hillary. Bernie is the best choice for our planet, an issue Farr has worked his whole life for. Why is he holding back now? Hillary’s stand on fracking should be enough to keep anyone who cares about California to run for the hills and vote for Sanders. Karen Sunny Cronn | via Facebook

Wish I was there! Duane J. Lindsay | via Facebook

The Internet Takes No Prisoners

No matter his intent, do we punish him for exercising his right to free speech? (“Salinas High teacher scorned for wielding satirical sign,” posted May 26.) Dennis Boesiger | via Facebook

Let’s hope he has more talent as a teacher than a comedian or satirist, because he definitely failed in those departments. Laura Matter | via Facebook

Cut the guy some slack. He made a typical mistake that happens all the time when messages go viral. It is called Poe’s law. In a nutshell: “Parodies of extreme views will be mistaken by some readers or viewers for sincere expressions of the parodied views.” Communicating sarcasm without context is hard, but people try all the time. Rodrigo Nieto Gómez | via Facebook

He was very effective in getting the message out. Satire works because it has elements of truth. Kudos to him for bringing the discussion up. Firing him? Ludicrous. Just because people don’t get it shouldn’t get him fired. Colleen Stocks | via Facebook

Editor’s note: Salinas High School math teacher Ryan Sullivan’s sign, which he held outside the Hillary Clinton rally, read: “Hillary Clinton not fit to be President. President = a man’s job.”

Cracking Down

In the editor’s note attached to my letter (“Letters,” May 19-25, 2016) the inference is made that I consider domestic violence a minor crime. Let me be perfectly clear: Under no circumstances am I condoning domestic violence. In my example, the District Attorney should have reduced the charge to a misdemeanor with mandatory counseling rather than a felony. Time and time again this DA has wasted resources on prosecutions. Several years ago I worked for a law firm that was involved in a case where a student took a couch from a community area in the dorms at CSUMB and put it in his room. The DA charged him with a felony. This silliness has got to stop. Alex Miller | Seaside

Editor’s note: Alex Miller is a candidate for District 4 county supervisor. The previous editor’s note read, “The minor offenses he refers to include domestic violence, he told us in a previous interview.”

Movie Times

What a jewel (“Osio Theater’s grand opening happens this Friday,” posted May 25). Keep the quality high. Nancy Ellen Peden | via Facebook

Yay! Thank you for bringing back the Osio. Sarah McCandliss | via Facebook

Go spend money there to support it or it will happen again, folks. Posting comments here won’t, so put your money where your mouth is and get over there regularly.Esther Malkin | via Facebook

Oh, DRO

Let’s see how DRO indemnifies itself when that first camper blows themselves up due to some missed piece of ordnance (“Del Rey Oaks approves RV resort, won’t send it to voters,” posted May 25). Remember, much of the old Fort Ord is still a toxic waste site in many areas. Steve Jarvis | via Facebook

About time the cities went ahead and used the land that was deeded to them. Like they said, the land was an artillery range, and I’m pretty sure the RV park is less impactful to the environment than a 120mm shell. #amiright? Greg Hamer | via Facebook

And if anyone disagrees with Del Rey Oaks, they could just send in their MRAP to disperse any demonstrators posthaste… Tom DeBiase | via Facebook