Letters to the Editor 04.06.17

Shark Tank

This article takes the entirely wrong perspective (“Great white shark attacks kayak off Cannery Row,” posted March 31). If there were a shark at Safeway, I would get the hysteria. Instead this story boils down to, “Shark tastes kayak, occupant unscathed except soiled wetsuit.” Recapping: There are white sharks in Monterey Bay. They eat sea lions. There are sea lions on the Breakwater. Dude was kayaking near the Breakwater. A shark in its kitchen came to check out dude’s kayak. Dude was not “attacked” by the shark – his kayak was tasted by the landlord. Dude apparently forgot the lease agreement and is freaking out (as we all would). For being “plucked from the jaws of a white shark” as another article stated, dude is abnormally fine. Patrick Webster | via web

Why do people act all surprised if a shark attacks them? You’re in their environment. They think it’s food. You think they’re gonna nudge it and ask for Grey Poupon?! Hopefully there was a successful hunt and it got to eat. Terese Sinclair | via Facebook

It would be appreciated if your writers would stop making the great white out to be killers. The article is atrocious and the writer should be ashamed. These animals are already a target and killed without remorse even though the chances of being attacked by one is less than that of being struck by lightning. I am appalled that in a community that is about conservation and protecting marine life that this article was written with such malice toward these beautiful animals. I saw the bite marks on the kayak and while I’m sure it was scary for the individual it was clear the shark had no intention of making the kayak a meal. Geoffrey Wade Buckles | via Facebook

Alternate title: Great white shark explores kayak, learns it’s not food. Kristin Molle | via Facebook

School Blues

As I read how MPC is “bridging the gap” for high-school students who aren’t on the “fast track” to a four-year college by bringing placement exams to them, I felt the blood begin to rise to my head (“Good Week,” March 30-April 5). Maybe the reason these students are not on the “fast track” is because they’ve been led to believe they are victims and entitled to special treatment.

The Declaration of Independence states: “All men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It doesn’t say that some men are created “special” and need to be afforded extraordinary measures so they can receive benefits they haven’t earned. Happiness is to be pursued! If they can’t be resourceful enough to get their butts to the place where the placement exams are being held, maybe a college education isn’t the right track for them. Wayne Shaddock | Salinas

Seeking Sanctuary

So proud of Seaside! (“Seaside becomes the Monterey Peninsula’s first sanctuary city,” posted March 30.) Karin Lindgren | via Facebook

Trump didn’t write the law. He’s trying to enforce it. It’s not Trump’s fault for generations of illegal aliens living here. It’s not the responsibility of the Seaside City Council for policing, either. Mike Holland | via Facebook

The legal pathway takes years. Ever since the Bracero Program in 1942, the U.S. has been encouraging workers to come from Mexico and hiring them for basically peanuts. It is our “fault” that so many people come from Mexico to work here. And when we tightened border restrictions, many of them decided to stay, rather than go back and forth across the border between work and home, because they feared they would have a hard time getting across. When we have tighter border regulations, we end up with a positive net immigration. When they are looser, we end up neutral or negative. Kristin Theobald | via Facebook

Oh Dave, I am sorry I voted for you! Not again. Johnny Apodaca | via Facebook

Editor’s note: Councilman Dave Pacheco cast the lone dissenting vote against Seaside’s sanctuary city resolution.

Something people in Seaside need to consider: Dave Pacheco got 43 percent of the vote and he voted against sanctuary city [status]. Is it because he has some sort of hidden biases? It really does not make sense for him not to vote [for it]. Miriam Smith | via Facebook

Sick of these stupid liberals pandering to the illegals and their supporters (“Soledad becomes a sanctuary city, Salinas and county sign on to support federal lawsuits,” posted March 26). Would like nothing better than to see federal troops come in and arrest every elected official that supports this crap. Kurt Kastner | via Facebook

Bloom and Grow

Glad I wasn’t the only one pulling over to gape at the scenery (“Photos: A colorful spring arrives in Monterey County and more photos of the week,” posted March 31). Beautiful photos. Korey Ramirez | Seaside

Room Service

To say a 125-room hotel won’t cause traffic issues is a joke! (“P.G. residents complain about downtown hotel impacts, triggering further review,” March 30-April 5.) Just look at the Monterey Plaza Hotel on a busy day; it gets congested regularly. This is an extremely busy traffic area as is. Add in a bunch of tourists who don’t know the area, and watch the chaos. I think P.G. should stick with the small, quaint bed-and-breakfasts. Don’t flood P.G. with more tourists who don’t care or respect the people who live here. The area is already flooded with way too many tourists. Stephanie Lewis | via web