- Unprecedented
- You’re Likely Next
- Who’s Next?
- Shifting Perspectives
- A State Visit To Scotland
- Phil Ochs Doc Now On Line
- Waste, Fraud And Abuse?
- Crimes Are Crimes
- Bawk-Bawk-Bawk
- Too Late
- Good Move
UNPRECEDENTED
Dear Editor,
I am 73 years old. I’ve lived through many political crises in this country, but I have never seen an attack on our democracy like this. In the past, there was bipartisan opposition to lawlessness. We cannot allow this to continue. Trump and Musk must be removed along with Vance and others. These people are making Nixon look like a saint.
Sincerely,
Donald Ownsbey
Ukiah
YOU’RE LIKELY NEXT
Editor:
My mother-in-law was born in France and lived there during its Nazi occupation. She, her sister and her mother joined the French Resistance. However, her good friend ignored what was happening. Instead, he focused on his passion for roller skating and couldn’t be bothered with politics. That is, until the Nazis shut down the roller-skating rink in his town, which galvanized him to join the Resistance too.
For those still on the fence about the behavior of Donald Trump and his supporters, what will your roller-skating rink moment be? A canceled visit to a national park because there are not enough federal workers to keep it open? Many months of waiting for a tax refund because of a halved IRS workforce? Your unpicked crops?
We are not represented by GOP senators in California or by a GOP congressperson in Sonoma County, but Republicans and their Democratic colleagues are intended to have oversight of the executive branch. Contact GOP members of Congress to say that remaining in lockstep for political power’s sake is dangerous and undemocratic for us and our country. Remind them that courage against tyranny is a form of power too.
Karen Holmes
Healdsburg
WHO’S NEXT?
Editor:
When 100 or so white neo-Nazis march in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, shouting antisemitic chants, they were “some very fine people” in Donald Trump’s words. When a single man of Palestinian origin is a leader of protests that Trump doesn’t like he’s thrown in an immigration detention center across the country from his pregnant American wife and threatened with expulsion and loss of his green card, all without due process (“ICE arrests activist who helped lead protest,” March 10).
If you think this is an isolated incident, you aren’t paying attention. In Trump’s own words: “We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it.” So who is next?
Matt Stone
Petaluma
SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES
Editor:
It took Donald Trump 10 years to build his MAGA army and only a few weeks to change the international perspective. For Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party, with an immigrant-friendly policy and a focus on the environment — the voters were fed up. But since Trump suggested Canada become the 51st state, voters have flocked to the party, and new Prime Minister Mark Carney could win the next election. The same is happening in Europe. It is part of the paradox of nationalism; what happens when “my country first” meets “your country first.” What we are seeing is a man not building, but tearing down.
Lars Richardson
Ukiah
A STATE VISIT TO SCOTLAND
Editor:
I had a dream in which King Charles III welcomed President Donald Trump to Balmoral:
Charles: “Welcome to Scotland, Mr. President.”
Trump: “Hi Chuck.”
Charles: “Actually, you may address me as Your Majesty”
Trump: “Whatever.”
Charles: “May I offer you lunch, Mr. President? We have haggis, or perhaps you would prefer a sandwich?”
Trump: “A Big Mac and fries with a Diet Coke would be great. You have a McDonald’s here?”
Charles: “Ah, yes. Mr. MacDonald lives at the bottom of the hill. Actually, there are several of them. Are you sure about the haggis? It was freshly stalked this morning on the moors, and Mr. Zelenskyy rather enjoyed it.”
Trump: “Zelenskyy was here?”
Charles: “Rather good chap, had to run home to deal with some nasty business with the Russians. Don’t worry, we changed the sheets.”
Richard L. Gulson
Santa Rosa
PHIL OCHS DOC NOW ON LINE
Editor,
If you’ve never seen it, the Phil Ochs documentary I reviewed for the AVA back in 2011 is now available on YouTube:
I recently finished Kirkpatrick Sales’s meticulously researched ‘SDS’ from 1973, so my mind has been on that era lately.
Best wishes,
Doug Loranger
WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE?
To the Editor:
To put a positive spin on our current political climate, at least we now have a clear definition of waste, fraud and abuse. It means any money spent to help the sick or the less fortunate, or to support public health or education.
Shaun Breidbart
Pelham, New York
CRIMES ARE CRIMES
Editor,
Our financiers react to regulations as if they were a crime. And yet our corporate practices are questionable if not illegal. The United States judicial system needs to protect people and administer laws strict enough to alter corporate behavior.
For years, US corporations such as Halliburton and ExxonMobil manipulated South America politics. Most of us are familiar with the perpetrators: the United Fruit Co, Chiquita and Bechtel have extensive South American rap sheets, and yet, they are considered reputable companies by us. US Intuitions that behave like criminals should be treated as such.
Many of us feel that what corporations do is none of our business. But the afore mentioned corporations are destroying South America’s environment and inflicting crimes on their citizens. Both Brazil and Venezuela became outright hostile. We might not think their environment, civilization and culture are important, but they do. The solution to our immigration problem starts with us addresses Corporate America’s policies. I am sure that if treated like human beings, South Americans would stay home. Our country solved a major political schism after world War two. We called it the Marshal Plan. Sources: Public Citizen, The Democracy Center, the BBC, and the BBC.
Tom Fantulin
Fort Bragg
BAWK-BAWK-BAWK
Editor:
I pleaded not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges for rescuing four baby chickens from Perdue’s Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse. I am facing up to 5.5 years in prison. As I prepare for trial this May, I remain convinced that my case is politically motivated. For more than 14 months, I have been wearing an ankle monitor while under strict pretrial release conditions. If I had stolen four dead chickens from a grocery store, I believe I would be facing a relatively inconsequential misdemeanor theft charge. It is unlikely I would be charged with a felony or be under electronic monitoring.
When I rescued these four chickens, I gave them names: Poppy, Ivy, Aster and Azalea. I shared their stories. I challenged the notion that animals are property that can be used and abused as companies please. It is the idea that animals are entitled to protection that Perdue and law enforcement find so threatening, and I believe it is for that idea that I will stand trial.
Zoe Rosenberg
Berkeley
TOO LATE
To the Editor:
In response to President Trump’s call for Judge James E. Boasberg to be impeached, Chief Justice John Roberts said, “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”
His statement may be accurate and well intentioned, but it is too late. He and his five conservative colleagues left the barn door open by granting a president immunity in Trump v. United States (2024), a decision written by Chief Justice Roberts. A president now need never be constrained by fear of violating the law. To give presidents immunity is to declare that they are kings.
Have we changed overnight from a democratic republic to a monarchy? How will this president-king be constrained?
John E. Colbert
Arroyo Seco, New Mexico
GOOD MOVE
To the Editor:
Three cheers for KZYX.
As the station moves inland into a new studio and offices at 390 West Clay in Ukiah — our county seat and biggest city — the station moves into relevance.
With new Board members (David Strock), and a brilliant General Manager (Dina Polkinghorne), a brilliant new Director of Operation (Andre de Channes), a brilliant new News Director (Elise Cox), and a brilliant new Production Director (Eddie Haehl), KZYX’s future is bright.
As the station moves into the future, it moves away from its past.
And what the station had been in the past was an inaccessible little station, located over the mountains in the Mendocino Range, via State Route 253 (treacherous in the rain and winter), in tiny Philo (population only 319).
The geographic isolation was only part of the problem. Since its founding, KZYX was the private clubhouse of a few insiders. It was set up that way by station founder, Sean Donovan, with his screwball by-laws and policy manual. Speaking as a former Board member and Treasurer, I would state under oath that station finances were, at best, opaque. The station fell into debt with NPR. Our IRS 990 tax returns were misfiled, even falsified. Staff salaries weren’t public information. Not all part-time jobs at the station, like news reporters, were advertised.
What followed was years of conflict at a station that did not truly represent the diverse ideologies and politics of Mendocino County — a fiercely independent people — but instead came to represent the “woke politics” and “cancel culture” mentality of a few insiders, and all the impossible arrogance that mindset represents.
What also followed at the station was increasing isolation, failing old equipment and a spotty broadcast signal.
Now the future is bright — but only locally. On the national stage, public media is imperiled. The Trump Administration seeks to eliminate federal funding at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which, in turn, funds PBS and NPR.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison recently said:
“There is no viable substitute for federal funding that ensures Americans have universal access to public media’s educational and informational programming and services.”
Ms. Harrison continued, “The elimination of federal funding to CPB would initially devastate and ultimately destroy public media’s role in early childhood education, public safety, connecting citizens to our history, and promoting civil discussions — all for Americans in both rural and urban communities.”
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger issued the following statement:
“For the 17th year in a row, Americans have named PBS and our 330 member stations ‘Number 1 in Public Trust’ among nationally known institutions. In addition, Americans rank PBS second only to the country’s military defense in terms of value for taxpayer dollars. We are grateful to have the support of the public, and we will continue to keep our focus on providing services that change lives and strengthen communities.”
Bottom line? Here in Mendocino County, support KZYX. In Humboldt County, northern Mendocino County, support KMUD. In San Francisco, support KQED. Support local media best by becoming a member.
Also, write to Congress. · Tell your lawmakers to support their ~$1.60 per person annual investment that sustains quality, community-driven programming and outreach.
John Sakowicz
Ukiah
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