Letters to the Editor

Profit shouldn’t be thrift stores’ only
motive
Editor: Several months ago we heard that the Goodwill Industries thrift store on Hwy. 12 was going out of business. The reason: they were not making a profit from that store. A month or two later they opened a new store in Rohnert Park. Now the news in the Sonoma Valley is that Salvation Army at La Fiesta Plaza shopping center is closing. The reason: they are not making a profit from that store. Now the only places to buy used clothes and household goods will be the thrift stores run by The Church Mouse and The First Congregational Church (which opens only on Thursdays).
All these stores belong to nonprofit organizations that use their income to support good causes, like providing food for hungry people and job training for the disabled. But in order to do this, they need to make money!
Apparently, on their business model, that’s the only thing that counts. In my opinion, there are a few other things they should consider before deciding to close a store. They should consider expanding their mission beyond helping the hungry or training the disabled, things they are already doing!
First they generate employment because they have employees; not that they pay good salaries, but people are willing to take the jobs. I haven’t heard that they are closing because they pay too much to their employees. Second, those stores’ costumers are people that sometimes can’t afford to buy new things. I have seen families buying clothes, kitchen wares, and furniture at those stores. Third, the stores are useful to those who make the donations: people who are moving or replacing their furniture and need to get rid of their old things are willing to donate. In this way the stores provide a service.
I would probably understand if they said we have no donations and therefore no goods to sell; or we can’t afford to pay our employees; or no one wants to work for us. No, their only reason is the profit. Please believe me, I understand that reason as a business model. But they are nonprofit and therefore the reason they give does not make sense to me.
I worked as a floor employee for one thrift store in Sonoma County for more than a year.
Salvador Marroquin

Laws require
low-cost housing
Editor: I feel compelled to write in response to the current debate about increased density in our town. Both Sonoma County and all the cities in the county are mandated by state laws and ABAG, the Association of Bay Area Governments, to provide a certain quota of low-cost housing. If they fail, these local governments face fines and the withholding of funds that keep our cities running. At this point in time most of Sonoma County is not in compliance with these laws. We are not an island and we need to share our town and Valley with those of all economic backgrounds. It is not only required by law but it makes for a more diverse community. By having more rentals, allowing for more “granny units” and other in-fill options we will being doing the right thing in creating more affordable housing for our community. We need to support City Council candidates who will uphold these inclusionary housing laws as well as city-centered growth. Otherwise we will increase density outside of our Urban Growth Boundaries. Unfortunately the city of Sonoma has little control over what happens to the land outside of its boundaries. That is where the county rules kick in. If we want to control sprawl outside of our city limits we need good county supervisors who understand land-use regulations and support city-centered growth. Otherwise they can soon make our Valley into another Santa Clara Valley.
Marilyn Goode

thanks joan,
for the truth
Editor: Thanks, joan, for telling us the truth about the Israeli-Palestinian situation.
Jan Rafiq

joan just an
anti-Semite
Editor: I seldom write letters, but it is time for this one.
I find “just joan” appallingly one-sided. The good gentle Palestinians and the vicious war-like Isrealies. Joan might think back to the pictures of the gentle Palestinian women dancing for joy after 9/11. I didn’t see many Jews dancing. Mostly they were crying.
I think it is time to say it like it is, Joan is an anti-Semite.
Barbara Kitchener

Keep just joan
Editor: I have heard that someone called for Joan Huguenard’s column to be removed from the Sun. Odd. I almost always find her columns both informative and inspiring. In fact, I read most of the Sun and have only felt insulted, occasionally, by implications in the religion section that non-Christians have hell to look forward to. But I have never called for the discontinuation of such biased sentiments. A local paper should present many points of view, and these, as far as I am concerned, can be Zionist, Muslim, anarchist, Marxist or whatever. There’s no civilization where there’s no toleration, and I like to think of Sonoma as civilized.
Pat Spicer

just joan just a ‘ploy’
Editor: First, my reason for looking at the Sun is I have to remove it from my driveway. Second I consider just joan a ploy to create reader interest and commentary. I think she needs a new vocation, but besides that I would like to address the comments from just joan and the other letter writers.
Is joan anti-Semitic? Of course not. She believes the Holocaust occurred but now the Israelis or Jews are acting like persecutors. She fails to mention the bombs and rockets not so gloriously being set off. She feels sorry for the poor poverty-stricken Palestinians; yet fails to understand the money donated has gone for arms and into foreign bank accounts. The U.S. and Europe have been big contributors. Check out the controversy over Arafat’s wife and Fatah concerning bank accounts in his name.
Worst of all joan thinks she is an accurate observer, and this is why I wrote. The concept of who is right in eyewitness accounts interests me; because someone else besides joan probably witnessed this supposedly abusive incident. My bet is they saw an entirely different incident. This is not uncommon but a fact that courts deal with every day in eyewitness accounts. Sorry joan, but where was your camera? There are studies regarding the different accounts recorded as true by witnesses. If you want to read an amusing book of eyewitness accounts on a higher plane, I would suggest “Wittgenstein’s Poker.” This is described as the story of a 10-minute argument between two great philosophers Wittgenstein and Popper. Witnessed by a room full of philosophers, each one saw and heard something different.
Lastly, joan is a flawed human being just like the rest of us but she prefers to cast her magic wand and highlight her high moral standards on difficult situations. For me I have to morally condemn joan for not doing more to stop the abuse. No photos to take to the Israeli police? Judaism is based on two premises: law and learning. Why didn’t joan act and go downstairs to speak to them? Joan mentions her peaceful commentary solutions, why didn’t she use them? They were extremely successful with her brother-in-law.
Joan has more questions to answer. Yes, she makes me question the media.
Bonnie Krupp

Kudos to KSVY,
Operation Youth
Editor: Last Friday, the incredible “Mornings” crew from Sonoma’s own radio station KSVY 91.3 Sonoma broadcast live from the Operation Youth run No Name Cafe on the high school campus. Mike and Veronica spent their 3-hour slot interviewing students, teachers and members of the community who are involved with children’s charities, myself, John Randall, Sonoma city councilman Ken Brown and others. I have tried to remember another such event that might illustrate the energy and spirit of so many people involved with the youth and community, but I come up far short. I have lived here for 23 years and have often thought about moving, but occasions like this seem to have cemented my feet to the ground. Since Friday’s show, everyone who has spoken to me has said almost the same thing: How cool is it to be able to pull together such an incredibly rewarding participation of these wonderful entities, Operation Youth and KSVY. Thank you so very much to everyone.
David Ian Robbins

joan just the
messenger
Editor: First of all, joan is a journalist and journalists write about things they have seen or things they have researched. What joan saw may disturb certain people but, as a general principle, we don’t shoot the journalist for reporting what they saw and we most certainly don’t suggest they should be fired from their jobs. We have been following joan’s columns for some time and our impression is that she is a peace-loving woman who makes it her business to promote peace at every opportunity. We don’t believe joan would be anything but horrified if she saw such an incident.
The problem is too many of us just plain don’t want to hear about what somebody else saw if it doesn’t fit with our limited view of the world. We are too quick to blame the messenger.
Betty Ann Spencer, Jim Syfers