Letters to the Editor

Sun jumping gun
on hospital
Editor: Does the Sun know something the rest of us don’t? Or have you jumped the gun by endorsing in the Dec. 28 “Our View” a proposed site for a new hospital? I had hoped you might wait until the evidence is in. That’s what the options committee of the Sonoma Valley Health Care Coalition intends to do.
We know that building outside the urban growth boundary and moving further away from the center of population has big disadvantages, while hooking up with a private corporation will require a lot of trust and some good lawyers. To make a thoughtful, considered analysis, looking at every pertinent fact will require more attention than you seem to have given this question.
Ginny Jones

Thanks for Chloe’s Dreams Foundation article
Editor: Thank you so much for printing your article on Dec. 28 regarding Chloe’s Dreams Foundation, a foundation for Down Syndrome kids launched in honor of Chloe Dator who passed away last August.
My children were classmates of Chloe Dator at the Sonoma Charter School. Chloe did indeed lead a rich and vibrant life and I am thankful our family had the chance to know her and experience her zest for life.
Caroline Cassias and Katie Horsfall are an inspiration to their peers. I have assisted in judging the senior projects at Sonoma Valley High School for seven years and certainly would be honored to hear their dissertation. The mere fact that they have helped introduce this foundation is remarkable. It is with great pleasure that I make a donation to Chloe’s Dreams Foundation in our family name.
Terry A. Rowland

Planned Parenthood profits from abortion
Editor: I was struck by the irony of a recent letter to the editor criticizing Don Sebastiani for supporting Prop. 85, the Parents’ Right to Know Initiative. The letter-writer can’t say enough about a young teen’s “terror in facing an unwanted pregnancy.” But that is precisely the point of parental notification legislation. A minor needs her parents at a time like this because she is vulnerable and at the mercy of those who stand to profit from her abortion. Consider who financed the opposition to Prop 85. It was Planned Parenthood contributing a hefty $4.5 million to the initiative process. Communication between pregnant teens and their parents is obviously bad for business.
The letter-writer goes further and outlines the risks of childbirth making an outlandish case for childbirth being riskier than abortion. Even in these days of “safe and legal” abortion, women are harmed physically and emotionally more often than abortion advocates will admit. Examine the track record of RU-486 used in chemical abortions and note the number of deaths resulting.
The 33 states that have parental involvement laws have seen significant reductions in both teen pregnancies and abortions. A Zogby California poll showed 71 percent support of a parental notification law. Seems it’s the rich guys at Planned Parenthood that have succeeded in bending the state to their will.
Julie Butler

Parental notification law won’t solve
problems
Editor: A recent letter-writer brought up some excellent points about the terror of unwanted pregnancy. None of her important points are ever addressed by those supporting parental notification laws. Those supporting such laws falsely believe that if they get the law passed the problem is solved. But that is never the case. Laws do not solve problems.
Try and imagine being a 14-year-old girl who has just discovered she is pregnant. Maybe some guy forced himself on her but she likes him and didn’t claim rape. Maybe she didn’t believe she could get pregnant. Or the protection failed. Whatever! What is she to do?
She knows if she tells her mother her mother will burst into tears and fall to the floor crying, that her father will yell and scream and go beserk. That her younger sister will ask why she did it. That everyone in school will look at her funny. And she knows if she goes to the one place that can help her they are going to report her to her parents.
I for one believe abortion is wrong. I believe it is wrong in the case of rape. I hate it that children use it as a form of birth control. At the same time, I know that others believe differently than I do and that in America the only way we can get along is for each of us to mind our own business. Laws do not work and often have the opposite result from the one intended. Instead of saving the life of a fetus, two lives are lost: the fetus and the mother.
Something else must be found to solve this problem of unwanted pregancy. Something that does not involve violating the rights of young people. Something that does not put the health and safety of children at risk.
Jerry Manson

Foam is not
the bad guy
Editor: The recent efforts by the fifth graders at El Verano School are very commendable in encouraging recycling and bringing attention to environmental issues. Their solutions include using biodegradable containers, which would work if we had the infrastructure for their disposal. However, as it is now, “Biodegradable waste is an important substance due to its links with global warming. When it is disposed of in a landfill it breaks down under uncontrolled anaerobic conditions. This produces landfill gas, which if not harnessed escapes into the atmosphere. Landfill gas contains methane which is a potent greenhouse gas stronger than carbon dioxide.” (Wikipedia)
Polystyrene foam (mistakenly called Styrofoam, which is a trademark for blue insulation by Dow) containers have been a boon to the food industry as they are safe, strong, and inexpensive. There is no suitable disposable substitute for handling hot beverages. It is produced from styrene, which is a byproduct of petroleum industry, and has not been any problem to air quality and the ozone layer since the manufacturers stopped using CFC’s in the processing. It does not biodegrade into harmful substances, and it’s good that it does not for it would probably release the methane gas that is trapped in the foam. It does use some space in the landfill, but an extremely small proportion of landfill is foam containers. A far greater problem to landfill operators is the presence of the large amounts of paper products, which if they do degrade also produce leachate, a toxic liquid that must be disposed of. Paper recycling must be strongly encouraged.
We should also encourage our schools’ participation in composting programs and gardening programs. A large problem of our landfills is the disposal of food waste from the food stores, restaurants and cafeterias. A composting program such as through the Sonoma Compost Company and the Sonoma Valley Worm Farm could handle all this, but it will take organization and work.
I would enjoy any discourse at: [email protected]
John Schafer

Don’t let dogs
run free
Editor: Last week, one of our clients experienced a pet owner’s worst nightmare. While at home, she heard the alarming screams of her cat and rushed to find him being attacked by two dogs in her own back yard. This yard is along the creek, so it is open.
The owner of this beautiful cat has had to endure the heartache of seeing her beloved “Sparticus” go through the pain and suffering of severe bite wounds, two jaw fractures, a dislocated hip, a fractured sacrum and kidney damage. The owner’s heart has been broken, after having to make the decision to not let him suffer anymore. He was one of her family
Leash laws exist for the safety of all concerned. There are people who take no responsibility for their animals and let them run free, knowing that they have the potential to injure or kill someone. Some owners might feel they’re doing their dog a favor, but that just doesn’t work in our modern society. Letting your dog run free is also illegal. This irresponsible behavior must stop.
If you own a dog and you let it run free you are ruining it for everyone, especially if that dog happens to be a breed considered dangerous.
If you see a dog running free, please report it. If you have dogs who run free or escape their enclosures, please do not let this happen. The next time it could be a child or an adult.
Rhonda M. Stallings DVM

‘Dictator’ Bush out of control
Editor: Dear friends, family, business associates, customers, clients and anyone I’ve missed: After viewing Mr. Bush’s speech and his intention to send more troops to Iraq, I’m sickened. Our Commander and Chief/dictator is out of control. He has completely ignored the wishes of the American people. He wants to instill democracy in Iraq and we don’t even have it in the U.S. I’m asking anyone who feels the same to please write letters and speak out. Write The White House,
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20500 or e-mail the president@whitehouse•gov. Ask your leaders to stop the additional funding to Iraq and bring the troops home. Thank you for taking the time to voice your opinion. It is time for peace.
Vivien Hoyt

Bush planning Iran attack
Editor: The headlines and news shows are full of stories about how the Bush team is (apparently) lining up their “ducks” for a surge into Iraq to militarily clean up the mess and declare victory. Let us not be taken in again by these prevaricators as most of what they have said in the past turned out to be calculated deceptions to advance strategies that were misguided at best.
President Bush has proven beyond any question that he has his own agenda and that the findings of the Iraq Study Group, the Pentagon or any other individual or group be damned. The call for 40,000 more troops is another ruse by the neocons to create a larger Army and Marines for the real plan – not the surge in Iraq as stated, but rather the eventual attack on Iran.
The credibility of America and security of the world lies in the balance! We must advance the idea that impeachment of Bush/Cheney may be the only way to stop the war machine and get on with fixing the damage that Bush has done.
Bob Mosher