Giannini Was Right

Regarding your cover story about Jeff Olson against the Bank of America (“Mad Chalker,” July 4).

In 1985, Mrs. Claire Giannini Hoffman, who was the daughter of Bank of America founder A.P. Giannini, resigned from the board of Bank of America. She said that the Bank of America was no longer the bank that Giannini founded, and that they had betrayed him.

A.P. Giannini, who came up from an immigrant Italian background in San Francisco, founded the Bank of Italy, later renamed the Bank of America. It aimed at serving small savers, working men, and small growers — people that other banks did not want.

By the 1940s, Bank of America, based in California, true to this philosophy of serving the poor and the lower classes, had become one of the greatest banks in the world. Claire Giannini walked away from Bank of America when it became disinterested in ordinary people and began to cater to the upper classes and international bankers.

The case of Jeff Olson proves that Claire Giannini was right. The slaves and stooges of the plutocrats in San Diego City Hall are nothing more than stronzo. That’s Italian for turds.

Name Withheld
via voicemail

Keep Chalking

Thank you Dorian Hargrove and SD Reader for another excellent piece on the state of our society (“Mad Chalker,” July 4 cover story).

The saddest, most eyebrow-raising part of this issue, I believe, is that our A.G. is allegedly siding with BofA.

Sure, this matter could be — and is being — construed as vandalism. More importantly, this is also a matter of civil disobedience/protest at its best.

Were it my call to make, I would have told Mr. Darrell Freeman, “Dude, if it’s bothering you so much, go grab a bucket of water and a brush and wash it away. It’ll take, like, 15 minutes, tops.”

Simple, right? Nope. Mr. Freeman and allegedly Mr. Goldsmith are attempting to prosecute and bully featured activist/artist Mr. Olson in an effort to ... ? That’s a matter for debate, and I’m not one to insinuate. But to me it stinks like last week’s forgotten gym socks. Unfortunately, it’s a stink we have come to either endure or ignore.

I am hoping that other good-natured people have taken what I have from this article. This is serious business. The risks to the First Amendment and a free-ish society are obvious even to a 4th grader I spoke with the other day.

Yes, the city has much better things it could be doing. If the city attorney’s office wants to say things like cases are “balanced against our need to use resources effectively and efficiently,” then do it! Don’t just say it. Things are already laughable at best.

Keep chalking.

Mike Mallory
El Cajon

Law & Order

I know San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith is all about law and order, family values, and American flag lapel pins. If you have any doubt about his patriotism just ask him. He’ll tell you.

But I’ll tell you, if that thing on top of his head gets up and walks, I’m calling Homeland Security.

Name Withheld
Point Loma

Give to the Greedy

What’s this nonsense about “substandard” teacher training in San Diego (News Ticker: “Report Rips Teacher-Training Programs,” July 4)? I think they’re doing a wonderful job of turning fertile minds into mindless consumers.

Just look at the 24-year-old proudly displaying her $1000 designer handbag in Street Style (“It’s in the Details, July 4). Do you have any PB&J sandwiches in that purse for us hoboes living on the streets? Oops, my bad. They also taught you to give to the greedy (hurry to that Gucci summer sale, girl!) and not to the needy.

Beverly Griffin
via email

National Ridicule

We are requesting a full investigation of all correspondence between Goldsmith and his office with Bank of America and the police regarding the recent absurd trial of Mr. Olson (“Mad Chalker,” July 4 cover story). There should be a full public oversight hearing on why Goldsmith’s office has held San Diego up to the ridicule of the whole nation over his personal political affiliations.

Fred Sparkman
via email