Letters

Gentle Disruption

A practical solution to the La Jolla wildlife stench problem could be to, on a calm day, run one of the Port of San Diego’s new harbor police/fire-fighting vessels around to the waters off La Jolla. Using their powerful long-reach water cannons, they could wash down the rocks where this problem exists.

No chemicals. No private contractors. There is an unlimited supply of water. No disruption to visitors on shore from fire hoses. Happy businesses. No need for lawsuits. It could be done as often as needed, and would be only a gentle disruption to the wildlife if done properly.

• Martin Haase
• Bonita

Six Degrees of Deportation

Re: “Slog for a Green Card”

Listening to those who say deportation tears families apart, we say take an honest look at the facts. Many of those who choose to leave their homeland to come here or to go to other places leave their families. They tear apart their own families. Many of these people leave mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, extended family...even husbands leave wives, and wives leave husbands.

When they reach their destinations, many illegally start new families. Some young people start families, and grandparents do not get to see their grandchildren. Adults start other families, and when someone gets deported they cry that the system is tearing them apart when, actually, many are reunited by deportations.

Face the facts, people, and stop blaming others for what you are doing of your own free will.

Also, we don’t hear anyone say that they want to take their family with them [when deported] so they can be together. They choose to leave their families. If you don’t want your family torn apart, why leave them behind?

It’s very plain to see that people do what they do and will continue doing so. However, stop blaming others for what you do. Take responsibility for your own actions.

Every time we hear that statement, “the system is tearing our families apart,” we shake our heads.

• Name Withheld
• via snail mail

More Holiday

I am writing to thank Patrick Daugherty for his fine series of articles on his vacation in South Africa (“Holiday in South Africa”), and the Reader for republishing the articles. It was as good as anything that ever appeared in the Reader. The only shortcoming was that there was not more.

• Paul Slayton
• Mira Mesa

A New Low

It is close to incomprehensible that the Reader would choose to run a 9/11 quote on the cover of the December 26 issue (“9/11 the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Baja Cuisine”).

Ed Bedford’s article on Baja-Mediterranean cuisine and the Culinary Arts School is marginally interesting. The statement in his article about the impact of 9/11 makes some sense in light of the border restrictions following 9/11 that led to the burgeoning Baja-Med culinary movement. However, it is hardly the point of the article.

What were the editors thinking?! No journalist works in a vacuum, and I can hardly imagine that no one along the way spoke up about the grossly insensitive cover quotation.

I doubt that this choice was Bedford’s. It’s hard to imagine whose choice it was, or who signed off on it. Since when was “9/11 the best thing that ever happened” to anyone? This cover is a new low for the Reader.

• Jessamy Barnes
• Encinitas

Jazz Blues

You used to have a music writer named Robert Bush who would write jazz reviews, and I haven’t seen those lately. Just calling to say I miss those reviews.

• Barbara Wise
• via voicemail

Like, You Know

If Professor Rall (“We’re Constantly in Fear,” December 19 cover story) wants to secure a full-time faculty position, he should probably stop spiking his sentences with “like.” “Like” and “you know” in one’s speech suggests an inferior education (California public schooling?).

On the other hand, there is that dude who was a high school teacher in North County and couldn’t read. Although, I don’t think he made the confession until after he retired. So, maybe, like, you, know, Rall has a chance.

• Sheila Daniels
• Imperial Beach

San Diego, Meet Diversity

There has never been a person of color as mayor of San Diego. For the first time that I can remember, that could change.

Diversity has slowly introduced itself to San Diego County — the City of San Diego being the most prominent, next to Chula Vista. Diversity in politics, however, requires discipline and maturity.

This election should not be about race or color, unless we include the color green, and what it represents: Kryptonite. Kryptonite, the substance that makes Superman sick and weak, is showing up as diversity in the mayor’s runoff election.

I know we all didn’t come over on the same ship, but we are all on the same boat.

• Cesar Lopez
• Chula Vista

Not Some Treehugger

I was looking at the Reader, and it’s really nice that the Chargers are back in the playoffs and are going to lose anyway, or that there are Mexican chefs down in Tijuana. That’s awesome. But how about an article about Fukushima?

How about some real news? You guys come out every week, but I’m not reading any real news — news that affects all of us, millions and millions of people. This is a mess. The radiation is through the roof. Wildlife is dying. It’s all over the internet.

I’m not some tree hugger, I’m just telling you that this needs to be covered and no one is really doing it. You reach hundreds of thousands of people every week, and we need someone to do something. It’s just a blackout in the press.

I’m trying desperately to get somebody to pay attention. Just go to YouTube or something and plug in Fukushima. The radiation is running hundreds of times what it ought to be, and wildlife is dying everywhere.

Mark Bradshaw via voicemail