The "God Obsessed People"; More Transit Funding; Even More Bristol Palin ...
by , 2008-09-08
To the Editor:
Tommi Avicolli-Mecca's article does a good historical survey of anti-gay GOP rhetoric, but fails to account that Sarah Palin is also a feminist. She is not your traditional butch dyke, but a modern conservative lady. Her nomination obeys more to consolidate GOP not to follow the rationale of Democratic "black voters." Women would not vote for Palin because she is a woman, although up to 90% of blacks voted for Obama.
Ironically, Obama's "presidential affirmative action" nomination is flawed because the intention of the program was to favor historically disadvantage groups (blacks from slavery) never foreign scholars children who just happen to be black. Who is laughing now?
Antonio Urbina
To the Editor:
Thank you for the enlightening article on transit funding. As you said, the passage of the SB 375 is the right step in the right direction, although for me, who arrived in San Francisco in 1985, it is too little too late. Our public transit is utterly unacceptable. I am just baffled that you can't conduct business in San Francisco using Public Transit.
Last week, my wife left her school (where she teaches) at 3 p.m. for a doctor appointment at 4 p.m., she had to wait for half an hour for the L-line to show up, then at West Portal a problem arose, thus another 15 minutes delay. When at Van Ness there is no bus to be found, she had to run up to Post street on foot. Of course she arrived late, the doctor wasn't happy, nor did the nurse who had to go to another job. Imagine in London or Paris spending more than one hour to do few miles.
You can see with this example how is it impossible to conduct business in the city using public transit. If we are to compete in the future with the rest of the world in view of the oil peak, we must hurry and hurry very much to build an infrastructure worthy of a civilized State and city. It will cost billions and billions of dollars, but if we say we are a rich nation then let prove it, without excuses like: Oh politics get in the way. Oh we can't agree, etc.
For the time being, we should start by changing some rules of the road like when a bus or a trolley comes to a stop the bus or the trolley MUST have the right of way, not an SUV driven by a solo person. The rule of first comes first goes should be suspended when a transit vehicle is at the intersection. This will expedite the transit time a lot. The police or the traffic agency MUST crack on drivers using the bus lane. If a bus, like on the 19th ave. stops at the bus-stop, when departing the vehicles MUST stop and yield to the bus.
Finally, we the riders of public transit should pay a symbolic fare, a minimum since we don't clog the roads with vehicles and we don't cause pollution. If all of us had cars we would jam the streets so much that no one would go anywhere. Also we should repair our streets in fairness to bicycle riders who have to negotiate holes everywhere, especially on Market Street. We also should punish cars that clog our intersections and make it hard for pedestrians to cross the street. All this is connected with a good transit system, since friendly streets and side walks alleviate our anemic transit.
Nafiss Griffis
San Francisco
To the Editor:
In regards to the latent racism question, when someone celebrates Bristol Palin's choice to have a baby but shuns at welfare mom. Your question made me think, but ultimately isn't the point that a welfare mom IS sucking the teat of our country and isn't it MORE irresponsible to have a child when you can barely provide for yourself?
It appears Bristol will be supported by a husband and family, so her choice is a bit less selfish and irresponsible than someone who won't or can't work and has no other means of support than hand outs. I consider myself very liberal, for the most part. But this seems like the logical answer to me.
Thank You,
Gregg Leventhal
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