Reader’s Editorials

READER’S EDITORIAL: TRUMP MUST BE STOPPED

By Jeanne Fleetwood

 

Photo: C-Span screenshot of Donald Trump rallying supporters at the Capitol ellipse, moments before they marched to attack the Capitol.

 

January 6, 2023 (El Cajon) -- As we mark the third anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, it’s important to remember how we got to that moment and who was responsible for it. Donald Trump and his allies engaged in a months-long criminal conspiracy after the 2020 election. They spread lies about voter fraud and used those lies to put pressure on state officials to illegally overturn election results. When their scheme to interfere with Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results failed, Trump and his co-conspirators incited a violent mob to attack the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021.

 

MAGA Republicans nationwide have continued this assault on our democracy by introducing radical voter suppression bills in Congress and state legislatures, spreading false election conspiracy theories, and threatening to overturn election results they disagree with.

 

Now, Trump is running for president again and he and his allies are planning for a second term that is even more extreme and authoritarian than the last one. If he is re-elected, he plans to pardon himself and his supporters, use the Department of Justice to exact revenge on his enemies, and purge the federal government of anyone who doesn’t agree with him until there’s no one left to say no.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: USDA, FOREST SERVICE, CONGRESSIONAL AND SWEETWATER AUTHORITY CHRISTMAS GIFT

Sweetwater Water Authority has drained Loveland Reservoir to dead pool status despite community objections loss of recreational resources, wildlife habitat and firefighting impacts, as ECM reported.  Activist and fisherman Russell Walsh sent in photos and this message in response. 

 

Photos:  left, Loveland Reservoir after being drained to dead pool level; right, before the draining, maintained at 75 year minimum pool level.

 

By Russell Walsh

 

December 27, 2022 (San Diego's East County) - Happy Holidays. This will be for my Grinch of 2022 Christmas Card. "Caring For The Land And Serving People 2022."


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READER’S EDITORIAL: WHY SANDAG SOLD EAST COUNTY DOWN THE RIVER

By Daniel Smiechowski

 

December 13, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- Last week, the County’s governing board called SANDAG made up of prominent elected officials voted for a long-range transportation plan and in so doing gave East County residents the shaft. Along party lines, they voted to possibly place an absurd gas tax, increase bike lanes and of course their favorite pie in the sky being the belief that residents in this County are suddenly going to flood public transit like locusts in the Western Sahara and walk everywhere while ditching their cars


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READER’S EDITORIAL: HORSE RACING VS. DOGFIGHTING -- DOUBLE STANDARD FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY

Over 2,000 racehorses die in the U.S. every year, often after suffering drugging, abuse and injuries. Horse racing has long had ties to organized crime. So why is it still legal?

By Martha Sullivan 

Photo: Creative Commons image via FreePhoto on Bing

July 9, 2020 (San Diego) -- People are rightly outraged by brutal dogfighting, on which spectators gamble.  The media’s coverage of dogfighting is dominated by images of Black and Latino men fighting dogs for bets, and there is a pattern of demonization:  


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READER'S EDITORIAL: WHY ARE NURSING HOMES LOOKING FOR IMMUNITY DURING COVID-19?

By Marcel Gemme

Image via Pixabay

May 5, 2020 (San Diego) - Nursing homes and other senior living facilities have been some of the hardest-hit communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.  As countless news stories emerge about outbreaks at nursing homes, the best guess that anyone has so far as to the total number of coronavirus deaths from nursing homes is 10,000.  


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READER’S EDITORIAL: THE MAN WHO WORE A KKK HOOD TO A SUPERMARKET...IS THIS WHO WE ARE WHEN WE THINK NOBODY IS WATCHING?

By E.A. Barrera 

May 5, 2020 (Santee) -- I grew up in San Diego's East County. I lived and went to school in Lakeside. Over the years I lived in Santee, the SDSU College area, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Hillcrest, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, El Cajon and Julian. I currently own a home in Lakeside.


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READER'S EDITORIAL: SHARING HOPE

By Dadla Ponizil
 
April 9, 2020 (San Diego) -- As we grind through the difficult days of the pandemic, I'd like to share some hope.  My daughter, the fashion designer, is making protective masks--dyed with turmeric and beet juice, and they are lovely.
 
In every city around the nation, feats of valor, creativity and grace are being accomplished every day. We will win this battle. This gives me hope: the power of our teamwork and solidarity. 

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READER’S EDITORIAL: TROUBLING QUESTIONS OVER FIRES IN LAKESIDE

By Barry A. Treahy, Lakeside resident and retired firefighter 

 

October 27, 2019 (Lakeside) -- My neighbors in El Monte Valley, Blossom Valley, Lakeside and Barona:

 

Emergency medical and fire protection has been in the news in California this year as it also was in the past.  


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READER’S EDITORIAL: BEWARE OF DRUGS LACED WITH DEADLY CAREFENTANIL AND FENTANYL

By Shauna Krout

 

Photo:  Carfentanil, an elephant tranquilizer, is turning up in street drugs—and its killing users (Creative Commons)

 

August 8, 2019 (San Diego) - Overdoses are happening everywhere, all over the country. In our current society, the streets are filled to the brim with laced heroin that’s often mixed with carfentaniland other fentanyl analogs. Dealers are now adding it to street pressed pills, cocaine, meth and marijuana too. 


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READER’S EDITORIAL: CALL TO ACTION IN LEMON GROVE – SIDEWALKS ARE NEEDED TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY

 

 

By Elenna Hernandez, Helix Charter High School student

May 24, 2019 (Lemon Grove) -- Dear citizens of Lemon Grove:  the city of Lemon Grove is in desperate need of sidewalks all around the neighborhood. In the main streets, there are sidewalks, but in some blocks, we do not have any kind of sidewalks. All of Washington Street, Cypress Street, Bonita Street and others do not contain a sidewalk other than the corners in which the main streets are connected to. Due to no sidewalks around the city, citizens of Lemon Grove at any age can be in danger when they have to walk, either on a run, walk home or to get to places they need to go. 


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READER’S EDITORIAL: FOOD FOR THOUGHT--ALPINE ELECTIONS

 

 

By Mary Harris

December 11, 2018 (Alpine) -- Running for a seat on the Alpine Community Planning Group taught me a lot. It was like a crash course on local politics. I’ve been attending the group for over three years and I can tell you this: if you have views that are nota carbon copy of the group majority, don’t expect to be warmly welcomed. When I was campaigning, lies sprouted up like weeds from long term group members, and their friendson Alpine’s social media sites. Some made little sense. One individual said that I had called Cal Trans and asked them to remove a church banner. This had nothing to do with the election. It was coming from a person grasping at straws, looking to put me in a bad light.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: MIRAMAR AIR SHOW GLORIFIES WAR

 

 

By Dave Patterson, Ramona

September 19, 2018 (Ramona) -- The US war spending, now approaching $1 Trillion annually, (1) directly impacts how we pay for schools, Medicare, Medicaid, social services and our poor and elderly (7).  We at the San Diego Veterans For Peace take the position that the resultant $22 Trillion national debt (2) created by lavish spending on war making is pitched as a good thing at the Miramar Air Show.  War made palatable with glorious pageantry and emotional thrills that can’t be topped.  This is why we ask the public to just stay home.


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