Letters to the editor

Editor,

Our public officials/ senators/ congressman need to stop putting innocent U.S. citizens in jail ("Cockfighting ring busted” in the March 10 edition of the Daily Journal). Let us ask our public officials for an immediate passage of a local ordinance and pass a bill to "decriminalize the family-oriented game fowl sport in California’s agricultural/rural industrial areas, tax it and regulate it like chicken slaughter houses.

It will create much needed sustainable tax revenue for our county/state/federal governments, it will create much-needed sustainable jobs and new businesses to open.

Currently, it’s legal to operate chicken slaughter houses (100 percent killing ratio), Kentucky fried chickens, human cockfighting, boxing, drag racing, horse racing, football or sports that injure and kills human beings, creates casino everywhere and much worse.

Let use our limited law enforcement to prosecute violent criminals and thousands of unsolved crimes, prosecute organized syndicates/nonprofit groups that steal millions of taxpayer money, deal with issues about our sexual predators who are out of overcrowded jail system, domestic violence, white collar crimes, local terrorism, etc.

I thought we are a nation of democratic principles not a nation of hypocrites.

Facts: The majority of cultural game fowl sport breeders/fans are U.S. citizens, veterans, taxpayers, law-abiding citizens. Dogs are trained to be vicious, game fowl have pure instincts.

I’m a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who was honorably discharged with several awards and served this country to preserve our freedom but also my freedom and rights to what cultural sport I can do on my free time and not have them taken away from me and my family.

Game fowl sport is family-oriented and does not injure or kill human beings. We need your help to stop this injustice.

Sa Davao

San Mateo

HOT lanes are cheap and overdue

Editor,

Bob Stine’s (letter "New lanes for the wealthy” in the March 6 edition of the Daily Journal) argues that the new high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission plans for the Bay Area will be used only by wealthy people. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, I suspect that depending on the time of day, the toll on the HOT lane could be comparable to feeding a parking meter, the fare on a Samtrans bus, but lower than a day pass on Caltrain from San Mateo to San Francisco.

It’s unfortunate that Stine chooses to play the "class card” because freeway congestion is a serious problem with dire environmental and economic consequences. Applying market-based principles to freeway driving and other aspects of auto operation is long overdue. After all, motorists already purchase and maintain their vehicles through private enterprise — yet the expectation that driving and parking should remain "free” continues.

I suppose if the state and federal gas taxes were increased to pay for all road costs, there would be no need to look for additional revenue-generators. However, the federal gas tax was last raised in 1993; the state gas tax last increased by one cent in 1994. In fact, the Federal Highway Trust Fund is broke — it required an $8 billion bailout from the taxpayers last September.

Unlike a gas tax, the motorist receives a direct benefit for paying the high occupancy toll — a faster ride. Rather than objecting to HOT lanes, I would think motorists stuck in traffic would be clamoring for it.

Irvin Dawid

Palo Alto

Repeal ‘Don’t ask/Don’t tell’

Editor,

I was very empathetic to Michael Job’s letter to the editor, "Support equal rights,” in the March 7-8 weekend edition of the Daily Journal. In that letter Job relates how all minorities have always done all the dirty and life-threatening work of fighting in wars for America, as he has done as a gay man, while their rights for fair and just treatment have been systematically "taken away” from them. "Right on,” I exclaimed. But then, he says that we can fight this injustice, particularly as it applies to gay military personnel, by "not supporting the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ It is wrong, immoral and misguided.”

Huh? I think Mr. Job may be mixed up. The absurd DA, DT military policy is exactly what does need to be repealed, hopefully soon by President Obama, to stop this very damaging policy of outlawing gay servicemen and women. The DA, DT policy now demands that gays keep their sexual orientation a top secret. By repealing this policy, gays would be able to serve in the military openly; that is, without keeping their sexual orientation a secret, but of course harassing behavior of any kind by anyone would still be punishable. Job should campaign vigorously for the repeal of the DA, DT policy as I and other progressives are doing.

Don Havis

San Mateo

Solution to school finance

Editor,

The San Carlos Elementary School District ("District OKs potential layoffs,” March 6 issue of the Daily Journal) is setting an example which other district’s would be well advised to follow. By increasing K-3 class size from 20 to 22 students, they can live within their budget without additional taxes. Class size reduction was a ploy by the union-dominated education establishment to fill the overbuilt facilities as enrollment failed to rise to expectations.

If push comes to shove, districts could increase class size to 28 or even more. Of course, they would have to declare a "force majeure” to break the stranglehold of the union contract which places a cap of 22 on the San Carlos Elementary District. Larger class sizes will work if students and parents want to participate. The district has a responsibility to deal with disruptive students. Think voluntary not compulsory or mandatory.

John J. "Jack” Hickey

Emerald Hills