Letters to the editor

Editor,

Equal justice under the law still remains elusive for 20,000 people serving federal sentences for crack cocaine, despite the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s long-awaited reform of federal sentencing guidelines for crack, effective Nov. 1.

These prisoners are currently serving sentences so harsh that they will no longer be imposed on future defendants, but they are ineligible for relief because the new guideline is not yet retroactive. People serving mandatory minimum sentences for crack cocaine under the very laws that created the 100:1 sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine are also not affected by the new guideline. Only Congress can change mandatory minimum laws.

The Sentencing Commission’s latest report to Congress confirms that punishing people more severely for crack cocaine overstates the harmfulness of the drug and has a devastating impact on low-level offenders and minorities. The time is ripe for reform, especially given the bipartisan support for sentencing reform that has emerged in recent years.

The Sentencing Commission should make the new guideline retroactive and Congress must act decisively and now to reform mandatory sentencing laws.

Nevida Butler

East Palo Alto

Improve our electoral system

Editor,

My letter in response to the column suggesting that Jackie Speier should not run against Tom Lantos surely has activated the supporters of Mr. Lantos and the nation of Israel. I am pleased to see that polls show that my opinion is that of the majority. Many are not pleased with the work that Mr. Lantos is doing. Yes, he is doing a wonderful job for Israel, and Israel is our ally, but many people would like a representative who is responsive to the people in the district.

Many citizens of this district want an end to the war and immediate impeachment proceedings against the President and Vice President. This is not the position of the two major political parties. Our two party system is not doing a good job representing the people of our nation. Our method of campaign funding assures that Congress is beholden to the corporations that pay the campaign expenses. Voting "irregularities’ (cheating?) are showing up all over our country. Before we get too involved with who to vote for in the election in 2008; we need to work to improve our electoral system. We cannot say we are a functioning democracy when the voice of the people is not being heard in Washington, D.C.

Also, I am not a candidate for Congress. The Green Party candidate will be Barry Hermanson.

Patricia Gray

Burlingame

An atheist’s Christmas

Editor,

It’s that time of year again. Homo sapiens, from about the stone age on, have carefully observed the sky and the "path” of the sun and the duration of daylight. They have carefully observed the shortest day of the year—December 22, and the time when the days clearly begin to lengthen—about December 25.

Around 3000 B.C.E., the Egyptians began worshiping their risen-sun god, Osiris and his earthly son Horus. A few more of the great many risen man-gods whose "birth” has been celebrated on Dec. 25 include Tammuz, Attis, Mithra, Krishna, Dionysus and most recently, Jesus.

Since most of the people of ancient Rome celebrated one risen sun god-man or another, the young Catholic Church found that it couldn’t fight the trend, and so it joined it. In 354 C.E. Bishop Liberious of Rome declared that the birth of the church’s probably equally mythical Jesus was the same day as the birth of all the other various pagan sun gods. In 380, the Roman emperor Theodosius ordered all pagan temples destroyed and forced pagans to accept Christianity.

But I certainly don’t ask for celebrations to stop. On the other hand, I say, "Celebrate away.” We atheists enjoy celebrating the Winter Solstice too. Be joyful that the days will indeed get longer; another harvest will happen; we will not descend into everlasting darkness again this year. Exchange presents; have feasts such as the great Roman Brumalia (feast) always held on Dec. 25. The only thing I ask is that you simply be a bit more aware of what all the hoopla is actually all about.

Don Havis

San Mateo