Letters to the editor

difficult to understand

Editor,

I think the general public might be interested in a little history of the Mormon Church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1896 the United States allowed the territory of Utah to become a state on the condition that the Mormons, who completely controlled the area at that time, agreed to forbid their practice of polygamy, or "plural marriage.” The practice wasn't really enforced until the church, under a great deal of pressure, passed their "Second Manifesto” in 1904.

Again under pressure in 1978, the Mormon Church passed a new rule which allowed formerly-banned African-Americans to officially become priests in their church.

The Mormon Church has always had an anti-homosexual agenda as outlined quite clearly in their "Church Handbook of Instructions,” published in 1998.

The latest evidence is the Mormon Church’s support for the "Yes on Prop 8” campaign. The Mormon Church has contributed, from all across the country, about 40 percent of the total funding for that campaign. This is a vote to deny same-sex people equal protection under the law: the right to be married.

It is really difficult for me to understand why a church— supposedly a moral leader — fosters such a narrow-minded and restrictive set of beliefs and social programs.

Don Havis

San Mateo

Thanks to Darold Fredricks

Editor,

Thanks for the article "The Uccelli family of South San Francisco,” which appeared in the Oct. 13 edition of the Daily Journal. As you wrote, all those named in the article really were self-reliant.

I was raised at the triplex at 919 Grand Ave. and the Lux Red Barn at 150 Oak Ave. I’m Peter’s grandson. Mentioned in your article was my father George. As a boy and young man, I worked on the truck farm (with my cousins) which operated out of the Lux Red Barn. I started going to the old produce market with my father when I was 13 years old. At that time the market was located around the Washington Street area of San Francisco.

On the farm, I learned what physical hard work was all about. At the time my cousin Paul Marsili (Alice’s son) and I didn’t think getting up at 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. to truck and deliver produce to the San Francisco produce market was much fun. But looking back on it we all benefited, and in many ways, for us, it was the best of times. The many experiences my cousins and I lived through on the farm and at the produce market were true adventures.

David P. Uccelli

South San Francisco

Last rites for track

Editor,

Bay Meadows is finally getting its "last rites” as it is being torn down. Thanks to the San Mateo Planning Commission, and four present members of the City Council, along with one former councilmember Sue Lempert, the group decided to tear down one of the oldest historical structures in San Mateo.

When horses were still there, people enjoyed the races, and as an added bonus, the horses were fed oats which they used to produce recyclable fertilizer. The over 1,110+ housing units replacing Bay Meadows will be causing approximately 2,300 more cars to clog our already crowded freeways and create more smog. The houses will use approximately 700 gallons of water per day and produce tons of trash for our local dump in Half Moon Bay, which was supposed to last until 2028, but now will be filled by 2018. Enjoy.

Frank George

San Mateo

Burlingame needs

a vote on Safeway

Editor,

The issues with the proposed Burlingame Safeway cannot be expected to be resolved with seven-interest parties, commissioners, the City Council, and the Safeway representatives in one room. Since this has been going on for years, the Burlingame City Council is letting the people of Burlingame down by consistently adding obstacles to building a new Safeway for Burlingame.

Look at the great stores in Menlo Park, Redwood City, Belmont and San Mateo. We need to focus on the store, not underground parking, overhead parking, retail stores, condos, or the oak tree. City council, look around at the businesses that are closing in Burlingame. If the city council cannot move this along, I suggest that we put it to a vote of Burlingame residents. We need to see leadership to improve the Safeway property and to date we have not seen this leadership from the council. Fix it and move on to other issues.

Robert A. Straccia

Burlingame