Letters to the editor

Dear Editor,

Representative Henry Waxman is leading a Congressional kerfuffel about lies and liars in the game of baseball. Either Roger Clemens or his ex-trainer are lying before Congress. Sure, lying about drug use is a terrible thing. But why is Congress spending so much time investigating baseball drug liars while failing to hold Cheney, Rumsfeld and the Prevaricator-in-Chief accountable for the lies that have trapped us in Iraq’s tar pit of debt, death and disgrace? Their lies before Congress are far more grave, harming a generation of Americans.

Bruce Joffe

Piedmont

End Israeli occupation

for peace in Palestine

Editor,

I must respond to Gil Stein’s letter, "Hamas is a democratically-elected terrorist organization.” I would suggest to Mr. Stein, and all other readers of the Daily Journal, to Google "Zionist Terrorism,” and you will have a wealth of information on how the use of terrorism by several Zionist organizations were used to create the state of Israel. If the mainstream American media gave the people of the United States all the information regarding the creation of Israel, most Americans would say, "stop funding Israel now.” The atrocities committed by the Zionist terrorists, not only to the Palestinians, but to the Jews, Egyptians and other Semitic people, makes the firing of homemade rockets by the Palestinian anti-occupation forces at the Israeli occupiers, almost laughable. The only way to find peace in Palestine is to end the Israeli occupation, stop all aid to Israel and send in the United Nations to keep the peace as they have done in Lebanon.

But after reading how ruthless and murderous the Zionist terrorists were, and are, I would suggest moving the wall to the 1967 border, (that’s more than enough stolen Palestinian land for them), and warn the United Nation troops not turn their backs on the Israelis. And I say again, America owes Palestine a form of aid comparable to the Marshall Plan to compensate for years of supporting the illegal Israeli occupation.

Frank Scafani

San Bruno

Who wins?

Editor,

In Sue Lempert’s column, Feb. 11, 2008, "Primary Postmortem,” in regards to Propositions 94 - 97, she refers to those who are concerned about expanded Indian gaming in California and disgusted by the multi millions spent both pro and con on these propositions. One can only assume from her comments that she herself must be disgusted.

If so, understandable, however I find it very interesting that she should mention such disgust since one of the big spenders on the con side of these Indian Casino compacts is the very company or "special interest group” that the city of San Mateo proceeded to do business with during her tenure on the City Council, Bay Meadows Land Company AKA Stockbridge Capital Partners.

This same company spent millions of dollars on advertising, marketing, television ads, glossy mailers and public relations companies that basically hired thugs to make sure that San Mateo residents did not, as American citizens, get to democratically vote on the future of their own city.

This same company that disgustingly "squandered” millions of dollars trying to defeat the Indian Propositions, also disgustingly squandered millions right here in our town interfering with democracy. She did not mention any disgust at their spending spree back then, or at the lies and harassment San Mateo citizens suffered as a result of the millions being "lavished” against a citizens referendum effort, and in favor of themselves and the City Council.

Does this sound like a company that San Mateo should welcome and engage in business with?

Linda Slocum

San Mateo

Politicians play on

people’s fear of terrorism

Editor,

Everyone was under observation in Orwell’s 1984, being watched at any time, and that’s how it’s becoming in many big cities around the world — and little ones as well. The fear of criminals or terrorists has infected society after society, and instead of teaching their citizens right from wrong or providing enough money and jobs for them so that they don’t have to turn to crime, they’re investing in surveillance equipment instead, so they can catch them when they do wrong.

It’s a culture of fear. Americans are afraid of terrorists or terrorism, and their government plays on those fears. In fact, it manipulates their fears, and even works to heighten them. That’s what helps to keep politicians in office: "Vote for me, because I can protect you. My opponent, on the other hand, is soft on terrorism.” And many people just don’t realize that they’re being bamboozled — that they’re giving up their money, their freedom, their privacy, their rights, to protect them from a threat that’s less likely to strike them than a bolt of lightning.

Ted Rudow III

Menlo Park

Lead paint on lamp poles

a significant problem

Editor,

Last summer I was delighted to see some of the kids in the neighborhood playing the old fashioned game of "Hide and Seek.” Our game of 40 years ago still seems to be alive and well. The kids hid their face against the light pole in front of our home and counted to a certain number.

Regarding the story you included about finding lead paint on so many of the lamp poles in San Mateo, I take issue with public works Director Larry Paterson making a cryptic comment like, "Are we going to see people chewing on poles?” No, probably not, but as long as kids still play outdoors and still come in contact with lead paint the city has an obligation to take care of any toxic substance.

Many children I grew up with in the ’50s and ’60s had illnesses that were never fully understood nor diagnosed. Later it was determined that some of the substances they came in contact with caused devastating health issues. However small the risk with these lamp poles in San Mateo, the city has a duty to take care of the problem. Kudos to the citizen who called the city of San Mateo, and recognized the possibility of lead paint. To you I say thank you.

Phyllis McArthur

Foster City