Editor,
Over one weekend during the holiday season, communities across the globe were shaken by acts of violence and hate that demand moral clarity and accountability.
Showers this morning, becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. High near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..
Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 58F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
Updated: December 20, 2025 @ 8:37 am
Editor,
Over one weekend during the holiday season, communities across the globe were shaken by acts of violence and hate that demand moral clarity and accountability.
On Saturday, Dec. 13, a shooter killed two students and wounded nine others at Brown University in Rhode Island. The San Mateo County Democratic Party stands with the Brown University community following this tragedy, the 76th school shooting in our nation this year, and renews the call for common-sense gun safety laws and accessible mental health support nationwide.
That same weekend, a terrorist attack during a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Australia claimed at least 16 lives. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and unequivocally condemn the antisemitism that fueled this horrific act.
Later that day in Los Angeles, the brutal murder of a beloved Hollywood director and outspoken defender of democracy was followed by dehumanizing and cruel remarks from the U.S. president about Rob and Michele Reiner. We denounce this rhetoric and call on the Republican Party to reject language that inflames rather than offers empathy.
Beyond these terrible acts, we are deeply alarmed by the growing use of fear as a tool of governance in our country. Ongoing ICE raids, family separations, deaths in immigration detention, inhumane conditions in detention centers, and detentions without due process inflict lasting trauma on immigrant communities, including in this county.
In the face of this violence and abuse, we call on neighbors to organize, vote, and speak out for gun safety, immigrant justice and democracy rooted in dignity for all.
Ally Chan
Foster City, San Mateo County Democrats communications director
Maryann Moise
Portola Valley, San Mateo County Democrats Southern vice chair
Victoria Sanchez De Alba, Pacifica
San Mateo County Democrats northern vice chair
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(3) comments
Folks, this is how much a trio of San Mateo County Democrats have lowered the bar… disguising a Trump Derangement Syndrome rant in a letter attempting to show concern and empathy for recent acts of violence. Let’s ask some simple questions these three have conveniently forgotten…
Hey Ms. Chan, Ms. Moise, and Ms. Sanchez de Alba, where is your empathy for victims of Democrats putting the welfare of criminals and terrorists over the American people? Where is your empathy for victims of Democrat state governors handing out licenses to invaders in our country who have killed innocent Americans on both coasts? Where is your empathy for the family of Jocelyn Nungaray, the 12 year old killed by invaders to our country from Venezuela? Where was your empathy when Obama put kids in cages? Don’t you stand for these victims?
Isn’t Brown University a gun-free school and doesn’t Rhode Island have some of the most comprehensive gun control laws in the US? Doesn’t Australia have some of the world’s strictest gun laws? I guess those perpetrators didn’t care too much about gun control.
Have you forgotten about the numerous potty-mouth, dehumanizing and cruel remarks, in addition to exhortations of violence from Democrats directed at our (yes, our) great President Trump? And against law enforcement doing their jobs to protect America, and you three? How about the Seditious Six and their attempts to incite rebellion?
The collective “we” are more than deeply alarmed at the lengths Democrats have sunk to. It seems each day, they discover a level lower than before. And speaking of sunk, have you checked out Harry Enten’s recent segment on Democrat approval ratings? I believe Mr. Enten was laughing when he was delivering results. Spoiler alert… Democrats are at their lowest. And it’s no wonder when we read letters to the editor like this one, attempting to weave easily debunked TDS accusations in a letter feigning empathy.
Sorry, Democrats, but the collective “we” see the true “you.” In addition to early birds Mr. van Ulden's and MichKosk’s astute observations, I’d add that since your TDS accusations are not true, it is highly likely your empathy isn’t true – it is just another feeble tactic to push an “orange man bad” narrative. I’d like to say Democrats are better than that but if the past decade, and recent polls, has shown I/we can’t. Have a Trump-tastic day! BTW, next time, leave out the TDS rants – your concerns may be perceived as genuine. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Is this the same San Mateo County Democratic Party that refused to condemn Jordan Grimes, president of Peninsula Young Democrats and local YIMBY activist, when he justified Charlie Kirk's assassination and left up comments on his social media calling for the same treatment for all "MAGATS" (Trump Supporters)? The same San Mateo Democratic Party that wouldn't even respond to my several polite emails asking if we could at least agree that such comments were beyond inappropriate?
"The San Mateo County Democratic Party stands with the Brown University community following this tragedy" Words, words, useless words. The Dems can't help but come up with the same thoughtless, time worn platitudes, empty of presenting any viable solutions.
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