ear Editor, With the multi-faceted issues and opposition to High
Speed Rail, especially over the Pacheco Pass route into our
populated area, last week’s deadly HSR incident in Spain should
receive more discussion. It serves as a warning.
High speed trains are dangerous; time to revote and reject HSR
Dear Editor,
With the multi-faceted issues and opposition to High Speed Rail, especially over the Pacheco Pass route into our populated area, last week’s deadly HSR incident in Spain should receive more discussion. It serves as a warning.
Thirteen people were killed when a high-speed train slammed into them (June 23) as they crossed a high-speed railway line to get to a Spanish festival on a beach near Barcelona. This, after disembarking from a local commuter train (like a Caltrain!). Neither the high-speed train, nor the soon-to-be slaughtered people could react fast enough to avoid the collisions.
HSR presents safety issues to our communities that are worse than we already have with the “Baby Bullet” Caltrain (in my view, it ought to be entitled the “Killtrain”). High- speed trains cannot take evasive action to stop the deadly and all too frequent accidents that kill pedestrians, motorists, and animals crossing the tracks.
In the history of train accidents, the 2006 High-Speed MagLev accident in Germany occurred when the train could not avoid a maintenance vehicle left on the tracks.
We cannot afford the danger, let alone disruption or huge cost of diverted financial resources from government’s primary role to provide basic human needs to the public. Political rail fanatics’ tax-funded train toys do not rate.
There is no need for HSR – and its problems. We must revote and reject HSR.
Omar Chatty, former MH resident now living in San Jose
Good to hear principals were hired on ability not ethnicity
Dear Editor,
Congratulations to the three new Morgan Hill Unified School District principals and a thank you to the process that allowed for selection by ability and experience and not by ethnicity as seemed to be called for by Julian Mancias. It seems to me that our students are in need of positive leadership and not in need of “excuses” as to why they can’t and won’t succeed.
Perhaps Mr. Mancias desires a quota system for staff and students or maybe even an ethnic segregation of students and staff so that every sensitivity can be mollified.
Myself and other Mestizos are certainly glad that we did not put our educations on hold due to a lack of Mestizo teachers and staff. Reading, writing, math and science are color blind. No one ever told us that we could not obtain a quality education because our ethnicity was different than that of the teachers and staff.
We are now doctors, lawyers, engineers and one of us is the President of the United States of America.
Bob Hewitt, Pleasant Grove
Intervention needed for those with disregard for animals
Dear Editor,
The utter disregard for life and indifference to suffering displayed by a 12-year-old Atwater boy who allegedly killed two of his foster father’s dogs and injured a third by throwing them down irrigation pipes should concern everyone. Animal abusers are bullies and cowards who take their issues out on “easy victims” – and they rarely limit themselves to hurting only animals. Psychiatrists, criminal profilers and law enforcement officials have repeatedly documented that young people who are cruel to animals often turn that violence against humans.
Cruelty to animals appears in the histories of all our nation’s serial killers and tragic school shooters. The FBI uses reports of cruelty to animals to gauge the threat potential of known criminals. Experts agree that it is the abuser’s violence – not the victim’s species – that is a concern.
It’s vital that people who hurt animals receive intervention – including counseling and a ban on contact with animals – to prevent violence.
Visit www.HelpingAnimals.com to learn more.
Martin Mersereau, Director Emergency Response Team, Cruelty Investigations Department for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
More volunteers needed for 2011 Fourth of July events
Dear Editor,
The Volunteers of the I.D.I. Fourth of July Parade would like to apologize to the many persons who called the IDI Volunteers’ “office” telephone (779-1776) and did not receive an answer to their recorded message.
Unfortunately, we did not have enough volunteers to staff the telephone at all times last week during normal “work” hours. We are sorry that it was not possible to return all the calls. Perhaps some readers would like to volunteer for the 2011 Fourth of July season to help insure all callers receive an answer. If so, please call (408) 779-1776, and be assured that you will get a call back.
Thank you very much.
Bob and Maureen Hunt, Parade Chairs
Thanks to generous folks who helped fill the boot for MDA
Dear Editor,
I want to thank the generous citizens of South County once again.
On June 5 and 6 we held a fill the boot collection at the intersection of Monterey Street and Tennant Avenue in Morgan Hill. This event was to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, also known as Jerry’s Kids.
We raised over $15,000 that will help send several kids to summer camp. Also a very special thanks to Straw Hat Pizza for donating lunch for all of the firefighters and volunteers both days. The generosity shown is overwhelming to say the least.
Herb Alpers, CAL FIRE, South Santa Clara County Fire District
