Love John Necker’s new column
EDITOR: Francine and I are delighted that John Necker’s summary made the front page. (“Catching up with the City Council,” Sept. 26, 2019). For quite some time we have relied on his summary to keep us informed, especially since we are generally not able to attend city council meetings. We hope that his comments will become a regular feature and that your readers will visit Necker’s website, sebastopolcitizens.org, for more details.
Our constitution’s preamble begins with the powerful words, “We the people.” It is incumbent upon us to be informed as part of that mandate. Perhaps over time John’s observations (and satire) will lead to an increase in meaningful conversations in Sebastopol, with respect-filled exchanges of different opinions and perspectives. Through that type of exchange we can build a Sebastopol community where creative solutions are developed to solve the local problems facing us.
Best wishes, and thanks for all your efforts to provide the local news.
Mike Baldus
Sebastopol
Act now
EDITOR: Editorials and letters urging us to speak out on climate change miss the point entirely. Simply saying that we stand with Greta Thunberg is meaningless unless we act. There is much that individuals can do right now to significantly reduce their carbon footprint: For example, install photovoltaic solar panels, buy zero-emission vehicles, don’t participate in “fast fashion” cycles and eat less meat.
Solar panels and electric vehicles are not expenses; they are necessary investments in a viable future for generations yet to come. Get quotes and find a local, prescreened solar installer at.energysage.com. Buy a new electric vehicle through a dealer or find a used one through such sites as CarMax, CarGurus, Edmunds or AutoTrader. Wear the clothes you already own. Eschew red meat in favor of poultry, fish, and vegetable proteins.
Act now. Time is short.
Doug Yule
Sebastopol
Have some compassion
EDITOR: In response to Kate Haug’s letter on Oct. 3 opposed to homeless camping:
I’m astounded that anyone in Sebastopol could be of such entitlement as to lambaste our citizens with this tripe! I thought I was reading some NIMBY letter from several decades ago. Really no compassion for the less fortunate?
I’m happy for you that you have never experienced being in need. Need of a place to live, need of a good job that pays enough to afford said housing, need of good healthy food, need of health care, need of…
I would like to have read a letter enumerating a list of resources that we all could donate to or volunteer for that will help the folks who do not have alternatives to “homeless camping,” as it was referred to.
When we give a donation directly to a homeless person, we are actually saying, “I see you”— this is a quote from a homeless person who has helped to organize housing for the previously homeless all over our nation.
I’m challenging all of us to find something, even if it is tiny, that we can each do to show our compassion. Give a homeless person $5 and look them in the eye when we doing it. Just ask them how their day is going, looking them in the eye. Take socks in your bag to give a homeless person. Dig out an extra blanket for her the next time you see her. Be creative. Mostly, be compassionate!
Sabrina Sandiland
Sebastopol
Women in business
EDITOR: Your special “Women in Business” supplement would have been more appropriately titled “White Women in Business.” The supplement makes it appear that only light-skinned women operate businesses in Sonoma County. I’m sure that is not the case, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at this publication.
John Morehead
Sebastopol
