Letters: Democrats must shrink the herd running for governor

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Democrats must narrow the field for governor

Re: “Race for governor is tight early on” (Page A1, March 26).

Democrats, get it together. There are too many Democrats running for governor. California deserves better.

Candidates with less than 10% voter support — Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Tony Thurmond, Betty Yee and Ian Calderon — must drop out. Each has contributed to California in the past, but their messages aren’t catching on today. Each of them is lagging in fundraising and has low voter support. They all should withdraw and let voters decide among the strongest candidates. The herd must shrink.

I believe that Eric Swalwell, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Matt Mahan have the best chances for vigorous and successful campaigns through June and into November. Voters can focus on the issues and choose among the strongest and most effective contenders. These candidates have resources and messages that resonate with many voters.

Dennis Hawkins
San Jose

A different era would celebrate activists

Re: “Activist wants DA off his retrial” (Page B1, March 1).

For perspective on the trial of the Stanford student protestors, it might be helpful to go back to the 1930s.

If there had been Stanford students with the moral insight and courage in the 1930s to stage such a protest against the German genocide and the refusal of the United States to accept Jewish refugees from the St. Louis, how would we want them to have been treated?

Forrest Nixon
San Jose

Two-state solution is only route to peace

Re: “Israel’s annexation plan is true path to peace” (Page A6, Feb. 26).

Writing in response to the writer who defends Israel’s taking of lands occupied by the Palestinian people, I need to remind him that Israel was destroyed 2,000 years ago and exists in large measure because an international body, the UN, saw fit to divide a land without asking its inhabitants their opinion.

The Jewish settlers came to conquer and dispossess, and in the words of their first president, suggested the inhabitants should just leave and be absorbed. This attitude of cultural superiority is reflected in this writer’s letter. He is wrong. Peace will only come when both the Palestinians and the Jews can agree that two nations have the right to co-exist.

One of the biggest blocks to this is the continued American thumb on the scales of justice, as evidenced by the continued blocking of international efforts to hold Israel accountable for its illegal seizures of territory.

Roger Wood
Fremont

This war with Iran is unnecessary, deadly

Re: “Trump: Supreme leader killed” (Page A1, March 1).

How do we explain this Iran war? This illegal war (according to the United Nations) is definitely not America First.

Iran is no threat to us. Why go “over there” to fight and die? Why sacrifice the lives of our troops and create more Gold Star families without an intelligent explanation to our citizens? Barack Obama hammered out, along with the Russians, Chinese and Europeans, the JCPOA, which kept any nuclear program in a bottle for years to come. Now we want an entirely new agreement? Iran can have no nuclear enrichment, no ballistic missiles and no alliances with other groups that oppose Israel’s behavior toward Palestinians. Israel uses a legal system that changes depending on which district you live in.

“Equal justice for all”? Is that the noble cause that our grandfathers would have shed their blood for 85 years ago?

Mike Caggiano
San Mateo

A quality education is non-negotiable for state

Amid all the chaos, civil unrest and deep division abroad and at home, I am grateful for many things. One of these things is my education.

I was able to take advanced classes in high school, and am currently pursuing a college degree. In fact, I am approaching the end of my term. Needless to say, I was blessed with opportunities that should be available to all. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as not everyone has equal access to education. California has the largest economy in our union, yet we rank only 29th among states. This needs to change because education is an investment in our future.

Our state is considering a wealth tax on the ultra-wealthy, which would allow us to leverage additional tax dollars for education. Yet, we have to go through roundabout means to accomplish this. But why? Education is non-negotiable.

Anthony Sanchez
San Jose