That is a really rich suggestion by Jay Ambrose — that environmentalists should apologize for high gasoline prices (“American can’t delay drilling for new oil, gas,” July 2).

How about the people who drive 5-liter engines down the highway at 80-plus mph, attaining 10 miles per gallon? No apology necessary from them? Nope — they support Big Oil and fat paychecks for oil executives and Middle Eastern dictatorships.

They bear no responsibility for the problem whatsoever.

Robert Lind

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San Francisco

Sanctuary from The City

In response to your July 3 story “Safe haven ends for felonious juveniles,” the residents of San Francisco need to go to the ballot to repeal The City’s “sanctuary city” ordinance.

It is the height of absurdity that when The City is facing a huge budget deficit and basic city services go unattended, our mayor and supervisors at City Hall continue to spend tax dollars and shield people who are here illegally, some of whom are committing crimes against resident citizens, such as the tragedy in the Excelsior a week ago.

In November, the voters in San Francisco need to take back their city from the ideological loons who continue to run it into the ground.

If not us, who? If not now, when?

E.F. Sullivan

San Francisco

“I take full responsibility.” This would be laughable, if it were not for the fact that The City and the mayor got caught with their pants down (“Safe haven ends for felonious juveniles,” July 3). This announcement by the mayor just shows that he will do or say anything to protect his political future. It is unconscionable to think that this city used taxpayer money to provide transportation to illegal criminals.

The City’s managers are blind if they do not realize illegal aliens cause many of the crimes in The City. And now the mayor says The City will no longer provide transportation to “felonious” juveniles. What has to change is the policy of San Francisco of providing sanctuary to illegal aliens. It does not matter that they don’t commit crimes, what matters is that the harboring of illegal aliens is against federal law. Where do you draw the line? Apparently, there was not a line drawn until it came to the attention of the federal authorities and the press.

The harboring of illegal aliens should be put to the ballot. I am sure that the people of San Francisco would vote it down, not only because it is costing taxpayers thousands, if not millions of dollars, but because it is against the law.

Governor of California? I think not.

Bill Ramos

San Francisco

A distraction is a distraction

Isn’t the real problem with California’s highways the fact that there are distracted or impaired drivers?

We know that the 1,200 accidents in the state last year that were blamed on hand-held cell phones is dwarfed by the number of accidents caused by eating, changing clothes, applying cosmetics or the No. 1 leading cause of distracted driving accidents: children in the back seat. In fact, when I was a resident of New York at the time of their cell phone ban, hand-held phones were No. 7 on the list of distracted driving accidents.

So why don’t we treat any erratic driver as if he or she was impaired and make him or her perform a field sobriety test? Why should I believe a ban on one distraction will be more effective than a crackdown on unsafe driving? This was sold to a sheepish public as a safety move when it is nothing more than a boon for the cellular device industry. And it is a new reason for police to write tickets to drivers who otherwise do not pose a concern.

Maybe when politicians try to outlaw eating, maybe when we see the spike in accidents caused by drivers staring at their laps as they send text messages to avoid tickets, maybe when you get a ticket for scratching your ear as you drive through an intersection and the cop insists that he saw you on the phone, maybe then the people will have remorse for falling for this political ploy. I hope at that time we take real action to make our roads safer: Instruct police officers to pull over any dangerous driver, regardless of the cause, and treat them exactly like an impaired driver.

Rob Dwyer

San Francisco

The cost of independence

The 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, all men of impressive means and education, all signed and pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor, and, as a result, they all suffered greatly.

These men had wealth and security, but valued liberty more. Ultimately, these men led the path that give all of us a free and independent America. It’s unfortunate that many of us take these liberties for granted daily.

Please take a moment this Fourth of July weekend to honor of these 56 brave men; it’s little to ask for the price they each paid.

John Brunello

San Francisco

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