Letters: August 30, 2007

We give preference to letters containing fewer than 150 words. Please include name, phone number and city of residence.

Pedestrians bear responsibility, too

Safer streets in San Francisco will never happen without some attention to the law by pedestrians. They are frequently jaywalking. Much of the time they are out in the middle of intersections when the signals say don’t walk and the volume of traffic assures that one will need the walk signal in order to get across. Often a dozen or more pedestrians are well into the intersection when they should not be. Drivers can’t usually turn right on red because someone is in the way. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen disabled people start walking into a crosswalk when the light is yellow.

Hudson Bunce

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The City

Urban planning alarm

As a professional urban planner, I read your recent editorial against transit-oriented development (Aug. 27) with some alarm. Readers should know that the only source quoted in your editorial, Randall O’Toole, is widely known for his anti-urban-planning viewpoint. O’Toole is closely associated with a pro-urban-sprawl “think tank” called The Thoreau Institute, a group funded — at least in part — by right-wing backers and big money business interests involved in the road-building industry. The vast majority of urban planning professionals consider Portland’s smart growth policies to be a great success. Asking Randall O’Toole to comment on smart growth is like asking Michael Vick for his thoughts on animal care.

Dehan Glanz

The City

Welcome immigration piece

Thanks to The Examiner for printing Dan Walters’ article on immigrants’ value to California (Aug. 28). As always, the uninformed and reactionary responses to illegal immigrants are rooted in fear and ignorance. According to a 2007 report from the Public Policy Institute of California, “There is no evidence that the influx of immigrants over the past four decades has worsened the employment opportunities of natives.”

Shouldn’t our overstretched police departments spend their time busting drug deals, solving murders and protecting the public rather than harassing that dishwasher who works 60 hours a week, below minimum wage and without health insurance?

Proponents of the “send them all back!” mentality continue to perpetuate social inequalities in California through their misinformation and desire to maintain the status quo (i.e., their wealth gained through cheap, hardworking laborers). Unless this counterproductive ideology is extinguished (right-wing talk-show pundits, I’m looking at you), California will fail to develop workable solutions to the immigration debate.

By the way, I’m a native Californian, born and raised.

Manuel Rodriguez

The City

Homelessness solutions

Recently, many negative and harsh letters of complaint have been printed in The Examiner about the many problems the homeless create in San Francisco, and these complaints are valid. However, no one has yet stepped up to the plate to provide sound, evenhanded and positive solutions to these problems that can dramatically add to and improve the limited programs already implemented in San Francisco. There are bound to be many people in San Francisco with constructive, evenhanded ideas, and it’s time to share those ideas with Mayor Gavin Newsom and representatives of the state and federal government, not more negative and harsh complaints. Step up to the plate and be a problem-solver, not just another complainer.

Robert L Love

The City

Pining for old puzzles page

I am writing on behalf of a group of teachers at the Chinatown campus of City College.

For many months we have started our day with The New York Times Crossword Puzzle, passing it around the teachers’ room, challenged as the puzzle got harder during the week. When we completed Thursday or Friday’s puzzle it was a good day.

The puzzle on your new Games Page just doesn’t make it. We miss the twists and turns and humor that Will Shortz brought us, keeping our minds sharp so we could walk into our classrooms with energy and focus.

Bring back Will!

Janice Wood

The City

For a newspaper representing America’s most anti-war city, you sure know how to start a war on your faithful readers. Mr. Know-It-All may know it all, but he will never compare to my daily dose of Will Shortz! Take the Sudokos and Kakuro, but please bring back The New York Times Crossword Puzzle.

Julie Burck

Oakland

By removing Dilbert, A Lawyer, A Doctor and a Cop, The Other Coast, and the Jumble, you have removed a few of the most enjoyable reasons I looked forward to picking up The Examiner each morning. It seems you think maybe a Games Page would be a bigger draw. You did no feedback to see what readers would prefer. I just wanted to let you know that I do miss the page you removed.

J.F. Jones

The City

To add your voice-

By e-mail: letters@examiner.com

By mail:

Editorial Page Editor

The Examiner, 450 Mission St.

San Francisco, CA 94105

By fax: (415) 359-2766

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