16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY october 26-november 1, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Peace Plan Thanks for weighing in so articulately and wisely (“As war devastates Israelis and Palestinians, it becomes a political battle in Monterey County,” posted Oct. 18). If we continue to choose sides in a conflict in which no one is blameless and civilians on both sides face huge losses, we only perpetuate the problem. Debbie Sharp | Carmel Your reportage reflecting a personal viewpoint parroted the usual left-leaning position of the Monterey County Weekly. I would suggest you educate yourself by investing in a flight to Israel to absorb the realities of living with a neighboring society whose stated ambition since United Nations partition was and is to kill all Jews and drive them out of their homeland. For 75 years, the various Palestinians have rejected the peace plans their leadership had accepted. The only thing different now is that they have found oil-rich sponsors with unlimited monies to purchase rockets, mortars, machine guns and provide training for terrorists to achieve their goals. The rest is just idle conversation without reality. Dennis Lewenthal | Oakland, California Good reporting and good global viewpoint. There has to be a next step— perhaps achieving peace through a two-state solution as President Joe Biden has long suggested. Sam Farr | Carmel Gratitude to U.S. Reps. Jimmy Panetta [and Zoe Lofgren] for co-sponsoring a congressional resolution condemning the horrific atrocities perpetrated by Hamas against thousands of innocent Israelis. They joined over 400 elected officials, Democrats and Republicans, united in their moral clarity supporting Israel’s right to defend its citizens. Zionism is the movement for liberation and self-determination of the Jewish people in their indigenous homeland, the land of Israel. To call the Jewish resettlement in their ancestral homeland a colonial-settler enterprise is to deny the historic reality. Such descriptions are meant to demonize and dehumanize Jewish Israelis, an excuse for violence and rejection of peaceful coexistence between Jews and Arabs. Richard S. Gerber | Salinas I am disturbed by politicians who are trying to lock us into uncritical support of Israel without recognition of the humanity of those being killed on both sides and the policies that have contributed to hopelessness and conflict. Those will be required if we are ever to move to a resolution of the horrific status quo and the cycle of violence. Andy Hsia-Coron | Aromas As Meron Rapaport points out, there can be no peace in the Middle East without recognition of Palestinian rights as well as those of Israel (“Hamas’ attack on Israel shatters Netanyahu’s claim that peace is possible without the Palestinians,” Oct. 19-25). As we condemn the unspeakably horrendous attack by Hamas, we must also remember and deplore the decades-long occupation of the West Bank and the virtual imprisonment of 2 million civilian Palestinians in Gaza, most of whom are reported not to be supporters of Hamas. Evenhandedness should also be displayed by the County Board of Supervisors. As President Biden said in his recent address, “We must, without equivocation, denounce anti-Semitism. We must also, without equivocation, denounce Islamophobia.” How difficult can it be for the board to grasp that concept and reflect it in its proposed resolution? Mads Bjerre | Carmel Up in Smoke Get rid of them (“Fireworks are an annual fixture around Fourth of July in Seaside, but do its residents still want them,” Oct. 19-25). Dangerous and annoying. Thomas Michael Chavarria | via social media The fireworks problem in Seaside has never been about little firecrackers and sparklers. The problem is loud, illegal fireworks, almost all imported from China, filled with lead and other toxins. The use of these is a middle finger to a community that does not want to be traumatized by the noise, nor poisoned by toxins. There is not another community on the Peninsula that would allow this to happen. Curt Chaffee | Seaside If our local cities put on a fireworks show, maybe the citizens wouldn’t have to take it into their own hands. Shawn Hall | via social media Building a Dream Wow! So amazing. Congratulations to all!! Thank you for putting Salinas on the map for something so positive (“Rancho Cielo vocational students win big in an international sustainable building competition,” Oct. 19-25). Acacia Torres | via social media Great job, and keep building your dreams into a reality. Ofelia Leon | Gonzales Congratulations! Monterey County needs more programs like this! Mattie Belisle | via social media Monumental Memory As the Weekly reminded us, General Joseph Stilwell was Fort Ord’s first commander and later played a significant role in Asia during World War II when George Marshall appointed him the Chief of Staff for Chiang Kai-shek (“Joseph Stilwell was at home in both Carmel and in China. Now he is a catalyst in a new type of diplomacy,” Oct. 12-18). And yet the general’s signature Fort Ord project, the Soldiers’ Club, was torn down in the early 2000s. Meanwhile, new development presses on and every day there is less of old Fort Ord to remind us about its contributions to winning WWII. Stilwell was a “soldier’s general,” beloved by all, even in Communist China. Statues of generals may not be in fashion, but if any general deserved one, it’d be Stilwell. There are a lot of roundabouts and future parks planned in the Fort Ord area. Just saying… Cameron Binkley | Marina Jazz It up What a joy it was to read this article (“Michael Jacobi is known for jazz festivals and as a radio host, even though he is a non-musician,” Oct. 19-25). Christian Mendelsohn | Seaside Letters • CommentsOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@mcweekly.com. Please keep your letter to 150 words or less; subject to editing for space. Please include your full name, contact information and city you live in.
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