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P.S. The People Speak: Letters to the Editor
The easTer cross
Dear Editor:
I can fully understand that the Redwood City Easter Cross on the cover of
the April Spectrum is an inspiring visible symbol of faith, hope and unity
to all Christians who see it. To create an inspiration for real unity among
all people of faith, including those searching for life’s meaning, the Easter
Cross Association might remove the topmost part of the cross, emblazon the
resulting “T” with bold, black symbols of the most popular religions (e.g.,
Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam) and rename it the “Redwood
City Monument to World Togetherness and Peace.”
A symbol of unity?
George Sliter, Redwood City
Dear Editor:
I really enjoyed your cover article by Nicole Minieri about the 300-ton
cross erected in Emerald Hills on the tallest point in Redwood City. The
article’s stance was that this cross “is a community symbol of unity.” I
wonder if the Jews, Muslims and atheists living in Redwood City feel the
same way as they look up and are confronted with a looming, giant cross?
Perhaps this enormous symbol is a divisive element in the landscape. It
begs the question, “Why do Christians feel such a compulsion to shove their
beliefs down everyone else’s throats?”
John Lennon once said, “Imagine there’s no countries, it isn’t hard to do,
nothing to kill or die for, and no religion, too.” I say, “Imagine just some oak
trees, high on the tallest peak, where all of Nature’s creatures, could live and
play in peace.”
My favorite part of the article was the amazing photograph of the cross
surrounded by barbed wire, chain-link fence, water tower and various
cellular phone towers. It makes one wonder which deity, if any, are we putting
our faith in today?
Atherton council disrespectful
Art Sirota, Redwood City
Dear Editor:
The Atherton City Council voted to condemn the Saltworks project.
Yet they hypocritically condemned this project as a regional issue, while
delegitimizing the large crowd of supporters as not being from Atherton. One
council member declared he preferred a complete restoration of the wetlands,
but when asked who would pay for that restoration he did not respond. Dang
those details!
Today’s leading urban planners encourage green housing near mass transit
and workplaces. Just what the Saltworks project enjoys! Yet its opponents
don’t even want an environmental impact report to be done! What are they
afraid of?
In the future, people commuting from outside the valley will become
common if we don’t make smart decisions now. Last year, the citizens of
Redwood City overwhelmingly voted down a measure to kill this project!
Let’s hope our local leaders will listen to reason!
Realtors push Saltworks project
Corrin Trowbridge, Redwood City
Dear Editor:
It is not surprising to see letters supporting agribusiness giant Cargill’s
“Saltworks” scheme to re-zone, fill and pave Redwood City’s salt ponds for a
new subdivision on our bay coming from real estate professionals. But why
do their letters, such as those from Will Richardson or Jim Massey, omit
industry ties? Perhaps they forget that while their council friends and real
estate colleagues know who they are, most readers will not. When praising
Cargill’s plans and the comments of paid Cargill/DMB advisors like Art
Agnos, Realtors could help establish credibility and objectiveness in the
minds of readers who readily understand Realtors are acutely and uniquely
aware of the personal benefits of creating many thousand new homes for sale.
As any Realtor can happily tell you, those new units clustered on our bay
won’t sell themselves.
Sequoia alumni deserve some respect
Adrian Brandt, Redwood City
Dear Editor:
The Sequoia High School class of 1970 is having its 40th class reunion
(the first I will be able to attend) on Saturday, June 19. I thought it would
be nice to be able to walk the halls of the oldest high school in California
one more time. I am bringing some of my children with me. I am now told
that will not be possible because of sue-happy Californians. With school
out and on a weekend, it would cost overtime to open the school. Bunk. We
graduated; now the school does not want us around. I personally am coming
from Bellingham, Wash., about 800 miles away. The principal or one of the
staff could volunteer their time to come allow us access and give us a tour
of the school. We are not asking for access to any of the classrooms, just the
halls and maybe the theater. I feel very upset and disrespected by their lack of
willingness to give us probably our last chance to feel the history that made
us what we are today, proud Cherokees (not Ravens).
What kind of message does this send to the children that attend Sequoia
now? Once you graduate, you are no longer welcome here. One hour, that is
all we ask. I will be on the campus at about 11 a.m. that day to reminisce with
my children how important this school was to me. I hope that around noon
someone shows to let us in. Alumni deserve some respect.
It’s not the issue — it has to be fair for all
Dana Hiler, Bellingham, Wash.
Dear Editor:
Kudos to Mayor Jeff Ira and the entire City Council in Redwood City for
resisting the emotional, high-pressure tactics of Save The Bay to hijack the
planning process upheld by the voters in 2008.
By voting unanimously to proceed with an environmental review, these
leaders have guaranteed that the people of Redwood City and the entire Bay
Area will get all the facts about the proposed development of the Saltworks site.
Whether the review comes back in favor of the site or not isn’t what
matters. The easy thing would have been to roll over in the face of Save The
Bay’s manufactured opposition and professional antidevelopment campaign.
But, for once at least, politicians did the right thing and served the real needs
of their constituents instead of bending with the wind and responding to the
bullying of special interests like Save The Bay.
Let your opinion be heard!
Heidi Sjolund, Redwood City
Send your letters to letters@spectrummagazine.net or
Opinions & Letters, The Spectrum Magazine, P.O. Box 862,
Redwood City, CA 94064
Letters to the editor should be no longer than 300 words. Columns should be
no longer than 750 words. Illegibly written and anonymous letters will not be
accepted. Please include a daytime phone number where we can reach you.
The Spectrum 11