Letters: Plan now | BART alternative | Guessing at intent | Starving in Gaza | Blame for war

Mercury News Letters to the Editor for April 7, 2024

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Take steps now
against future drought

Re: “Water supplies, levels are full again” (Page A1, March 30).

I’m delighted to learn that this year’s Sierra Nevada snowpack is normal and that reservoirs are brimming as the winter season winds down. It is heartening to see the governor urging us to build reservoirs to save water when it is wet.

This news fills me with optimism that the collective efforts to combat climate change are yielding positive results. From the government’s implementation of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to corporations adopting sustainable business practices and individuals making environmentally conscious choices in our daily lives, it’s evident that progress is being made.

The current rainfall not only brings a sigh of relief to many but also reminds us to prepare for droughts and floods in the years to come. As rainfall and snowfall steadily replenish much-needed water to the Sierra Nevada region and other parts of California, I extend my heartfelt kudos to all those who have contributed to these efforts.

Stanley Wan
Los Altos

Personal transit is
cheap BART alternative

Re: “A rough ride” (Page A1, March 31).

Given the justifiable shock at the cost of undergrounding BART through San Jose to Santa Clara more than doubling, there is an unfortunate lack of consideration of a more affordable and proven alternative. It’s called PRT (personal rapid transit) or pod cars.

This concept has been proven around the world and is now scheduled to begin construction for a badly needed link from San Jose International Airport to Diridon station. Contracts have been signed with a provider called Glydeways and the system will take only a few years to complete.

This system uses small cars that can be supported on poles similar to traffic signals and takes up little surface space as well as going directly to the user’s destination without the bugaboo of most public transportation — which is many stops between one’s desired beginning and end destinations.

This concept certainly seems timely given the current cost difficulties.

Fred Geiger
Santa Cruz

Court’s originalists only
guess at founders’ intent

Re: “Originalists needed on Supreme Court” (Page A6, March 29).

Fred Gutmann wants to believe that today’s ultra-conservative Supreme Court justices counterbalance the “ultra-liberal justices.” Donald Trump’s extremely controversial justices were shoe-horned in by Sen. Mitch McConnell simply because they were vetted and qualified by the Federalist Society. You can be certain that Trump is expecting a transactional quid pro quo and favorable rulings when his various cases are presented in front of those conservative justices.

Let’s be honest about the legal notion of “originalist interpretation.” Being an originalist apparently means these conservative justices get to make legal decisions without actually relying on laws, precedents or the Constitution to justify their rulings. It is absurd to believe that our conservative justices somehow know what our Founding Fathers were thinking since none of them are actual historians.

Jerry Gudeman
Santa Clara

Starving Gaza’s kids
can’t be justified

I can’t believe how much children and adults are suffering from the famine in Gaza.

Although more food is coming in, distribution is dangerous without a cease-fire. Why not have a temporary cease-fire? Maybe they will get the hostages back. The hostages are suffering too.

There is no explanation that would justify causing famine and starvation to the dying population of Gaza.

Celeste  McGettigan
San Jose

Blame for war in Gaza
doesn’t rest with Israel

Re: “World must reverse devastation in Gaza” (Page A6, April 2).

The author’s claim that the Gaza war is “an unintended consequence of creating a Jewish homeland” is an oversimplification that ignores the attacks Israel has had to defend against since the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan, which would have created a Jewish and Arab state.

The Jews responded by accepting a small fraction of what eventually became Israel. Four Arab countries responded by attacking Israel. The result was the displacement of Palestinians and the expansion of Israel’s borders in order to defend itself.

It is heartbreaking to see the extent of death and destruction in the current war, but putting all the blame on Israel relieves the Palestinians of any consequences for their unwillingness to accept the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state.

Jonathan Jackel
Los Gatos