Gov. Gavin Newsom, Fresno’s mayor and city council choose to make homeless people suffer | Opinion

Shifting the blame

“Fresno OKs ban on homeless camps with fines and arrests,” (fresnobee.com, July 29)

Just because the Supreme Court decides a city or state is allowed to do something doesn’t mean it has to do it. As a leader and lawmaker, you can opt out.

California’s governor, however, has chosen to make homeless people suffer. Not only did he choose to say it’s cool to destroy what little they have protecting them from extreme heat and cold, he made it mandatory to do so. Those cities that don’t raze encampments will be penalized financially.

And Gov. Gavin Newsom didn’t stop there. He vilified the homeless as stains on our communities and our state’s reputation — as if what they suffer from, the reasons they are homeless or the actions that caused them to be homeless are their fault and theirs alone.

Locally, Mayor Jerry Dyer and the Fresno City Council have done the same: Put the blame squarely on the homeless.

Joel S Dyer

Fresno

Shameful

“How will Gavin Newsom’s order to sweep homeless encampments change Stanislaus County?” (modbee.com, July 24)

I would like to know exactly what Gov. Gavin Newsom has in mind after his order to rid the state of homeless encampments. Where does he plan to shelter those individuals whose only place to sleep has been taken from them? It is entirely useless to propose an idea that will only inevitably cause bigger problems.

Unless Newsom or anyone in support of his cold and thoughtless executive mistake has created an emergency plan to re-home or shelter these people, leave them alone! It sickens me to be part of a country that would rather bully its own most vulnerable residents when we should instead be offering them a solution.

We should all be ashamed.

Eucelia D Fritch

Modesto

Strengthen marine safe zones

“Sick sea lions are showing up on California coastline — again,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 2)

Recently, news outlets highlighted a troubling issue: sick sea lions washing up on California’s shores. Much of the blame is on us. Industrial waste, agricultural run-off and rising CO2 levels have fueled toxic algal blooms that produce domoic acid, a neurotoxin poisoning sea lions. This toxin infiltrates the food chain, causing seizures, brain damage and, often, death.

As someone from a landlocked country, I don’t take the ocean for granted. Moving to California and witnessing its coastal beauty has been awe-inspiring, but it’s heartbreaking to see this crisis unfold.

To combat this, we must strengthen Marine Protected Areas. These safe zones are essential for shielding wildlife and preserving vital ecosystems like kelp forests, which serve as both habitat and food for countless species and act as a major carbon sink. Expanding and reinforcing these areas is key to ensuring the survival of our oceans and their inhabitants.

Act now, save tomorrow!

Liviu Orehovschi

Oakland

What does Alvarado-Gil stand for?

“Stanislaus Democrats and Republicans react to Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil’s party switch,” (modbee.com, Aug. 13)

Will the real Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil please stand up?

Now that State Senator Alvarado-Gil of Stanislaus County has abandoned the Democratic Party, the one of competence and human dignity, for the party of conspiracy theories, it begs the question: What does she really stand for?

Alvarado-Gil should refund every donation she has received for the last two years to the people who made them under false pretenses. She should also resign and allow the voters to choose a candidate with sincere beliefs and convictions.

Larry Bolton

Modesto