Our Readers Write: Chalk art, racism, climate change, more
Letters to the editor:
Why remove chalk art and its positive messages?
I am writing to convey my dismay at the city’s decision to wash away chalk art on the bike path in support of Black Lives Matter.
For a second time, the city of San Diego power-washed chalk drawings off the La Jolla Bike Path in response to complaints that the drawings, which carried messages in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, were offensive.
Why is support of BLM in the form of colorful, temporary chalk drawings objectionable to any La Jollan? The BLM group began as a political-social movement advocating for nonviolent civil disobedience in protest against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against Black people. “Black lives matter” can also be interpreted as old-fashioned common decency completely separate from an activist agenda.
We live in troubled times. Personally, I am proud of my neighbors who were hoping to spread a message that La Jolla aspires to be loving, accepting and decent to all who reside here.
The chalk art was mostly done by children, and the city’s actions to remove it feel akin to a huge foot kicking over a joyously created sandcastle. Thankfully, the castle can be built again.
Shannon Cain
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Black’s Beach and a lesson in racism
The only thing more revealing than your excellent article on Sept. 3 about Black’s Beach and its history was the response you received from Ms. [Barbara] Stevenson, printed in your Sept. 17 issue (“No need to erase history by renaming Black’s Beach”).
An area resident has requested a name change for popular Black’s Beach in La Jolla, saying the current name reflects a past of prejudice and hate.
Stated simply, racism and bigotry are often hard to see by those who are not its target. That’s why many Kansas City Chiefs fans are perplexed to learn the tomahawk chop is offensive. And why many Whites feel the need to proclaim “All lives matter” in the face of what they should understand is a need for Black lives to matter, too.
And why, as an American Jew, I can fully appreciate the need to re-examine La Jolla’s racist and anti-Semitic history, whereas this seems not possible for Ms. Stevenson. You need to walk about 6 million miles in a Jew’s shoes to get it, I suppose.
Larry Tannenbaum
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We need a movement to stop wildfires
Recent news coverage of the fires in the West show how horrific events can become the opportunity to act. We see that sometimes one event, or a series of events, can start a movement that has the potential to bring about real change. And so it may be with the fires.
Will there be enough suffering, enough loss of lives and property, enough economic damage, enough outrage, enough “enough is enough” to spark a massive movement?
Action is imperative. We must get to work, continue our work and remain hopeful. We need to ramp up our efforts, as this may finally be the time when public opinion, and therefore the action of our representatives, changes.
Please consider joining a group that works tirelessly and effectively toward ending climate change.
Susan Kobara
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Time is short to act against climate change
With California wildfires in the forefront, it is readily apparent that climate scientists’ predictions of drier conditions in the West are coming to pass. Wildfires and their smoke are not new to us; it’s their ever-increasing magnitude that will test our resilience.
Disinformation and denial are being overcome by current events. The fires, exacerbated by decades of greenhouse gas pollution, are leaving their indelible mark. There is time, ever shortening, to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Several bills introduced in Congress price carbon, a powerful solution driven by the U.S. economy that would jump-start our nation’s transition to carbon-free energy. Among them is a revenue-neutral option: HR 763 prices carbon and returns the proceeds to the American people in a dividend.
Now is the time to advocate for solutions that address the damage caused by a warming world.
Susan Tamura
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La Jolla Light does ‘amazing work’
I am a graduate of the University of Iowa School of Journalism and I want to tell you and all your staff that I am in awe of the amazing work you do to put this publication out week after week with such accuracy, detailed information, photos and thorough coverage of all the issues we might miss from another news outlet.
My husband and I lived during his working years in the Midwest and had a second home here for 10 years. Our home in Kansas was completely gutted by a fire. I had always read the La Jolla Light when we were visiting La Jolla, and the real estate advertisements gave me amazing ideas of what I could do as I rebuilt our home.
I even subscribed to it for a year and had it sent to Kansas, and it helped me find a Realtor and the condo I now own on Coast Boulevard.
I have been “talked into” designing a newsletter and becoming the editor for this publication for our condo complex, so I will draw my inspiration from your outstanding publication.
Linda Polly
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Letters published in the La Jolla Light express views from readers about community matters. Submissions of related photos also are welcome. Letters reflect the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or publisher. Letters are subject to editing for brevity, clarity and accuracy. To share your thoughts in this public forum, email them with your first and last names and city or neighborhood of residence to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com. Letters without the writer’s name cannot be published. ◆
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