Ord-inary People


It amazes me that you keep printing John Hutcherson’s letters as he is obviously confused about what is happening at the former Fort Ord (“Letters,” July 26-Aug. 1). As a lifelong resident of Monterey County, I saw the impact on our community first hand when the military left and left us with their remains. I’m not saying that Monterey Downs is the answer, but after seeing a presentation by Monterey Downs’ Beth Palmer, they are a group that can help us rebuild the former Fort Ord. Anyone who has been out there knows that work needs to be done, John Hutcherson isn’t going to do it, so why not let a group bring money into our community (instead of leaving it) to replenish the former Fort Ord?


If Monterey Downs claims to plant two trees for each it removes, that sounds like a deal to me (imagine it was dollars – I’d give a dollar to someone who is giving me back two). The so-called race track is only allowed to be operational for eight weeks a year, is that really so horrible? Let’s make the former Fort Ord a place for all to enjoy, not just John Hutcherson and his 20 friends who claim to be protecting the mess the military left. - TinaJay | via Web


Uh oh! Developer shill alert! Mr. Hutcherson has far more than 20 friends who feel the same way. Almost 18,000 registered voters signed the referendum to reject the Whispering Oaks business park. Whispering Oaks was a relatively unknown parcel. Try developing Parker Flats and 30,000 will be ready and waiting with another referendum. The proposal for Monterey Downs is 10 times the size of Whispering Oaks… and a main component is more housing. That will sure complement the thousands of empty home-sites already rotting on Fort Ord in places like Marina Heights and East Garrison. BTW: Everyone should take a moment to Google “horse racing industry decline.” The data and history speak for themselves. The Fort Ord community and politicos are being taken for a ride. - OnFortOrd | via Web


Air Quotes


Ha ha ha, Gotcha Squid! (“Squid Fry,” July 26-Aug. 1). Hey, why don’t you do your homework before you start calling people names, or better yet, stop hiding behind your “mask” as “Squid” as a chicken-shit method to be able to say dumb comments you have no clue about. We’re about to make you look as stupid as you are. Cuddly Dennis “your sweetheart” is in some serious trouble… called Leidig! As the “Mexican” would call you, “Menso!” Oh by the way, we love the FREE press, we’ll let Mary know. - Brianitis66 | via Web


(Editor’s Note: If you’re suggesting that Squid and the Salinas mayor have engaged in inter-species love, please get in touch.)


Potty Logic


A quarter million dollars for a bathroom with three toilets? (“Revised plan for a less-fancy beach restroom head to City Council,” July 26-Aug. 2) Only in California! (The same project would be about $50,000 in most of the rest of the country.) - HalRaimey | via Web


Perspective Matters


Could the media please give us a break with endless grisly accounts of the Aurora killings? I understand it was a tragedy, and our sympathies lie with the 70 innocent victims. But, we also need to appreciate that 86 Americans are killed by firearms every day, and nearly 4,000 are killed prematurely by chronic diseases linked with consumption of animal products and lack of exercise. So, let’s replace the vacuous hand-wringing over the Aurora tragedy with constructive personal steps to lessen the greater tragedies facing us every day. - Mitchell Corbett | Monterey


(Editor’s note: We ran exactly two stories on the Aurora shootings – one online and one in the paper, and that was an editorial. If that’s endless, we’re not sure how you’re defining it.)


Talking about guns might get more readers, but it doesn’t really address the issue. The real issue here is mental illness and a society that has failed to help a troubled young man and paid for that failure with the lives of innocent people. We might want to paint James Holmes as a monster, but I think it’s unlikely that someone lives completely normally until they get access to a gun. It takes a deeply disturbed individual to go on a shooting spree. Mr. Holmes actually did seek the care of a psychologist, but unfortunately this wasn’t enough to prevent the harm he inflicted.


So, the discussion we need to have is: How do we as a society start addressing mental illness rather than ignoring it? How do we get to a point where someone showing signs of trouble doesn’t get mocked or shunned, thereby likely making the situation worse? Once we figure out the answer to that question, then we begin to have a proper discussion on the role of guns in our society. - BGreen | via Web


AVIAN NAtion


This week a mother gull was killed by a driver on 14th Street. She left a family – a very young family. They had followed her into the street. Animal Control was called and took one baby away. They left two small young birds behind.


The neighborhood cared. People slowed their cars. Neighbors brought seed and even fish for the birds.


The father gull watches his brood from a roof and occasionally hops down to help them feed.


Nature and people can be cruel Nature and people can be kind.


I am anxious to see the babies this morning. I hope they have survived. - Jeanne Olin | Pacific Grove 


Head Count 


A July 19 event featured the documentary Fixing the Future and one of its panelists, Bill McKibben, leading environmental activist (“Forward March,” July 19-25). The discussion was about sustainable businesses and communities amidst global warming and environmental catastrophe. “Americans are enormous consumers” who pull in resources from all over the world. How unbelievable that no mention was made of America’s other weight problem – population growth from 281 million in 2000 to current 311 million?


A visit to census projections in 2000 shows that the high growth rate which we are in would lead to a billion people by 2100. “Green” immigration of 20,000 per year as it was before the Immigration Act of 1965 would stabilize America’s consumers. Don’t tinker with plastic bags. Contact your senators and representative and ask them to support E-Verify and end chain migration if you want to do something that will make a real difference. As McKibben says, “Rich and powerful people want to keep things as they are.” He got that right. But voters can win out in an election year. Let’s get our “political muscles working again.” - Maggie Art | via Web