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Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, follow this link.
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Date Received: Fri., Sep. 5, 2008
ST. PAUL POLICE STATE
Dear Chronicle,
Thank you for your timely blurb about the mass arrests at the RNC in St. Paul, MN [“Arrest Fest at the RNC,” News, September 5]. My parents live in St. Paul and my sister went to the protests. Aside from the well-publicized arrests and tear gassing of some reporters, there have been illegal raids, searches, police brutality, and continual police escalation of protest activities (rather than attempts of de-escalation.)
My sister was driving to a store and pulled over at gunpoint and handcuffed days before the convention started. My mom works for one of the hospitals and police were spraying such copious amounts of tear gas and pepper spray that the hospital had to shut down their ventilation at one point just to ensure air quality for their patients. A family friend had out of town protesters staying with her and Wednesday (9/3) her house was raided and she was kicked in the stomach. She’s pregnant.
I read an article about a teenage boy who had won recognition for his work in nonviolence. He was beaten by police at the protests and arrested. He was never allowed a phone call and was released at night in an unfamiliar neighborhood. We need accurate, factual media reports on this horrifying, brutal transformation of St. Paul into a police state. CNN reported that the RNC had 50 million in federal dollars for these “security” measures. Instead of using it to terrorize people exercising their freedom of speech, it should have been used to give aid to all of the areas of our country where people are still trying to recover from hurricanes.
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Sincerely,
Cedar Sexton
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 (5)
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Date Received: Thu., Sep. 4, 2008
ADD SUSTAINABILITY SECTION
Dear Editor,
I recently moved back to Austin, and upon my return, I started searching for groups and organizations connected to sustainability and was disappointed in the incongruity in the level of sustainability activities in Austin and easily, massively accessible information on these activities in Austin's major media sources. With this information more readily accessible, Austinites will be more informed and empowered to demand that Austin become the leader in sustainability not only on an individual basis but as a whole community. The community one lives in truly contributes to the level of which a person can have a sustainable lifestyle without having to live on the fringe of society.
All this is to hopefully sell you on the idea of creating a "Sustainability" section in the Chronicle, a section similar to the others (Food, Music, Film, etc.) but with the topic of sustainability. I have seen some sustainability/green events in the Community Listings section of the Chronicle and occasional articles, but I think that such activity is more abundant and important to Austin's image, vision, and citizens that it merits having its own section. As a result of the exposure to this movement via the new Sustainability section, Austinites will be encouraged to get (more) involved in helping Austin to progress to the most sustainable city in the U.S. The new section could cover topics such as environmental concerns, promotion of "buy local,” encouraging sustainable community development, natural building, new ideas for sustainable things Austinites can do at home, and its own events calendar.
I would love to see the Chronicle be the leader bringing more focus to sustainability in Austin.
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Jaynna Sims
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(1)
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Date Received: Thu., Sep. 4, 2008
MCCAIN NO MAVERICK
Dear Editor,
How is it so "mavericky" to occasionally consider voting for the people's interest instead of your party's? McCain is no maverick. I say on those occasions where he did buck party orthodoxy he was only doing what he should have doing all along and using common sense to take care of the country.
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Ben Burroughs
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Date Received: Thu., Sep. 4, 2008
TIMED-LIGHT CONSPIRACY
Dear Editor,
Growing up in Shreveport, La., during the Sixties, there was a street – Line Avenue – which ran north-south through the city. At every traffic signal was a sign which read, “Lights Timed for 35 M.P.H.” If one drove the speed limit, one could drive the 10-mile or so route and never hit a red light.
So, a large town in 1969 did what Austin cannot do in 2008.
Today, driving to work eastbound on 15th Street, my group of commuters sat at a red light at Guadalupe. As soon as that light turned green, the signal at Lavaca turned red. After we waited a long while and it turned green, the next signal, Colorado, turned red and took its time, with virtually no cross traffic, to turn green. As we proceeded toward I-35, the pedestrian signals began blinking, indicating yet another red light was on its way.
Yet when one gets to I-35, there is a camera to issue you a ticket if you make the mistake of catching the tail end of that yellow light.
Also, in Austin, the lights will be timed one day and completely out of whack the next. Particularly on weekends you may hit red lights at every intersection on Downtown streets.
Cynic that I am, I believe this is intentional, to punish opposition to and encourage use of toll roads.
But this letter will not correct untimed lights. One must call the Department of Public Works Street and Bridge Division to request a particular street be adjusted. They will do it, but it will not last.
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Sincerely,
Kenney C. Kennedy
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(3)
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