Tribune readers on Israeli-Hamas war coverage: We need to hear both sides | Opinion

We need to hear both sides

I am writing to discuss an issue of dangerous anti-Semitism on the Central Coast. KCBX radio station in San Luis Obispo airs a show called “Democracy Now!” with Host Amy Goodman. “Democracy Now!” is a biased show that only presents one anti-Semitic viewpoint.

On a daily basis the guests and host bombard the Central Coast with accusations of Israel perpetrating genocide against the Palestinian people. They consistently use the terms “occupied Palestinian territory,” “settler colonialism,” “settler violence,” etc. to describe Israel’s behavior toward Palestinians. The show provides no opposing Israeli viewpoint, and guests go unchallenged with harmful accusations and opinions.

I have no problem with a viewpoint that opposes my own as long as there is a viewpoint to act as a counterweight so members of the public can make up their own minds as opposed to being bludgeoned with only one point of view. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is extremely complicated and nuanced, and all viewpoints must be heard and given equal bandwidth in order for the public to be well informed.

Craig Owens, Morro Bay

Praise for Stephen Lloyd-Moffett

What an absolute privilege it was to be able to read Cal Poly professor Stephen Lloyd-Moffett’s astute analysis of what we should be feeling about those truly innocent people suffering so much in the Israeli-Palestinian war, particularly in Gaza — which is a whole lot of sadness and disgust.

From the very first bombings caused by Hamas militants in Gaza I had been trying to understand the complexities of this war which, before now, wasn’t even on my radar screen (nor, I imagine, very many others unless you are Jewish). I can’t imagine there is, anywhere, such astute scholarship and it appeared right here in our local Tribune!

The Tribune may only be a little “local” paper but its impact stretches far. And it was a privilege the editors allowed me to write the Active Over 50 column for about a year (until I ran out of subjects and didn’t want to start repeating myself, haha).

Keep up the good work(s).

William Seavey, Cambria

‘They were killing children’

Your article, “SLO County residents feel ‘shattered’ after Hamas attack, Israel’s invasion of Gaza”was a good article. However, people in SLO have little to no knowledge of life over there. Ignorant people should stay the hell out of a fight they have nothing to do with. They were killing children, for God’s sake.

Luann J. Reis, San Luis Obispo

We don’t need Diablo Canyon

The editorial opinion by the Tribune Board published Oct. 29 includes a quote by PG&E’s chief operating officer saying, “…we’re very confident in the integrity and safety of both units” of the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant.

The owners and operators of the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan felt equally confident on March 10, 2011. They touted their plant as safe, reliable, and cheap. But as we all learned on March 11 of that year, the earthquake risks were greater than acknowledged and safety was not assured.

There is no need for the people of the Central Coast to be subjected to the risks posed by additional years of operation of the Diablo reactors. California continues to add renewables and is projected by the California Energy Commission (CEC) to have at least 6,000 additional megawatts by 2026 — three times the capacity of the Diablo plant. Furthermore, battery storage in the state has increased 757% since 2019, with more on the way.

The governor and state Legislature should hold PG&E to its promise made in 2016 to close both reactors at the end of current licenses in 2024 and 2025. We don’t need the energy from Diablo, and we certainly don’t need more radioactive wastes.

Jane Swanson, Spokesperson, San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace

Is it safe?

Thank you to The Tribune Editorial Board for your Oct. 29, 2023, editorial chastising PG&E for “failing to commit to timely testing of critical infrastructure” at the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. You are right!

If PG&E wants to stay open, they need to do more than preach safety, they need to prove safety by listening to the concerns raised by legislators and the public to not delay testing for embrittlement of Unit 1. We need to know the embrittlement has not become worse, a situation which could lead to potential cracking of the reactor vessel and the release of toxic radiation into our air.

PG&E should not get the $1.4 billion subsidy from the State or the $1.1 billion from the federal government to keep the reactor running beyond its intended lifespan until they do the testing and prove it’s safe.

Linda Parks, Los Osos

County needs to provide answers

The “duck and defend” posture of SLO County Administration in response to the June 2023 SLO County grand jury report, “SAFE PARKING? OKLAHOMA is not OK!” is woefully inadequate.

Two local taxpayer-funded entities charged with overseeing the safe parking program failed to show evidence that they fulfilled their contractual obligations. Certain inferences can be made: the grant money was diverted, stolen, misspent or otherwise mishandled. And record-keeping by the contracted agencies is so poor, for whatever reason, that proper accounting is not forthcoming.

The agencies have the opportunity and responsibility to set the record straight, as prompted by the grand jury, and so far have failed to do so. County administration has the opportunity to exercise more stringent oversight, but has not. These reveal systemic weaknesses and foretell more of the same without proper checks and balances. At the very least, we should demand refund of public monies when agencies fail to provide proper services and accountability. Reinvest the money more wisely.

Ultimately, the goal of homeless services should be to go out of business, for the right reasons. Residents of SLO deserve better and the involved agencies, elected and appointed officials can start by heeding the grand jury recommendations.

Joan Behrick, Morro Bay

Give supervisors more power

Citizens do not have the ability to administer their own lives within our community. Our supervisors do not have authority to veto unwanted state legislation.

We are the “little guys,” confronting issues with big business through its “middle guys” standing in the way, just as Kevin Frazier says in his Tribune opinion article, “If accountability goes, then so does legitimacy.” (Nov. 2, 2023)

Well, as we all know, government bureaucracy isolates the government bosses from accountability, too. To restore trust in government, cut out the “middle guy” and put the power in the community. This requires a measure be put on the ballot — to give county supervisors authority to make local laws and stand up to state autocracy.

We, the little, people need to stand up and vote for such a change. Restore trust by eliminating, not augmenting, “regulations, rules and norms” administered by the middle guys; decentralize government to allow control by the local community not by the one-size-fits-all power of the state.

Rich Hendrickson, San Luis Obispo