Letters to the editor | Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021: In defense of a good leader
In defense of a good leader
Re “MID pays out nearly $600K for gender discrimination claims against board member”: The recent article on MID’s hostile-work-environment settlement leaves me wondering if the full story was told. I have no clients involved nor first-hand knowledge of the facts. I do know John Mensinger, who doesn’t have a biased bone in his body. It bears pointing out that John is the son of Modesto’s first female mayor.
Does John have a prickly personality? Sometimes. Can he be vocal in his criticism when he believes something is not right? He can. Do those who know John love and respect him for his honesty and integrity no matter how conveyed? They sure do.
John and I probably don’t agree on several political issues. But agreeing on every issue is not what is imperative when choosing our elected officials. I trust John Mensinger’s intelligence and integrity to always make a well-considered, well-reasoned and fair decision, regardless of its popularity.
Facing litigation and negative press for making decisions that some disagree with are hazards of the political arena. They are also reasons that it has become increasingly difficult to get good people to run for office. Citizens need to stand up for good leaders or there won’t be any left.
Ross W. Lee, Modesto
This Condit generation is Latino
This year 2021 brings so much promise for our Latino community. More young Latinos were elected to office than in previous years. Javier Lopez was elected mayor of Ceres, Couper Condit was elected to the Ceres City Council as well, and Channce Condit was elected Stanislaus County District 5 supervisor, a longtime stronghold for older non-Latinos. Channce and Couper are the children of Helen and Chad Condit. No one is prouder than Helen Felice Condit. Helen is of Latin descent and is beyond proud that her sons are the generation to make a difference.
Channce got out there to walk precincts until COVID-19 brought all campaigns to a standstill. He overcame a field of candidates in the primary to rise to the top for a runoff, and on Nov. 3 he prevailed. I had absolute confidence that Channce would win. We are incredibly happy to be working with him to better our south Modesto community which has been left waiting more than 50 years for curbs, gutters, and sidewalks.
To our up-and-coming young Latino elected officials, congratulations, and si se puede!
Rebecca Harrington, Modesto
No need for Ceres special election
Reading that four Ceres residents applied for an open City Council seat with a willingness to serve was a plus for the community. One of the applicants stood head and shoulders above the others in experience and would have been a perfect fit. However, some members of the council believed that experience was not a requirement for a council appointment.
Having been in the political arena for some years I know the responsibility of each elected person is to work for the improvement of those people he or she represents. Decisions should be based on what is best for the entity and not drawn from past differences or out of vengeance.
The mayor is elected to lead the city council in reaching decisions based on fact and bringing consensus, when possible, to the best possible solution. The mayor must understand the responsibility of leadership. When that ability is lacking, the city and its residents suffer and the city remains dormant.
For the mayor to call for a special election to resolve this issue is ludicrous when one applicant holds credentials that show her experience will be an asset to the city.
Louie Arrollo, former Ceres mayor
Election doubters hope you don’t vote
Re “Voters don’t trust elections” (Letters, Feb. 14): Citizens should take issue with this letter.
Misinformed voters don’t trust elections. I have watched firsthand the meticulous procedures followed by elections officials. Voting machines are constantly monitored. So is ballot counting at every step, from the voting machine to the final tally. Recounts rarely result in a different outcome, with vote totals usually matching exactly.
Trust elections and distrust people who tell you otherwise. Challenge doubters to provide proof. They are trying to discourage you from voting. When you don’t participate, their vote becomes more influential in the election outcome.
Bruce R. Frohman, Modesto
2020 election was fair
Re “Voters don’t trust elections” (Letters, Feb. 14): The letter was a puzzler. The 2020 presidential election was actually verified multiple times as having been safe and accurate. Any worries that it wouldn’t be were manufactured by Donald Trump. He is unable to handle losing, be it an election or golf match.
Fortunately for our country, the president’s future actions were foreseen as early as fall 2019. Gradually, a far-flung network of concerned citizens from diverse backgrounds — labor union leaders to businessmen and women — coalesced and worked in sync long and strenuously to “ensure that the vote would be free and fair, credible and uncorrupted.” The amazing story of this monumental effort can be found in the Feb. 15-22 issue of “Time” magazine, titled “The Plot to Save Democracy” by Molly Ball.
It was heartening to me to learn that so many did so much to secure our precious right to vote. Truths and reassurances defeated lies and threats, this time.
Diana Doll, Modesto
Coastal elites snub Valley
Re “Quit playing favorites, California. Give Stanislaus its fair share of vaccine” (Page 1C, Feb. 14): I read with great interest The Bee’s editorial questioning the vaccine rollout by California’s leaders favoring “the educated, the rich, the powerful and the politically connected” over our much less elite citizenry here in the Central Valley.
Doesn’t your editorial board see the irony in the column? Do you believe that people who currently rule California care about non-coastal folks who work every day to feed their families and try and make their communities a place to establish roots and raise their families in peace and prosperity? If you’ve been paying attention these past 20 years or so, you would have noticed that they only say they care. They say they care as they try to steal our water. They say they care as they divert funds from federal programs ostensibly to be used to help communities that can’t help themselves, to increase their own power and to line the pockets of their donors.
Their actions loudly say they don’t care. And the greatest irony is that these are the people you’ve been encouraging your readers to vote for.
Joseph Swain, Modesto
Help Valley residency to grow
Kudos to our congressmen for prioritizing health care on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The Bee recently highlighted that Rep. Josh Harder (D-Turlock) introduced a bill to facilitate loan repayment for doctors who stay local, while Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) introduced a bill supporting growth of medical schools.
As program director of Modesto’s own training program for primary care doctors, the Valley Family Medicine Residency of Modesto, I am delighted to have allies in national government. Each year, we receive over 1,000 applications from medical students vying for our 12 family medicine residency training positions. This reflects the overwhelming demand for limited training slots for doctors. We need to have an adequate number of medical schools, but there is a limit to the benefit of such an investment if we cannot offer sufficient spots in residency training.
Along with efforts of our legislators, I applaud the commitment shown by the county and our two largest hospitals to supporting Valley Family Medicine Residency. However, ongoing support is needed. I encourage all stakeholders to advocate at the local, state, and federal levels for expansion of residency programs in the Central Valley.
Dr. Kathleen Kearns, Valley Family Medicine Residency of Modesto
He’s not worth our time
An attorney friend once told me how lawyers might defend clients in court: If you have the facts, pound on the facts; if you have the law, pound on the law; if you have neither facts or law, pound on the table.
We saw a lot of table-pounding by ex-president Trump’s lawyers during the impeachment trial. We saw constitutional references that didn’t apply to the case, falsehoods, and creative legal theories. The acquittal of Mr. Trump was predictable, because most Republican senators were afraid to lose his favor should they vote to convict.
Nevertheless, overwhelming evidence showed that the ex-president was guilty of inciting a mob to attack our Capitol in an effort to overthrow the vote of the people who removed him from office.
For this, what punishment would be appropriate? Some say prison, but that would be up to other courts to decide. Given Mr. Trump’s love of attention, the best punishment would be to ignore him. He has already been removed from Twitter and Facebook. Television should not cover his rallies. Newspapers and magazines should not include articles about him. He would disappear into obscurity, except for historians’ studies of his disastrous presidency.
Michael A. Clarke, Salida
One COVID trend theory
Has anyone noticed that now that the Democrats are running the show the coronavirus numbers are declining?
Raymond Newman, Modesto
This story was originally published February 21, 2021 at 4:00 AM.