Letters to the editor | Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021: On extremism, COVID and a lost iPhone

Helpful investigative journalism

Re “Women are seizing the moment in far-right politics” (Front Page, Nov. 21): We would like to commend Hannah Wiley, Lydia Gerike and Maria Luisa Figueroa on their outstanding piece of investigative journalism. The article was both informative and distressing to read.

The rise of so many alt-right groups should be everyone’s concern. These groups are very angry, they feel righteous in their beliefs, and they are not above violence. They are not interested in any opinions other than their own. What is especially disturbing is that so many women are being exploited by these extremist organizations.

These are already difficult times for our country (and the world). We need to be vigilant, particularly when so many of our citizens make matters worse.

Tom Crain and Buda Kajer-Crain, Modesto

Professor Sundar will be missed

Stanislaus County has lost an exemplary educator, Professor Viji Sundar. She was an outstanding faculty member in the Department of Mathematics at California State University, Stanislaus, a great colleague, and a good friend.

Sundar not only enriched the mathematical content of courses required for her students to become elementary school teachers, but she also infused these courses with demonstrations of techniques for effectively teaching this mathematics to grade school children. She always showed great compassion for the students in her courses and gave them every opportunity to learn and to demonstrate what they had learned. She often gave students extra time to complete a course if she felt that the extra time was justified. Furthermore, she interacted with teachers in this area on a regular basis and met with them individually and collectively through local professional teachers’ organizations.

In the Department of Mathematics, Sundar helped to develop new faculty by making them aware of ways to advance their careers by improving the experiences of our students.

Professor Sundar will be missed for many reasons, but her legacy will live on in the lives of her students, her students’ students, and her colleagues.

Louis A. Feldman, Sacramento

There was an app for that

My iPhone was stolen recently in Sonora. After failing to locate it, I checked the “Find My Phone” app on my desktop Mac. It said my phone was in Oakdale, which didn’t make sense. I kept on calling my number so someone would hear it ringing.

Denise, an employee at a postal business, heard it ringing from inside a box of phones that had been dropped off by a customer to be mailed to a business. From the app, I sent a text message that if the phone is found, to call my husband at his number, which she did.

Why it was in a box full of cellphones to be mailed, I will probably never know. If you have an iPhone, be sure you download the “Find My Phone” app, have a password for your phone, and prepare a text message so whoever finds it knows who to contact.

I have my phone back and want readers to be aware of what they can do if an iPhone is stolen. And a shout-out to Denise for helping me get my phone back.

Betty Stewart, Denair

Total fail for Stanislaus County

I thought the Stanislaus County school superintendent passing a silly COVID resolution to appease a loud gaggle of soccer moms was a true profile in courage, but I couldn’t have been more wrong!

\Now on Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors has a three-way leg wrestling match to out do each other with “freedom” language for a phony COVID resolution addressing a problem that doesn’t exist.

Kudos to our steadfast elected officials for saving us all from ourselves!

James Ferrera, Modesto

Reduce gender pay gap

As a young woman – like many others – I’ve been told to work hard and go to college to become financially independent. In Stanislaus County in 2019, 4,627 college degrees were obtained by women compared to 2,215 by men, and although women are more educated, California’s largest poverty group that year were women ages 25 to 34. This is because men earn 1.26 times more than women. In terms of the gender pay gap, the United States ranks 30 out of 156 countries, far behind other developed nations.

Stanislaus County should initiate a system that requires business owners to prove that employees are receiving equal pay to ensure that women are being paid a deserved wage. Iceland is the first country to enact an equity policy that requires employers to submit proof of equal pay, and Iceland now has the lowest gender pay gap globally.

Critics may argue that policy enforcement will be difficult. However, if Stanislaus gave business owners a certification for complying with equity policies, and a daily penalty for failing to comply, paying employees equally would outweigh the cost of paying women less.

Ivy G. Kinsella, Valley Springs

Reflecting on clergy abuse

In a recent speech, archbishop Jose Gomez harshly criticized social justice movements. In contrast Pope Francis refers to them as the “collective Samaritan” because they are able to recognize “that the other person is our brother and that his or her anguish, joys and sufferings are also ours.”

When Gomez says that “the ‘space’ that the church and believing Christians are permitted to occupy is shrinking,” he is obviously concerned that the church is losing influence. The example Pope Francis gives us is that the church must learn to share this “space,” even with people who don’t believe in God or with people who don’t necessarily agree with many teachings of the church. He invites all Catholics to create a “culture of encounter” and dialogue.

It’s important that the archbishop ask himself: “Why has the church been losing influence?” Although the church has made many changes to protect minors, I believe that one of the main reasons bishops have lost moral authority is because of the way the church has mishandled the child sexual abuse scandals.

If the church wants to regain influence and credibility, we must be a little bit humble and take a hard look at the mirror.

Father Misael Avila, Riverbank

A hug for Community Hospice

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care month. Please join me in congratulating Community Hospice on celebrating 42 years of providing compassionate care to our community. I can think of no better time to personally thank all of the individuals and businesses who answered my plea this year when I asked you to be a sponsor or purchase tickets for one of the Community Hospice events. Your willingness to support the organization I’m so passionate about is appreciated more than you’ll ever know!

Janice Lucero, Modesto

Appreciation for good turn

Thank you to the person(s) who found my husband’s driver’s license on the Dry Creek trail and mailed it to him.

Robin LaFreniere, Modesto