We Can Do Better

Thank you so much for Doug Ireland’s column on the campaign to be the next chair of the Democratic National Committee [Forum, Jan. 27-Feb. 2]. It is obvious after the 2004 election that the Democratic party is in dire need of new leadership (some would say any leadership). The most disheartening part of the 2004 elections for me was the round of self-congratulatory letters and e-mails I received from the national, state, and local Democratic Party telling us what a wonderful job we had done after losing yet again to the radical right.

The current Democratic leadership seems to be unaware that they have lost control of the Presidency, both Houses of Congress, the Governorship and now face a threat to their ability to draw state legislative districts.

Howard Dean is the only candidate for DNC chair who has shown a commitment to turn our party into something more than a supplement to a campaign every four years. After his 2004 candidacy, Governor Dean went around the country working for Democratic candidates at all levels of government. His PAC, Democracy For America, endorsed and provided crucial support for over 30 successful Democratic candidates, in states both Blue and Red. While other Democratic leaders go around saying nice words, not one can match Dean’s work in building the infrastructure for a renewed party. —David Stanley | Monterey

We Can Do Worse

Your article “Big City Greens” [Weekly, Jan. 27-Feb. 2] claims that burning fossil fuels is the most devastating damage humans have done to our earth.

That’s one opinion, but such burning is clearly not the longest-lasting harm.

While burning fossil fuels causes major harms, including the creation of the most potent cancer causing compound (from diesel engines), after a few tens of thousands of years even the deadliest parts of that pollution will have degraded into less harmful chemicals. And if humans are still around they’ll likely use electric vehicles.

Some poets say love is forever. However, genuine forever-ness is the loss of an endangered species.

Killing the last passenger pigeon—that is wholly irreversible. Locally, the sea otters, condors, California Red-Legged Frogs and steelhead are facing true forever-ness. Extinction is the most devastating damage Americans have wrought, and our local politicians are hell-bent on causing even more.

Extinction is truly forever. —David Dilworth | Carmel

We Should Stop the Madness

The Peace Coalition of Monterey County demonstrated on Inauguration Day to tell the new administration what we want: to end the occupation of Iraq and bring the troops home. Had Kerry won, we would have delivered the same message, for neither party advocates ending the war. 100 demonstrators carried large doves and peace signs and placards with demands for changes in US Policies, followed by a drum-accompanied candlelight vigil, with no upside-down American flags as reported by Ryan Spriestersbach in a letter to the Weekly [Letters, Jan. 27-Feb. 2].

The veterans who vigil at Window-on-the-Bay on Sundays with inverted flags are not affiliated with the Peace Coalition. They are proclaiming the dire distress of a nation where crimes against humanity are committed with impunity, leaders routinely lie, the Bill of Rights is being lost to the Patriot Act, etc. I wonder which demonstration Mr. Spriesterbach actually saw. —Joyce Vandevere, PCMC spokesperson | Monterey