WINNING AT HOME

In response to Danielle Wells [Letters, Nov. 8-14] about the closing of Bay Books, I say you don’t have to head to the big box store for that Heinlein book you want. We have in Pacific Grove a small independent bookstore, BookWorks, right here in the middle of town.

To patronize our local businesses is how we can insure that our small town downtowns thrive. To shop locally is a win-win solution: the revenues generated by the economic activity of our local businesses are put back into the local economy, less global-warming CO2 is generated through all that driving that results from shopping miles away from our home, customers reduce time wasted getting what they need. —Denyse Frischmuth | Pacific Grove

PG, TAKE A LESSON

Mayor Dan Cort’s intemperate outburst about anti-government types demands a rebuttal. I’m part of a silent majority that’s pissed off that for decades government has treated“We the People” like their private piggy bank! We despise government that operates under a notion that they OWN our wages and THEY will decide how much we get to keep.

Pro-tax supporters in Pacific Grovelike Mayor Cortwould like us to thinksince votersdidn’t approve three new taxes in Pacific Grove, the city will lose its libraries, parks and museums. Poppycock! Yes, Pacific Grove has more expenses than revenues, butonly because short-sighted city councils have imperiled present-day services by over-promising and over-spending on the structure of municipal government. All the worthy services mentioned can be provided to residents by contracting those functionsto private or nonprofit firms.With the exception of police and fire protection, virtually everything undertaken by the city can be found in the yellow pages and at a substantialsavings to taxpayers.—Mark Carbonaro | Marina

A BRIDGE TOO FARR

Good morning, Mr. Farr. It has become readily apparent that no matter the amount of protest, no matter how low his approval rating, President Bush is going to do exactly what his radical neocon advisors want him to do. Our current war will continue. There will be no draw down in troop levels. The money we are foolishly throwing away on our adventure in Arabia will only continue to grow. We will attack Iran. The entire Middle East will be in flames. Our children, infrastructure, schools, medical facilities, elderly and poor will continue to carry the burden of this failed policy. Our economy will falter. What little respect America still has around the world will vanish. All the while you and your fellow politicians sit and talk. All of the wonderful promises from [Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi] and [Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid] when your party assumed control of congress have lead to nothing! Nothing except caving in to GWB on every single major issue!

I was a registered Democrat for 41 years. No more! I am now a member of the American Independent Party.

You were elected to represent the people who voted for you. Your constituents’ desires and emotions could not possibly be any clearer. Stand up against GWB. Stand up against your own party if they will not exercise the mandate of the people. Be a leader! Accept your responsibility and do what you were elected to do. —Richard D. Higdem | Salinas

BETTER THAN NO STEPS

I was happy to see your article “Walking the Color Line” [Nov. 1-7] in print. While we may never have a unanimous opinion on the propriety of racial profiling, the importance of its place in the public consciousness is unquestionable. At this point in our society’s evolution, avoiding the subject of racial difference and its many consequences, is a dangerous indulgence.

The fact is, racial profiling in law enforcement is effective at least in the short run, but its divisiveness in the community may be counterproductive in the long run, and its potential for abuse is well known. The benefit of racial profiling to the health and medical fields in disease recognition and medical treatment has long been established. We can’t just stop profiling. It is too valuable in too many ways. The answer is we build trust and interracial understanding.

The most important point suggested in the article is that as long as our communities are segregated, and citizens have no relationship with deputies or with each other, mistrust and suspicion will be the rule. Assigning a [deputy] exclusively to Castroville is a good first step, but it is a baby step.—Vince Stamey | Monterey