Letters to the Editor, June 5: Right got your back

The person to our right

EDITOR: In the military, in the trenches, it is a silent mantra of each soldier. The person to your right, that is who you care about. Forget political affiliation, forget gender, forget religion, forget race. Look right, that is the person you protect as bullets fly overhead.

War is simple. The goal of anyone who participates is to survive. Humanity is not so simple a dynamic. For some they wake up and wonder will I live another day? For some, it is a given.

Racism doesn't follow the military mantra of the person to your right. It lives in our humanity and calls us to: protect those who looks like you, think like you.

These are base instincts. However, in order to continue as a species we must rise up from these primordial prejudices. We must evolve emotionally as we do technologically. Unfortunately, it appears our emotional evolution can't progress calmly, but needs the global threat of war, a pandemic or the burning of cities to sear in our collective minds that we are, in fact, one species.

Not to sound glib, but the smart phone says otherwise. Yes, the smart phone. It is ironic that with all our clashing differences our species has no problem collectively being in love with our tech toys. Nothing binds us as quickly, regardless of religion, gender or race, than our clamoring to have the latest version of an iPhone or Android. But, how smart are we really if we don't see each of us as a soldier in the same trench fighting to hold onto the best of our humanity?

Howard Egger-Bovet

Sonoma

'On the Nation's Neck'

A poem:

Trump's bone-spurred foot

is on the nation's weak neck.

while the Congressional cowards

let the battered country die.

Greed and ego kill slowly

while the virus and racism

race quickly to the finish

in a contest with no winner!

Robert C. Demler, Jr.

Sonoma

Voice of the people

EDITOR: Once the military is used to mute the voice of the people you no longer have a democracy.

Gary Hermes

Sonoma Valley

Ring seeking hats

EDITOR: As we face unprecedented hard times, Sonoma's city council election in November looms large. We understand that one, perhaps two sitting council members will not be putting their hats in the ring.

But we have heard from no one who plans to run for the seats.

Given the considerable importance of the election, we hope that anybody who is planning to run will come forward soon, so that public discussion of the candidates and their ideas can also begin.

Given the difficult issues facing Sonoma, we hope that dedicated citizens who might once have given it a pass will seriously consider taking on the task.

Ken Brown, Sonoma Ann Colichidas, Sonoma

David Kendall, Sonoma

Sonoma Valley Housing Group

Supports cannabis dispensary

EDITOR: The Sonoma City Council is coming up to its final stages to consider the issue of a license for a cannabis dispensary. I'm pleased to support the application of Justice Grown. The local proponent operators, Jewel Mathieson and Ken Brown, have many years of cannabis experience, with a therapeutic context and local sensitivities, plus being backed by sufficient capital with dispensary management experience.

As a hospital trustee and healthcare advocate, I have testified in favor of medical cannabis before county and state authorities and the Medical Board of California's Marijuana Task Force. There are probably many more medical cannabis users in Sonoma than realized. Many of these are seniors with chronic conditions who are searching for palliative solutions at a convenient location.

I will be proud and conscientious in serving on the Community Impact Board of Justice Grown if it is selected as the local dispensary in Sonoma.

Bill Boerum

Sonoma Valley

Compromise or demise

EDITOR: During these extraordinarily challenging times, it is very difficult to begin to identify a clear path toward long-term resolution to our health crises, economic woes or racial injustices.

Conflict is evident at local, regional, state-wide and national levels. Actions of our president as it relates to the coronavirus pandemic, national unemployment, economic depression or the recent George Floyd protests clearly demonstrate his inability to unite Americans (or even his own political party) in an effort to seek reasonable solutions. The notion of political compromise is almost non-existent.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham, in his book 'The Soul of America,' stated that 'compromise is the oxygen of democracy.' This suggests that without the willingness to seek compromise and build consensus, our country is destined to suffer a lengthy and suffocating demise.

Michael Norton

Sonoma