Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for July 11, 2022

Federal leaders must do more to protect wolves

Like so many, I was inspired by a PBS documentary about the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park. Even biologists were amazed by the positive impact wolves had on the ecosystem. Since then, I’ve gone to Yellowstone to see wolves in the wild and visited a wolf sanctuary. The more I learn, the more I admire and respect these animals.

Though President Joe Biden restored protection for wolves under the Endangered Species Act, it does not include the states in the Northern Rocky Mountains, which is where most wolves live. The treatment of wolves in those states is barbaric.

Please urge Biden and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to listen to scientists, tribal leaders, businesses who benefit from tourism and people who love nature and want wolves to be here for future generations.

— Jeanine Strobel, Novato

‘Defund’ movement paralyzes law enforcement

It is disgusting for anyone to imply that some kind of racism was a driving force in the response to the shooter in Texas attacking a mostly Latino school. Those who connect border enforcement with some kind of racial profiling by police make no sense.

I have driven the length of the U.S. border with Mexico. I can say that local people see the Border Patrol as a very helpful law enforcement agency. Immigrants living in Uvalde, like everyone, do not want to live in a country that is run by criminal gangs, corruption or violence. The Border Patrol is the only thing between the failed Mexican state and our own country.

I think Uvalde got the law enforcement that the Democrats’ “anti-police,” “anti-border enforcement” movement has been advocating for years. That movement wants to defund and do nothing when confronted with insane criminals. I think the members of that movement need to take responsibility for this tragedy.

— Tim Peterson, San Anselmo

Democrats should leave courts, Constitution alone

While historians rate Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency highly, most agree that his low point was in 1937, when he proposed packing the Supreme Court in response to parts of the New Deal being ruled unconstitutional. Despite Democratic “supermajorities” in both houses of Congress, the plan failed because a number of brave Democrats stood up to the president. Upsetting the Constitution’s checks and balances over a minor political setback was too dangerous.

Our current president criticized the Supreme Court on foreign soil, and many prominent Democrats have called it illegitimate. Illegal protests outside justices’ homes are condoned and few on the left have condemned the violence and vandalism that has ensued over recent rulings. Some want justices impeached.

Most Democrats support packing the court today. Letters to this paper reflect that, along with calls for eliminating the Electoral College, the Senate, the filibuster and more. The framers of our republic realized that checks and balances were sometimes more important than strict majority rule. Short-term political gain was less important than long-term stability.

The political left would treat our Constitution like the tower in the game Jenga. Remove enough blocks and the tower becomes unstable before collapsing altogether.

For more than 200 years our nation has withstood war, depression and serious political division, while becoming a more just and equitable society. Despite being White male slaveholders, the framers knew what they were doing. Leave the Constitution and the courts alone.

— Michael Hartnett, Greenbrae

Editorial about sheriff missed concerning facts

Regarding the recently published editorial on the retirement of Marin County Sheriff Robert Doyle (“Retiring Marin sheriff can take pride in his legacy,” July 4), I think the Marin IJ editorial board can do better — much better.

The piece overlooks the fact that data shows that the Sheriff’s Office has over-policed Black and Latino people for decades, that his department was recently sued for violating state law regarding the sharing of license plate reader data, he has scoffed at efforts at formal oversight of his department (despite a grand jury report stating a need for one) and there have been two recent deaths in his jail.

How on Earth the editorial board can put forth a puff piece like this in the wake of serious concerns is really astonishing to me.

— Lisa Bennett, Sausalito