Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for July 12, 2022

Drones in Woodacre are always unsettling

The past few years there occasionally has been a drone flying over our neighborhood. It is disturbing and offensive. If I knew who was flying it, I would approach this offending pilot and ask them to stop hovering over our property. Hopefully, if enough neighbors talk directly to this person, we can stop this unneighborly behavior.

— Mary Lock, Woodacre

Better cell service on Mount Tam would help

I appreciate the recently published summary of challenges in managing fire danger around Mount Tamalpais (“‘Extremely lucky’: Mt. Tam wildfire highlights disaster risks,” July 4).

I have been a trail runner there for many years. In the hunt for solutions, I hope that there is strong emphasis on improving cell phone service. Service is almost non-existent at Bon Tempe and Phoenix lakes — both heavily-used areas. Many other locations on Tam are the same.

Cell service is the vital lifeline to quickly contact authorities for help in small and large emergencies to mitigate potential disasters. The recent fire at Bon Tempe clearly highlighted that this is a critical need. Even temporary solutions where possible would be a step in the right direction.

— Heidi Meyer, San Rafael

Adopt countywide plan for affordable housing

The Marin County Civil Grand Jury was right to find faults in Marin’s housing strategy (“Marin grand jury: Housing crisis calls for collaboration,” July 5). Marin is composed of some dense cities where virtually every parcel is already built up, leaving no space to fulfill the statewide mandate for additional housing construction.

At the same time, there are other areas where wide-open spaces are devoted to cattle grazing and preserves. The affordable housing should be placed in areas where the land is still relatively cheap so that the scarce fiscal and land resources are put to their most efficient and productive use.

This requires a countywide approach, which places affordable housing where the scarce fiscal resources can achieve the most bang for the buck.

— Robert Heller, Belvedere

We need more tips for satisfying marriages

I am writing in response to a wire commentary distributed by The Conversation and published on the front of the Marin IJ Lifestyles section on June 14 with the headline “Sliding into Poverty.” It focuses on the sad effects of divorce, especially for women who lose out much more than men financially when this happens. This information is important, as is the recommendation that women prepare in advance to become more self-sufficient financially by gaining the skills, education or employment to do so.

As a therapist devoted to helping people create fulfilling marriages, I recommend that media outlets adopt a two-pronged, balanced approach to the subject of marriage. Rather than continue to give ample space to divorce issues and virtually none for articles about how to keep a marriage satisfying, why not include both kinds of information?

The IJ has shown this balanced approach to COVID-19 concerns. Many articles discuss problems associated with the disease. Others give tips to prevent the likelihood of catching it or becoming seriously ill.

As Ben Franklin famously said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I’d like to see all media outlets take a proactive approach toward marriage. Besides telling us about divorce, please tell us how to create and gain a lasting, happy marriage and repair challenging situations when possible.

— Marcia Naomi Berger, San Rafael

Transgender athletes create complex issues

A recent article by the Bay Area News Group posted on the Marin Independent Journal website (“Federal Title IX law could recognize Bay Area’s LGBTQ community for first time under Biden Administration’s proposals,” July 5) claims that “conservative and Republican lawmakers” object to “what they consider an erosion of rights of women and girls in the wake of potential transgender and nonbinary students’ participation in gender-specific sports teams.”

I find this statement to be untrue. Firstly, the objection is to boys and men playing on girls and women’s sports teams. Biological boys and men should play on boys and men’s sports teams, in accordance with their biology. No one is advocating for anyone to be excluded from “gender-specific sports teams.”

Secondly, many others besides conservative and Republican lawmakers object to allowing biological males to play on girls and women’s sports teams. A majority of Americans hold this view, according to recent polls.

— Anne Rettenberg, San Rafael