Saturday's Letters to the Editor

<p class="bold allcaps">Bradley's rights</p> <p>EDITOR: I appreciate Paula Fiori's opinion regarding the case against Nicole Bradley (“No defense,” Letters, Wednesday), but you really shouldn't speak about something when you don't have all the facts.</p><p>Fiori stated that there was no good reason for a gun to be pointed at someone's head. She wasn't there the night on Jan. 17, 1996. She doesn't know all the things that the newspaper doesn't reveal.</p><p>We are talking about a girl who has sat in prison for almost 15 years. I understand that one person's life was taken, but does it make it better by taking the life of someone else? I believe regardless of the circumstances that Nicole Bradley has served her time, been punished and learned her lesson.</p><p>As far as her “wasting taxpayers' money,” Fiori obviously needs to refresh herself on constitutional rights. Nicole Bradley and everyone else in the United States has a right to a fair trial, and that right was not granted the first time around. She is a sister, a daughter and a human being who deserves a life, or at least what is left of it.</p><p>GLORIA BRADLEY</p><p>Chula Vista</p><h3>Just the beginning</h3> <p>EDITOR: The entire community must be relieved to learn the two cross country runners avoided serious injury when hit by another teen in a crosswalk (“Struck runners recovering,” Friday). The ordeals for all three may have just begun.</p><p>Apparently we're not sure of the exact nature of the runners' injuries, so we'll all hope for the best. Apparently the 16-year-old girl who hit the runners is being cited for two violations: not stopping at a crosswalk where pedestrians were crossing and not stopping when other cars were stopped at the crosswalk.</p><p>At the least, she may lose her license or have it suspended. Her insurance rates will increase, perhaps to an unaffordable level. Depending on the extent of the pedestrians' injuries, there may be litigation in her future. If the runners' injuries do not heal properly, they may be affected for the rest of their lives by this one careless incident. </p><p>The family's pickup became a lethal weapon when placed in the hands of a young 16-year-old. It's a very sad story for everyone involved.</p><p>J.M. BARBARITA</p><p>Novato</p><h3>Burning holy books</h3> <p>EDITOR: I find Pastor Terry Jones to be just another radical who has no understanding of what the leader of his church stood for (“Florida minister ‘suspends' burning of Quran,” Friday). Would Jesus advocate burning the Quran? Not from what I have read about his teachings and his life. Jesus advocated peace not violence, and Jones seems to forget that.</p><p>Radical elements, for centuries, have used many different forms of theology to force their beliefs upon others, and Muslim radicals as well as Christian ones are some of the worst offenders.</p><p>I would suggest that Jones throw into his fire a few hundred Bibles as well. It has been misused for hundreds of years to justify heinous crimes against humanity. Why single out only one holy book? Why not burn them all? It would make no difference, but it would show a little understanding as to how far people will go to force their will upon others.</p><p>GARY CHRISTENSON</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><h3>Putting parks first</h3> <p>EDITOR: During these challenging economic times, parks are generally getting the short end of the stick during the budget process.</p><p>As I look to the November elections, I will be looking to support candidates who not only support parks and recreation but also support plans to make funding parks a reality if elected to the City Council. This is why I am supporting Mike Harris for a seat on the Petaluma City Council.</p><p>Over the years, Harris has been supportive of our work on the Parks and Recreation Commission. With his business background, understanding of budgets and experience, he will be a valuable asset in the coming years in reaching the goals for Petaluma's parks for the benefit of all of our citizens. Please join me in supporting Mike Harris for Petaluma City Council.</p><p>MARK FERGUSON</p><p>Chairman, Parks and</p><p>Recreation Commission</p><p>Petaluma</p><h3>Murky picture</h3> <p>EDITOR: Sunday's Weather page contained a Sonoma County Water Agency ad touting the environmental friendliness of the water supply and featuring a beautiful picture of the Russian River. The ad mentioned that the National Marine Fisheries Service's biological opinion will save endangered fish and protect our environment.</p><p>The ad failed to mention that the opinion demands a permanent 44 percent decrease (from 125 cubic feet per second to 70-80 cfs) in flows in the lower river to maintain a closed estuary for steelhead while not flooding a relatively few properties in Jenner.</p><p>Last summer, flows went as low as 50 cfs as measured at Hacienda Bridge, although the mouth stayed open then anyway. Canoes frequently scraped bottom, invasive plants flourished, algae proliferated. Summer water temperatures were at levels that would kill the fish they are trying to save and, because of the low flow, it was reported that some popular beaches had more occurrences of bacteriological contamination than they had had after a bad sewer spill many years ago.</p><p>You can view pictures of last year's algae and Ludwigia problems in the Russian River Watershed Protection Committee's 2009 photo report at www.rrwpc.org.</p><p>Don't let the Sonoma County Water Agency fool you.</p><p>BRENDA ADELMAN</p><p>Guerneville</p><h3>Yes on 23</h3> <p>EDITOR: You have probably heard that AB 32, which was co-authored by Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, will reduce global warming. Have you also heard that it will reduce jobs by more than a million? Have you heard that it will increase the cost of gas and electricity by more than 50 percent? </p><p>If “big oil” supports Proposition 23, it is doing the right thing. Proposition 23 is an effort to postpone the changes required by AB 32 until unemployment is down to 5.5 percent. Your editorial “No on 23” in Wednesday's paper cites the projection of rising sea levels and a temperature increase of 5.4 degrees by 2050 as a disaster to be feared. But we have a disaster already happening in a 10.8 percent unemployment rate in Sonoma County.</p><p>If sea levels and temperatures are going to rise so dramatically, why have we seen no evidence of those changes yet? This has been the coldest summer I can remember in Sonoma County.</p><p>Instead of trying to mitigate changes that might never happen, perhaps new laws should address things that are clearly happening now.</p><p>MARIAN KING</p><p>Sebastopol</p>