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Ageist letter misses
the mark on Lee
Re: “Lee’s age alone makes her a bad pick for mayor” (Page A6, Jan. 24).
Calling Barbara Lee “elderly” is ageist, sexist and connotes she has one foot in her grave.
Donald Trump is 78 years old, the same age as Lee. He is the oldest president to take the oath of office. I’ve yet to hear anyone refer to him as “elderly.”
Lee served honorably for 26 years in the House of Representatives and has earned respect for her thoughtful deliberations on tough topics. She also oversaw a corporation that grew to 500 employees.
Where has the value of youth leadership shown itself in Oakland? Mayor Sheng Thao is 39 and should have been a shining example, according to your value system. Yet she was recalled due to mismanagement of homelessness issues and skyrocketing crime rates. She is alleged to have committed her own crimes, now being investigated.
Advanced age brings wisdom from lessons learned. With any luck, Michael Thaler, you’ll be there someday.
Sharon Brown
Walnut Creek
Call to do good work
is stronger than ever
Re: “How will Trump’s crackdown affect area?” (Page A1, Jan. 25).
The day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Bishop Mariann Budde’s courageous stand at the National Cathedral reminded us that moral leadership still matters. Her call for mercy and dignity resonates deeply in Alameda County.
From Berkeley to Fremont, working families face displacement as housing costs soar beyond reach. Along the I-880 corridor, children breathe toxic air while industrial interests claim economic necessity — the same argument used against Dr. King’s demands for justice. Our undocumented neighbors face daily fears of family separation, despite their vital contributions to our communities.
Bishop Budde’s message that “there isn’t much to be gained by our prayers if we act in ways that further deepen divisions” challenges us to move beyond outrage. The work for affordable housing, environmental justice and immigrant rights offers each of us the opportunity to turn inspiration into change.
Laurie Manning
San Leandro
Letter praising Trump
gets it wrong on Biden
Re: “Trump’s new agenda just what nation ordered” (Page A6, Jan. 24).
John Griggs’s letter that looks forward to the newest Trump presidency as a fine meal gets almost everything wrong about Joe Biden’s term.
Inflation in the United States was not brought on by Joe Biden but by global supply challenges after COVID that affected all countries, with the United States bouncing back faster than almost any other. Whatever “corruption” Griggs refers to with respect to Biden and his family is never explained, because there wasn’t any, despite four years of the Republican Party trying to find some.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump became a convicted felon and sex offender, and pardon-giver to actual criminals. It seems to me that the purported great meal of a new Trump presidency might not be as tasty as Griggs expects, given how he doesn’t seem to recognize the difference between a well-aged fine cut, and yesterday’s chopped liver.
Peter Knazko
San Jose
So far, high prices aren’t
on Trump’s agenda
In his first hours as president, Donald Trump signed a barrage of executive orders undercutting our freedoms and endangering our planet.
Specifically, he:
• Pardoned 1,500 convicted January 6 insurrectionists, some who severely injured Capitol Police officers.
• Withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, leading to more fossil fuel drilling and accelerating climate catastrophe, while wildfires continue to ravage Southern California
• Shut our doors to refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence, and illegally tried to end birthright citizenship, which is protected in the Constitution.
Many of these plans will flounder in the courts and Congress. They will also face severe backlash from voters, including those who elected him, as he ignores the key issue that put him in office: his promise to bring down high prices.
Next up on his Project 2025 agenda: cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
Ward Kanowsky
Pleasanton
DEI training helps keep
groups competitive
As a director of an engineering software development team at a large company, I found DEI training to be compelling and useful. These modern management practices allow organizations to become more productive, creative and efficient. This is good for business.
Diversity feeds creativity. A basketball team with five identical players, even Steph Curry clones, is unlikely to win. Product development teams also benefit from a range of talent, skills and experience. Equity means people are compensated fairly for their contributions. Inclusion means understanding that people are not cookie-cutter replicas of each other. People have different communication styles and life experiences. They may look different. When people feel accepted, they are more able to solve difficult problems together.
So don’t be fooled by the anti-DEI hype. Good organizations will continue to use these concepts if they want to be competitive.
Ellen Meeks
Livermore
Shameful comparison
is beyond the pale
I’ve been a daily reader of your newspaper for more than 50 years, so I’ve likely seen every “Mallard Fillmore” “comic” strip you’ve published, although I’ve rarely agreed with the point of view.
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Letters: Donald Trump’s new agenda is just what the nation ordered
Letters: Donald Trump’s presidency is a sign of a nation in decline
Author Bruce Tinsley reached a new low with his strip of Jan. 20 when he implied that Donald Trump and Dr. Martin Luther King have a lot in common. Nothing could be further from the truth, and those who believe such nonsense illustrate the gap in belief within our country.
Tinsley insulted a great leader who is honored annually with a national holiday.
Craig Hammack
Albany
