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Letters to the Editor

Land preservation plan deserves council's support

Editor:

I agree with the Voice's July 21 editorial, "No reason to abstain on open space initiative," which said that city council members should have voted to support the Santa Clara County Land Conservation Initiative, a.k.a. the PLAN Initiative.

Passage of this initiative would preserve our region as a desirable place to live and work by amending the county general plan to limit the number of developable parcels permitted in rural areas, thereby helping to protect hillsides, ranchlands and agriculture. Additionally, it places further safeguards on scenic views, streamside corridors and sensitive wildlife habitat.

Most of the land affected by this initiative is undesirable for developments that are sensible to our communities, as developing remote areas is not suitable for affordable housing and would also necessitate providing infrastructure and services that cost more money than is recouped by property taxes. Whereas current open space protections can be changed at any time by a simple majority of the county supervisors, this initiative would require the voters to decide on any proposal that weakens or repeals protections.

Although the initiative does not apply to land in cities like ours, it will help protect more than 400,000 acres of open space, which Mountain View residents enjoy for recreational purposes and as a refuge from the hustle and bustle of city life. Therefore, I would like my elected city officials to take leadership on this issue because it affects my family and me in a similar way as it does those in South County or other parts of this region.

Open space protection is an important issue to support and should be one of our priorities. I encourage our city council to take another vote on the land conservation initiative, and vote yes to support it.

Margaret Abe-Koga

Church Street

More parkland, less housing

Editor:

I agree with Chuck Shih when he points out the need to "put the brakes on housing" in Mountain View ("Where have you been, Voice?," July 21). The Mountain View Voice claimed to support this in its July 7 editorial, yet spoke up too late to prevent over 500 condo units being approved at the Mayfield site.

Arguments for high-density housing near transportation only make sense if housing is approved in the first place. The question is not whether housing should be in the foothills or the city, but rather whether it should be approved at all.

How many times do we need to remind our city council and local paper that the quality of life decreases in direct proportion to overcrowding?

Martha Elderon

Dell Avenue

More housing means more problems

Editor:

Although the former Mayfield Mall is not in my neighborhood, I have listened to the debate regarding its development for months. My reaction to 500-plus more houses is, "Oh my, 1,000 more cars to deal with."

I'm wondering if the council members realize that every development calls for more police, firemen, and schools? And more water, which is finite, and the rates of which have been raised two years in a row.

Councilman Perry, where is it written that Mountain View has to provide housing for everyone in the Central Valley? I really feel sorry for the residents of Monta Loma.

Betty Lucke

Lilac Lane

Residents should help water street trees

Editor:

We have recently experienced a spell of unusual heat, and we may experience similar phenomena as summer progresses. In these conditions, a green and healthy canopy brings welcome relief. But the conditions that we find hard to endure are also very difficult for the trees that provide this canopy, and this year young street trees have suffered greatly. Many young trees line our streets, their leaves brown and dry.

I believe most residents want our urban forest to thrive. Many believe, incorrectly, that the city waters young street trees, and that residents do not have an active role to play in this area.

The truth is, we must take an active role and water our young street trees ourselves. Up until they are about 5 years old, our trees need us residents to water them deeply, perhaps as often as once a week in summer.

For more information about taking care of young street trees, see www.mountainviewtrees.org, the Web site of a group of Mountain View residents dedicated to sustaining and enhancing Mountain View's trees through community stewardship, education and advocacy.

Ronit Bryant

Dana Street

Holocaust and forgiveness

Editor:

Responding to an article in the Voice, I attended the Jewish Film Festival screening of "Forgiving Dr. Mengele" featuring the Holocaust survivor, Eva Moses Kor. For the $11 admission fee it was worth more than triple that amount. Congratulations to Cinema 16 for hosting a film and live panel discussion that was outstanding in every respect.

Eva Kor is small in stature but has the iron resolve of one who has survived perhaps the most cruel treatment by humans to another of our species. The film shows the Auschwitz experience and the development of an extraordinary action she has taken in forgiving Mengele, who directed such cruel experiments on captive Jewish victims, in this case twin girls.

Meeting my first Holocaust survivor live was a jarring experience of looking a victim of unspeakable atrocity in the face. I fumbled for the words that would be appropriate to one who experienced the concentration camps in real life. This quiet woman has broken the chains of victimhood and declared that the perpetrators of Auschwitz no longer hold her as a psychological prisoner. She has declared her freedom and forgiven the SS for what they did to her. She went to great pains to only speak for herself and no other victims. She reveled in the incredible freedom she felt in claiming the power to forgive.

Eva Kor stands toe to toe with her strongest detractors in her resoluteness. May we all give such a strong voice to our beliefs.

Allen Price

Velarde Street

Israel not committing 'war crimes'

Editor:

I am writing in disagreement with a letter calling Israel's actions "war crimes against the Lebanese people" ("U.S. role with Israel answers one question," July 28).

While it is regrettable that so many Lebanese civilians have been killed, it is important to note that the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is not deliberately targeting these civilians. The IDF targets only the areas in which the Hezbollah militants are located. Unfortunately, Hezbollah has used the Lebanese civilians as human shields, strategically placing their weapons in densely populated areas and in civilian's homes.

To Hezbollah, it is a victory when a Lebanese civilian is killed, for it aids their cause — it makes Israel look bad. Meanwhile, Hezbollah shoots katyushas and other long-range missiles into Northern Israel with the specific intention of hurting civilians.

This is an important distinction that many people seem to disregard. Hezbollah aims for innocents, Israel aims for terrorists. It is in the act of war that civilians are killed, but it is not intentional on the part of the Israeli army. Congress has voted in support of Israel and it is my hope that they continue to do so.

Rebecca Corman

Carol Avenue