Why Jewish Voice for Peace is ‘misnamed’

I am not sure what letter professor Stephen Zunes (Letter to the Editor, Feb. 9) is referring to regarding the misnamed Jewish Voice for Peace, but I do know that they just paid a fine of nearly $700,000 for fraud.

Whether the JVP is a violent organization depends on the definition of violence. The JVP, often in conjunction with Students for Justice in Palestine, block entry ways and intimidate students. Columbia University suspended the JVP for violating university policies and expressing “threatening rhetoric and intimidation.”

There is no question that the JVP has justified the brutal attacks of Oct. 7 and wishes Israel did not exist as the nation state of the Jewish people. Professor Zunes does not want you to know these facts. He wants you to ignore the campus disruptions perpetrated by JVP and SJP, as if they did not exist.

— Sheree Roth, Palo Alto

Endorsements by local Dems are ‘free and fair’

In a Jan. 22 Sentinel Guest Commentary, Jack Brown stated: “The recent Santa Cruz County supervisorial elections for Districts 1 and 2 yielded unexpected results: Candidates backed by the Democratic Central Committee, in a county where over 60% of voters are registered Democrats, lost.”

I differ in that I don’t expect a 100% success rate on endorsed candidates, so this is not an “unexpected” result. I do not believe the voters spoke clearly in November, since one candidate won with the SCCDCC endorsement and one did not.

Endorsements by the SCCDCC are the result of a free and fair democratic process. Each candidate is given equal time at an endorsement forum publicly open to any Democrat in the county. After hearing from each of the candidates, members vote on who is thought to best align with Democratic principles and platforms. It is not a secret cabal that “backs” candidates for some nefarious purpose. During the District 2 endorsement forum, both Kristen Brown and Kim De Serpa made good points and the vote was close.

— Glenn Glazer, Felton

About those SC noise and immigration enforcements

King Fred Keeley and his Santa Cruz City Council are not working for a better and safer Santa Cruz community by:

A) Obstructing police and sheriffs in carrying out duties they were hired and sworn to do — protect citizens! The 2017 Values Act should not be used against our local officers in carrying out their duties. Why pay their salary, offer full dental/vision benefits, life insurance, paid holidays? We, the citizens, are tired of open crime and watching public funds going toward undocumented immigrants entering this county who then receive free health care, schooling, housing and a get out of jail card while local citizens can be stopped, frisked, cited or be jailed.

B) Enforcing officers to cite protesters for noise or banging instruments in commercial areas. When did the First Amendment freedom of expression to assembly become outlawed?

Keeley and his council are truly out of touch with the voters’ priorities.

— Jeff Staben. Soquel

Trump, Musk: Dictators riding on hungry tigers

Trump said he would only be a dictator on Day 1 of his administration but as we can see he continues to be a dictator. And he has a co-dictator, Elon Musk. Together they are attacking this country’s institutions with their “shock and awe” orders. Do they have our best interest at heart? No. Churchill said it best about dictators: “Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers which they dare not dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry.”

— Martha Dolciamore, Soquel

Expresses support for CAREAlert Program

I wish to extend my thanks, appreciation and support to our Board of Supervisors and law enforcement agencies for implementing the recently activated county CAREAlert program. As a recently retired local emergency physician, and the father of a special needs son, I am all too aware of the need for additional supportive mechanisms that would allow our public responders to better manage crises before they escalate into more serious situations. Individuals with special needs and/or behavioral challenges are, when in crisis, better served by those whose available “tools” include knowledge and information that would allow them to provide a more effective and compassionate response.

I look forward to further outreach programs to better serve those populations in need of urgent/emergent care.

— Marc B. Yellin, MD, Capitola