Marin sheriff is taking the right path with ICE

I read with interest the details of the Truth Act Forum (“Marin residents denounce Trump at migrant detention forum,” March 28). What I found disturbing is the apparent overwhelming contention that the only way for the Marin County Sheriff’s Office to interact with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department is to do nothing at all.

I think Sheriff Jamie Scardina’s judicious use of this avenue to keep our county safe is a very prudent one. He cited 14 cases of serious and or violent crimes committed in our community.

The absurdity of this circumstance is that an elected official (whose sworn duty it is to protect and serve) is now being told that he should, in some way, fail to uphold this very sworn duty. It’s confounding.

I’d no sooner expect him to fail to enforce the law for any other segment of the population, irrespective of race, gender or citizenship status. I don’t think it’s up for debate. We just hold our elected officials to account for the jobs they are tasked to do, regardless of how difficult that might be at any other level of government.

The citizenry should be pleased that this elected official is doing the job he’s been tasked with. His job is law enforcement, not selective enforcement.

— Joseph Brooke, Point Reyes Station

We must think and act for the wellbeing of all

The world is facing numerous problems that affect all of us: climate change, wars, refugees and terrorism, to name a few. It is time to recognize the wisdom of the Baha’i teaching that the Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens. We must stem the rising tide of racial, ethnic and religious hatred and xenophobia and work together to solve problems for the good of all mankind.

I propose that we fly the United Nations flag at the Marin Civic Center and in front of all our city and town halls as a reminder that we are all world citizens. We need to think of and act for the wellbeing of all.

I proposed this in a letter published in the IJ four years ago. Now that President Donald Trump, in his “America First” agenda, has withdrawn from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accord; is dismantling the Agency for International Development and the Institute for Peace; is levying tariffs that will hurt all of us; and has antagonized many of our allies, it is even more imperative that we take a stand.

— Dr. Ann Troy, San Anselmo

November election broke tenuous family connection

My brother and I no longer speak to each other. We’ve been estranged for most of our lives, but a brief window opened and we were speaking on Zoom calls in recent years.

After the November election, I vented my concerns to my brother about our country, our democracy and the fears about our Constitution being crumbled into bits and forgotten. I never got a response. I suspect our relationship is forever over.

The divide in our country has become deeper and there seems to be no way to stitch it back together again. It appears to me that loyalty to our country has been overtaken by politics. What needs to be recognized and focused on is preserving our democracy and our Constitution.

We all know what is right and wrong inside ourselves. It takes courage to follow one’s gut and do the right thing. We must prioritize our country over politics, not politics over country.

— Sue Curran, San Rafael

Put a new deal on the table for Trump

I read with interest a news story from March 19. In it, Chief Justice John Roberts was reacting to President Donald Trump’s desire to impeach U. S. District Judge James Boasberg for ruling against him about deportation plans. Trump called Boasberg “an unelected troublemaker and agitator.”

I’d like to propose a deal. From my perspective, there is another unelected troublemaker and agitator out there. Tech CEO Elon Musk is just that in his service to Trump as an apparent right-hand man.

Let’s negotiate. Impeach Boasberg, then fire Musk and dismantle his Department of Government Efficiency. As Trump appears to be highlighting in his negotiations with Russia around Ukraine, there is no need to actually include all the principles in the conflict.

In other words, it really doesn’t really matter how Roberts feels about Trump’s intentions, the president has already shown he only pays attention to judicial decisions he agrees with.

— Mark Silowitz, Novato