Mailbag: Term limits already exist

I don’t favor Measure L on the upcoming April 4 ballot. Term limits for elected officials concede the institutional memory to staff and lobbyists. With that comes power. Every election is already a term limit. Voters have the power to replace elected officials every time their term ends. We can also choose to keep those in office who have served the people well.

No given office holder will have your same opinion on every issue so one should consider their overall contribution to the welfare of the city’s residents. Democracy is participatory. A citizen’s job is to pay attention, learn about the candidates and issues and vote in every election for which they are eligible.

I urge a no vote on L. The last day to register for the April 4 election is March 20. You can do it online anytime, registertovote.ca.gov.

Sharon Weisman
Glendale

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GTA should pull endorsement

In 2013, when Zareh Sinanyan was a candidate for Glendale City Council, it was discovered that he had made dozens of racist, homophobic remarks online, using anti-LGBTQ slurs, threatening rape, and insulting Mexicans and Muslims). He did this as a man in his early 30s, denied it in front of City Council, and confessed once he was elected. He lost Rep. Adam Schiff’s and Eric Garcetti’s endorsements. This is public record.

Sinanyan has earned the endorsements of state Sen. Portantino, the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, ANCA, and the Glendale Teachers Assn. for the 2017 election. Why?

In February, the GUSD school board passed a “safe haven” resolution in support of undocumented students. Sinanyan made no public statement in favor of this resolution as other local candidates did. It would have been an easy gesture for Sinanyan to show his commitment to all Glendale residents. This self-proclaimed “progressive” does not even mention social justice on his campaign site.

The Glendale Teachers Assn. has in effect legitimized the behavior it works to fight with GUSD anti-bullying campaigns. Somewhere, there are students going down the rabbit hole of Sinanyan’s comments and learning that hate speech is fine. No organization needs to endorse candidates. As we hold the current president of the United States accountable for bigotry, how can we set a double standard and give Sinanyan a pass? Any GUSD teacher who posted such comments would be fired.

Contrary to what Sinanyan — and those who excuse his behavior — believes, words are never “just words.” The GTA should publicly withdraw its endorsement. It is the right thing to do.

Elizabeth Vitanza
John Ballon
Glendale

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Resolve to impeach Trump

It’s time to impeach Donald Trump.

The city of Alameda recently voted to adopt a resolution to impeach the president, and the city of Glendale should follow suit.

Trump is a racist, bigoted misogynist who ridicules disabled people, cozies up to Russia, and refuses to release his tax returns. The dealings of his administration are already turning out to be a disaster, and things can only get worse.

I’m imploring concerned Glendale residents — in fact, all concerned Americans — to contact their City Council and urge that the resolution to impeach be adopted. The basis of the resolution is that Trump is violating the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, has flagrantly broken the law and is therefore unfit to continue in office.

Here’s a resource for more information: resolution@impeachdonaldtrumpnow.org.

The time to act has come.

Tom Stapleton
Glendale