Letters to the Editor: Readers write on homelessness, the Paris Accord and Trump calling Schiff ‘sleazy’
Seeing the In Theory section on the topic of homelessness in a the July 12 News-Press reminded me of a conversation I had with a homeless man recently. He said what happened is that he was homeless but then he was able to get a Section 8 apartment, the program I believe is for impoverished people. Then he got a job, and he was making enough that he had to leave the Section 8 apartment, no longer poor enough to qualify. So he rented a room. But then he was laid off from his job and couldn’t pay rent on the apartment, so he was homeless again.
I don’t know if he was being truthful or accurate with me. But if so, one might wonder if in this case there would have been any way for him to have consistent housing instead of riding a roller coaster of being housed and being homeless. I suppose one solution would be for him to look for a second job when he gets the first one, so that if he loses the first one at least he still has some income. Although, some people might not be healthy enough to work two jobs or able to find a second one.
I wonder if there are any other solutions.
Greg Dahlen
Glendale
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I thank the Glendale City Council for voting to support the Paris Accord. Climate change threatens life on Earth and responsible adults want to mitigate the negative effects. As a previous letter writer noted, human overpopulation is a major cause.
Unlike the previous letter writer, I understand both the problem and solutions are global. Stopping immigration into the U.S. won’t stop climate-changing pollution from crossing our borders. If humans want to preserve a climate suitable for our existence we need to support worldwide voluntary family planning. The USA has roughly 5% of the world’s human population yet we consume almost 25% of the world’s energy. It is particularly greedy and selfish to wish to maintain this imbalance at the expense of so many others on the planet.
We should be funding birth-control education and full reproductive healthcare here at home and in nations where we are allowed access. This could easily be paid for via a reduction in military spending. The seemingly endless wars the U.S. is involved in around the world are contributing to climate-changing pollution as well as exacerbating the refugee situation. Redirection of war funding into humanitarian efforts would have a double positive effect on climate change and human overpopulation.
Education for women and girls equal to that men and boys receive is another powerful way to nurture positive change. Well-educated women tend to marry later and have fewer children. This will help stem population growth and minimize the demand for abortion. Repealing the Hyde and Helms amendments would help the situation even more.
Sharon Weisman
Glendale
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Re: “In response to ongoing investigation, President Trump calls Schiff ‘sleazy’” (July 26), we couldn’t be more proud of nor grateful for our congressman’s integrity, intelligence, dedication, skill and patriotic respect for the rule of law.
Coming from this president, terms like “sleazy” directed at experienced, hardworking, elected representatives carrying out their sworn duty to uphold the Constitution, investigate wrongdoing, and promote justice for all, is nothing new. Rep. Adam Schiff’s levelheadedness is remarkable, given the milieu in Washington these days.
Joanne Hedge
Glendale