Letters to the editor

Re “Thomas Starr King deserves better,” Opinion, May 29

I just got back from a trip to D.C. that included a tour of the Capitol and the Hall of Columns. That’s when I learned about the San Francisco minister and orator, Thomas Starr King (Junipero Serra is the other representative of our state’s history and seems safe because of his constituency of fourth-graders and Catholics). The quest by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) to replace the statue is ironic, and testimony to one of Ronald Reagan’s famous quotes: “Government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem.” Shame on Calvert, and anyone in the process, who bowed to such a waste of time. Amid all the contemporary crises, can we take on one more cause, such as “Save Thomas Starr King”?

Patricia Goodman

Huntington Beach

::

The article about replacing King’s statue was spot on. Not only was King’s contribution far greater than Reagan’s, I think we will always have a daily reminder of Reagan’s contribution: a broken middle class and corporate control of our lives.

Jeff Button

San Clemente

::

The article rails against the replacement of the King statue with one of Reagan. But wait. If King had not been successful and California had dichotomized into north and south, we in the south might now be separated and immune from the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Gavin Newsom, Marin County and even Sacramento.

Rather than being half of a Democrat-dominated, bankrupt, dysfunctional state, we could well be a smaller but Republican one.

I say, throw the rounder out.

Norbert J. Spitzer

Carlsbad