Letters: New Golden Age | Putting consumers at risk

Submit your letter to the editor using this form. Read more about Letters to the Editor.

Does history announce
a new golden age?

Subject: “I don’t know how we got so lucky” (page A1, December 2).

The Gilded Age in the United States was a period from the late 1870s to the late 1890s, which for some involved materialism and excess wealth. The “society pages” of newspapers began to feature stories of the rich and famous. Additionally, apparently, in the 1920s, the pages of society newspapers regularly covered the lavish parties, weddings, fashion choices, and social events of the rich and famous.

But in 2024, why would the East Bay Times want to do a story about a couple who can afford a $3.7 million home, must be in a “good” school district, and have a decent yard? size for their dog and a growing teenager?

Are we once again admiring the story of such a couple, when most residents of the Bay Area cannot afford to buy even a first home? Why would we want to go there in our daily lives?

George Fulmore
Emeryville

Raw milk producers
put consumers at risk

Subject: “The dairy remains faithful to its products” (page A1, December 4).

There is probably no quicker way to destroy a beneficial industry than by allowing the sale of unpasteurized raw milk.

Exposing children to salmonella, blood infections and other horrors is unacceptable and unnecessary. Safe pasteurized milk has no added sugars and five times more protein than oat milk and 10 times more protein than almond milk. Nonetheless, a terrified public – believing that all milk is dangerous – will turn to these products unless raw milk producers start protecting their customers with practices in place since 1895.

Milk drinkers and cheese lovers should contact regulatory agencies now, before dairy after dairy collapses due to the irresponsible actions of one or two producers.

Robbie See
Pleasanton

Take the positive from the editorial
message to the heart

Subject: “Better State Government is the Best Defense” (page A6, November 27).

How refreshing! Bob Stonebrook’s editorial was positively fresh.

Instead of the vitriol that is usually posted lamenting the outcome of our recent elections, he actually provided positive and helpful ideas that we can use moving forward.

Implementing his ideas will surely result in better results for all of us than the criticism we have resorted to so far.

John Griggs
Danville

RFK Jr. is wrong
vaccines, directly on food

I do not support refusing vaccines. I have a birth defect due to early vaccination. One reason for these heated discussions is that many people don’t realize that vaccines have been greatly improved. However, I feel that health care providers need to do a better job of educating the public. Accountability for education and teaching would be much better than mandates.

Besides this issue, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised other issues such as healthier eating and dietary inequality. I agree with him there. We could do a lot to make food healthier, especially for children.

Marianne Haas
Berkeley

Politicians should work
rather than campaigning

Re: “Is Newsom already running for president? (Page A1, November 10).

Last month, the East Bay Times ran its front page just five days after the election with a giant cartoon showing Gavin Newson running for president in 2028.

In Italy and many other countries, no one in office can run for office until six months before the election. Imagine what America could have done with the money spent on this last election?

Everyone in power needs to stop playing politics and get back to work. And the East Bay Times needs to find relevant news to fill Sunday coverage instead of fanning the flames of America’s endless election hucksters who are destroying our country. Please wake up and sell the real news.

Paul Rosa
San Ramon

The workload puts too much
pressure on students

I am writing to express my concern about a widely recognized but insufficiently addressed problem: the relentless academic pressures that adolescents face.