Letters to the Editor

Purely Pathetic

Due to my lack of wizardry with IT, my missive was printed under Bob Handy byline, my husband of 62 years. We did not mind, but if you reply do not refer to me as Mrs. Handy. Just call me Danute.

Now about your missive.

Yes, Donald Trump is a misogynist. For confirmation refer to the Access Hollywood tape! It is almost universally agreed that Donald Trump is racist. But that is part of the DNA of the Republican party. It started way back in 1964 with Southern strategy, “law and order” and “state rights” campaigns, references to welfare Queens, Willy Horton ads designed by Lee Atwater. Most Republicans just dog-whistle racism, Donald Trump uses a foghorn. Donald Trump’s speech announcing his candidacy was not exactly what you expect at the bottom of the Statue of Liberty.

Bill and Hillary are driving near her hometown. They stop to get some gas, whereupon Hillary recognizes the station attendant as a high school boyfriend. After they drive off, Bill tells her snugly, “See if you’d married him, you’d be working at a gas station.” Hillary smartly replies, “If I’d married him, he’d be President.”

OMG, James! Not Benghazi! There have been ten investigations, the last one run by ex-congressman Ted Gowdy. After two years, including thirteen-hour interrogation of Hillary she had an ironclad alibi that she was not in Benghazi at that time and did not set the consulate on fire.

So exactly which promises did President Trump keep? Name one, besides tax cuts for the very rich. He did not even succeed to feed junk food for kids in schools.

Name the period exactly when was America Great that we go back to it!

Danute Handy

Ooh, That Smell

My name is prominently featured in the Nicholas Schou article (“Cannabis Under Fire, Part Three”) about cannabis and Carpinteria in the July 23, 2020 edition. I invited Mr. Schou to Carpinteria to show him on the ground that, as far as cannabis odor in Carpinteria goes, most of his previous reporting on the subject was not current and that one of the most explosive claims made by the anti-cannabis activists about odor at the Carpinteria High School being overwhelming and making students and teachers sick is simply not current or credible. I had never met Mr. Schou so when we introduced ourselves at lunch I told him that our discussion was off the record. He quickly agreed and explained that with his vast experience in journalism, he knew what that meant. Obviously he does not. I have been working with the local media for about 35 years because of my work related to local water. Never has that basic protocol in journalism ever been violated before. During the three years of debate on the County Cannabis Ordinance as it applies to Carpinteria, I have been careful to make clear that I am not an “outspoken cannabis advocate.” I have a teenage daughter at Middle School and I hope she never uses cannabis. I am and have always been a local commercial Ag advocate. In Carpinteria, Ag provides thousands of jobs for residents who would otherwise be in crisis today. It provides a buffer from residential development that would engulf the Carpinteria Valley if the greenhouses went out of business. After all is said and done (and I have thought about it a bit), I am glad the article came out as it did although my name did not need to be used. My two mottos in life are “The Golden Rule” and “Just the facts Ma’am.” Well I proved that one of the most inflammatory claims about cannabis odor in Carpinteria is simply not true. That was worth it. Because I am credible, the first place I took Mr. Schou was on Highway 192 just east of Casitas Pass. In my experience that is one of the worst places around here today for odor. I hope the County does something about that soon because those people are simply making unnecessary trouble and should be gone if they can’t get their act together. I also directed him to Cravens which in the past was very bad. We also parked in the Carpinteria High School parking lot, walked to the tennis courts and into the stadium. Absolutely no cannabis odor and there has not been for two years. I live a city block from the high school. I invited former Congresswoman Lois Capps to take this same tour multiple times during her campaign. She never responded. Can’t give away the most inflammatory claim in her campaign! In this time of unprecedented attacks from the President on the press and journalists, it is imperative that basic norms of journalistic integrity be strictly adhered to. We know the Montecito Journal is under new ownership and Mr. Schou is new to town. Let’s get better!

Thank you,

Russell Ruiz

Forgot to Mention…

As the author of this last week’s “A Very Long Distance Engagement,” in doing a couple of drafts, I left out a couple of names that were important to the article, in the final draft I sent. I would like to rectify that. One is Carol Marsch, communications entrepreneur, longtime Montecito resident and one of Marjory Laydon’s closest friends. Carol is an “A” tennis player and has played on all the courts, several teams, and won many tournaments in this area. The other names are Alison and Alain de Cadernet, a London-based TV host and race car driver. They have been frequent visitors to Montecito for many years, when not in London or their other residence in Los Angeles. We were all enjoying Arezzo together during the Joust and will all be there for the gorgeous wedding, whenever that can take place.

Beverlye Hyman Fead

Cut it Down

Just a thought. How about limiting the length of the letters submitted as was the case in the past? Recently they have at least doubled (maybe tripled).

Thanks and stay well and sane,

Jean von Wittenburg