Sidewalk talk

Dear Editor:

In last week’s edition Char Miller took note of a 1928 street curb date marker along Foothill Boulevard. He also described the local quarrying operations.

The oldest curbs in town were made of mortared stone. I imagine that the price of portland cement came down some time before 1928, thus making it economic to make poured concrete curbs.

Where is the oldest remaining dated curb in town? While cycling around our streets I have noticed two that are contenders.

1. EC Stoltz at Mountain Avenue and 10th Street on the southeast corner; 1928 Contractor.

2. Griffith at Sixth Street and Yale Avenue on the northeast corner; Company 1928.

Additional observations are invited. Perhaps the editor would be willing to tally the record!

Jim des Lauriers

Claremont

Bad guns? Bad people?

Dear Editor:

I’m fed up with hearing the shibboleth, “There are no bad guns, just bad people. The problem is mental health.”

When will this be exposed for what it is—an insidious falsehood! It takes a gun to kill a person. Granted the need for more attention to the “mental health” of our communities, but it is patently impossible to know the mental condition or nourish healthy minds of over 300 million citizens, but it is possible to eradicate assault rifles from the street.

Isn’t it only common sense that we should start the movement to banish the shooting craze with what is possible?

How long will we be content to let the evil power of the NRA’s money continue to keep our lawmakers from taking even this first step of getting at least the implements of war—assault weapons—off the streets now, with a law or an executive order that demands this?

Ken Dale

Claremont

Anti Zionism is not anti Semitic

Dear Editor:

Surely the sophisticated dwellers of the city of trees and PhDs know that anti Zionism and anti Semitism are not synonymous.

Many righteous Jews, including some courageous Rabbis, work with other people of goodwill against Netanyahu’s mistreatment of Palestinians. Jewish Voice for Peace speaks daringly against racist Zionist policies.

Support of Representative Ilhan Omar is congruent with the prophetic tradition of ancient Israel.

Rev. Dr. Ignacio Castuera

Claremont