Readers’ comments: July 11, 2025

First Amendment special: good idea!
Dear editor:
Thank you for all you are doing to keep our spirits up. And for keeping us informed. A special edition on the First Amendment is a great idea! It’s been many years since most of us have studied the First Amendment and a refresher is most welcome.
But don’t stop there. It’s not just the First Amendment of the Constitution that is threatened. The time is right for educating all of us, with the help of the Claremont Colleges, on this vital foundation of our democracy.
Thank you.
Eileen Ambrose
Claremont

SB 79 is worth looking into
Dear editor:
A lot of us don’t pay much attention to what’s going on in our state legislatures, but right now there is a housing bill being considered that stands to make a big impact on Claremont.
Senate Bill 79 would “upzone” or override our city’s standards for setbacks, height, density, and design considerations 1/2 mile in every direction from our train station. While there are many merits to the bill — the housing will be conveniently located by transit centers and some of it will be affordable — there are concerns that these fast-tracked developments will skimp on environmental standards and incentivize developers to demolish buildings in our historic neighborhoods. Old railroad yards are typically contaminated and require expensive clean-up.
Undeniably, SB 79 is an extremely contentious bill.
To date, over 100 California cities have voiced their opposition to the bill, including Agoura Hills, Azusa, Bell, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Camarillo, Carlsbad, Chino, Chino Hills, Colton, Commerce, Downey, Encinitas, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Glendale, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Hesperia, Highland, Huntington Beach, La Mirada, La Quinta, La Verne, Laguna Beach, Lawndale, Los Alamitos, Manhattan Beach, Merced, Mission Viejo, Modesto, Moorpark, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Newport Beach, Norwalk, Oceanside, Ontario, Orange, Orinda, Palm Desert, Palmdale, Palo Alto, Paramount, Pasadena, Perris, Pico Rivera, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Mirage, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redlands, Rosemead, San Fernando, San Juan Capistrano, San Luis Obispo, San Rafael, Santa Ana, Simi Valley, Solano Beach, South Gate, Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Tustin, Upland, Vernon, Walnut Creek, Whittier, and Yucaipa.
By contrast, Claremont City Council member Jed Leano, in his capacity as senior policy advisor at Inner City Law Center, was one of two speakers who recently spoke in favor of the bill in the Assembly Housing Committee alongside its author.
I’m urging citizens to read the bill and call our Assemblymember John Harabedian at (626) 351-1917 to voice their concerns.
Pamela Nagler
Claremont

When did red become the new green?
Dear editor:
Well, I hope I don’t sound like the “old guy” in the neighborhood yelling, “Stay off my lawn” to the neighborhood kids as I am not that guy at all. At the same time, I’m not quite sure why I am writing this letter other than to vent or have it serve as my own public service announcement and possibly prevent accidents on our roads.
I am concerned with the lack of responsibility exhibited by vehicle drivers. Years ago, when my sons learned how to drive and practiced driving as they earned their driver’s licenses, the instruction delivered to them over and over was to look “left, right, left” prior to entering an intersection. This was especially important when they were stopped at a red traffic signal. Today however, my lectures (yes, I still lecture my adult sons) on driving have changed. I now emphasize to them when entering an intersection to look, “left, right, left, right, left” before proceeding. The reason for the extra “right, left” instruction in my message is the dangerous practice of so many drivers entering the intersection well after their traffic light has clearly changed to red.
Let’s also be patient with the driver in front of you at the (just turned) green signal and allow them to safely enter the intersection. It is disturbing and dangerous that so many drivers believe, and act on this belief, that the red light is not meant for them, but for someone else.
In addition, pedestrians beware! As you are walking in our city, take extra time entering the crosswalk as many drivers are not recognizing your presence!
Red means stop and green means go. This has not changed.
Lastly, I don’t mind if you are on my lawn.
Kevin Patterson
Claremont

It’s hard to celebrate America these days
Dear editor:
Today, July 4, Americans celebrate our nation’s 249th anniversary. But I am outraged at the nation I am to celebrate. Republicans have approved the largest upward transfer of wealth in American history in order to extend tax cuts for the wealthy. Possibly 17 million people will lose access to healthcare. Hospitals and nursing homes will close. Planned Parenthood will be defunded. Women will have restricted access to healthcare. Families will struggle because of cuts in nutritional assistance.
Ironically, sadistically, the president signed the bill today.
Millionaires and billionaires will not suffer these cuts; and not Republican lawmakers either. They will not be losing their healthcare. Rather, it will be the working poor, rural Americans, the middle class, women, LGBTQ folks, and people of color. This is social murder/suicide. As Joni Ernst reminded us, we are all going to die.
This budget allocates $170 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, making it the largest law enforcement agency in the U.S., a bigger budget than most of the militaries in the world. ICE will be a national police force that does not follow due process, or present proper warrants. No names or badge numbers. They will be wearing masks and driving unmarked vehicles. They will build new concentration camps, like sadistically named “alligator Alcatraz” in Florida. Their mission is to rid the U.S. of brown-skinned migrants. Why aren’t the 500,000 undocumented immigrants from Canada/Europe/Oceania being rounded up and deported en masse? Hmm …
I won’t find much joy in celebrating this year. It doesn’t feel like my country anymore. We are a lesser nation now. A less perfect union.
I did find joy today with a visit to see my sister and family. It’s good to stay in touch with family and friends during these times, I think. Good night.
M. Boos
Claremont

Trump IRS’s decision is dangerously wrong
Dear editor:
President Trump’s Internal Revenue Service’s unilateral decision to allow churches, temples, synagogues and mosques to engage in partisan speech on behalf of or against political candidates while keeping their tax-exempt status violates federal tax law created in 1954. In addition, Trump’s IRS decision discriminates against secular nonprofit organizations by continuing to require them to give up their tax-exempt status if they engaged in partisan speech for or against political candidates.
If the 1954 tax law infringed on the First Amendment’s protection of free speech in “the pulpit” and “congregation,” as some Republicans have argued for decades, it must also do so in secular nonprofit organizations. To be consistent, a principle not in evidence in the Trump administration, either all secular and nonsecular nonprofits should enjoy both benefits — freedom to engage in partisan speech and tax-exemption — or all nonprofits, including houses of worship, should be denied exemption from paying taxes if they engage in partisan speech. The First Amendment’s protection of free speech does not establish a right to tax-exemption.
Trump’s IRS decision opens a wide door for unlimited partisan political money to flow through tax-exempt houses of worship without disclosure and oversight, ensuring that the donations and their donors would be kept in the dark and hidden from the public eye. As a result, houses of worship could wittingly or unwittingly enmesh themselves in unimaginable corruption.
David Lull
Claremont