Letters to the Editor 11/18

Absent coverage

I am a daily subscriber to The Tribune, but supplement my news with internet news sites. I just realized that I have not seen any coverage of Fathima Rifqa Bary in The Tribune. I figured I just missed it, which is quite possible as I do not read the paper cover to cover every day.

So I went to The Tribune’s Web site and typed in “Rifqa.” No search results.

Maybe the Web site does not include all stories. So I typed in “balloon” and received quite a few results. Is the balloon boy story more important than Bary’s story? Her life is in danger and she is being held incommunicado. I think we should be kept up to date.

Steve Ferrel

Los Osos

Rudeness ruins game

I graduated from Cal Poly in 1974 and my son is a student at Poly. My daughter is a freshman at UC Davis, so our family decided to make the trip to Davis to see the annual Cal Poly, UC Davis football game.

The new UC Davis stadium was sold out and filled with cheering fans, many of whom were alumni who had traveled long distances to support Poly.

The Poly fans were in one section. The alumni, wearing Cal Poly caps and sweatshirts, were seated above a large group of Poly students.

Unfortunately, what started out to be a great day was soon ruined by these Poly students (almost all male) who insisted on standing on the benches, making it impossible for anyone sitting above them to see the game. When asked repeatedly by alumni to please sit down, they responded with rude language.

A number of heated arguments developed between the alumni and the students, and the ushers were called. The Poly students ignored the ushers, and only when the campus police were brought in did the students get off the benches. Even then they refused to sit down and anyone sitting in the three or four rows behind them had to abandon their seats and stand at the top of the stadium for the remainder of the game.

I know I speak for dozens of Cal Poly alumni who were embarrassed and disgusted by the incredibly rude and disrespectful actions of these Poly students. With these difficult economic times, the university is calling on alumni to make greater monetary contributions to their alma mater. President Baker, the next time Cal Poly calls, what are we to say?

Don Lee, class of 1974

Orange, Calif.

Profit motive

I am referring to The Tribune’s article on Nov. 11, “Doctors group urges government to adjust marijuana classification.”

The American Medical Association is interfering with the use of medical marijuana for its own profit control.

The pharmaceutical drugs are in competition and the doctors want to control marijuana for their own profit, making it more expensive for the poor, who will be left out.

The poor should not have to compete in order to live a life free of suffering.

Frances Delorenzo

San Luis Obispo

Difference made

Thank you to the San Luis Obispo community members, Cal Poly Student Community Services, Cal Poly clubs and organizations, AmeriCorps volunteers and the nonprofits of San Luis Obispo County for being a part of Make a Difference Day 2009.

Thank you to our sponsors Mortgage House, United Way and The Community Center at Cal Poly.

Your support helped to make this one of the most successful Make a Difference Day events in San Luis Obispo County in its 11-year history.

We had a total of 450 volunteers that helped 25 different agencies.

Independentsector.org estimates that a volunteer hour in California was worth $22.79 in 2007. Based on this figure, the time served volunteering on Make a Difference Day 2009 was worth approximately $41,000.

Thank you to all involved — I truly appreciate your help in making a difference in our community.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities in San Luis Obispo County, please visit VolunteerSLO at www.volunteerslo.org.

Heather Demosthenes

San Luis Obispo

Consider this book

If you saw the program put on by T.R. Reid on “Frontline” the other night, you might think about buying his book, “The Healing of America.”

This book is an objective, critical examination of health care systems around the world in comparison with the United States. It is eye opening. We should probably stop screaming at each other and find out the facts. This book is a good place to start.

James M. Duenow

San Luis Obispo