One bullet

The record will show that in the ’80s, my father William stood in his classroom in Pinole Junior High School when, from Appian Way, a shooter fired one bullet from a high-powered rifle through the outside wall of his school. The bullet landed next to his fellow teacher, Al Williams, in the adjoining classroom. The bullet landed harmlessly on the floor. They continued with instructing their students.
The record also shows that William, on June 26 of 1945, had turned 18 and had just completed boot camp that month. On Aug.  5, 1945, one bomb ended World War II. He did not go to war. Like most of us, he was very fortunate he did not see war and he did not die.  Millions of others were not so fortunate. Those millions were never to see the better world that William and, millions like him, attempted to create.
It has been said that that once there was a rifle shot heard around the world. Times have changed. We have become deaf. Over the deafening roar of many rounds, we cannot hear that wisdom and our instinct to care for others is paramount to our consumning desire to arm ourselves with weapons. It has also been said that our only enemy is fear itself. Today, it is the fear that we cannot trust each other, that the only way in which to protect ourselves is with a weapon. It is the fear that we have created a horror that we cannot face: the horror that we can only respect ourselves by disrespecting others. We cannot run from that roar around us.
Mercifully, we are not yet blind. Our eyes are only fixed on the wrong light: the glare from the hell we have created rather than the light which greets us with every new day.   Times can change again. We have the power to create a world in which respect and trust for each other flourish. It may be that the only true sanctuary is is a world in which all of us live in peace together. In a way, that place, that sanctuary, our world, could be called the House of the Lord.

William S. Emes Jr.,
Benicia

Cannabis vote a mistake

There was a nice letter in the Vallejo Times-Herald about marijuana written by Sandy Lee, She moved to Benicia because she heard that Benicia was a good town to raise children. Now that she moved there, she was upset because the city’s elected officials are going to allow the sale of marijuana and smoking it in the city of Benicia. The main question is how do we protect our children from purchasing it?
Our elected officials are only thinking how much money they can put in the city coffers. We elected them to lead us in the right direction. It looks like we are heading down the wrong path thanks to Mayor Patterson and the City Councilmembers who voted for it. Common sense tells me that when a person is driving his car while smoking marijuana, he could run into me or someone else endangering our lives. Only a fool would realize that young kids will get their hands on the stuff. I’m hoping the people who voted to allow marijuana to be purchased in Benicia will not be re-elected. I don’t have a problem with people smoking marijuana in their house, but smoking it while driving should not be allowed. I was really surprised when the voters passed it. Some people think that marijuana is going to make the cities rich. I personally don’t agree. In the long run, it will cost us tax dollars and a nightmare for the Police Department.
I’m sure our elected officials are all going to get high at our City Council meetings. Maybe they can pass something without needing to give it to the consultants.

Michael Escobosa,
Benicia

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