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Hard work of change
remains after marches

Re: “Protestors fill Bay Area streets as DC honors Army” (Page A1, June 15).

My wife and I joined thousands of our neighbors for the San Jose No Kings march last Saturday. We left feeling a little lighter, having been surrounded by so many folks who share our current distress with our country’s direction.

However, while events like this are important as public statements and for helping us feel like we’re “doing something,” I reflect that Kamala Harris won the district by 20 points. The risk is that we are talking to ourselves. To make the change that is necessary, I encourage people to reach out to their contacts — friends and family — in purple or even red parts of the country. Send your donations to state organizations in places other than California, places like Iowa, where a Democrat has a chance to unseat a GOP senator.

This will be the hard, practical work of change.

Bill Fisher
Cupertino

We must distinguish
between wants, needs

Re: “When the unhoused are given privacy, they do accept shelter” (Page A6, June 12).

Regarding this opinion piece, I was surprised to read their assertion that homeless people “needed … private rooms with private bathrooms.” Private bathrooms are a “need”? Really?

What about all the people who currently live in room rentals, dorms and other shared housing situations? I am sure most of them would “like” to have private bathrooms, but seem to survive nonetheless.

How wasteful and unnecessary it would be to create a housing standard of one bathroom per person.

Let’s properly distinguish between “needs” and “wants.”

Darlene Gardner
Soquel

President has set stage
for political violence

Re: “Assassin imitating officer kills Minnesota legislator” (Page A1, June 15).

A little simple math for the MAGA faithful. When you add together the leader of the free world removing every sane and publicly supported restriction on firearms to his relentless advocacy for violence against his detractors and American citizens, you end up with the deaths of Minnesota politician Melissa Hortman and her husband.

Barry Goldman-Hall
San Jose

Shooting coverage is
dangerous, irresponsible

The media coverage of this most recent shooting in Minnesota is the latest example of marketing greed and stupidity.

Since the shooting, coverage has been essentially nonstop on every major news channel. It has included details about how the shooter was able to gain access to the homes using his disguise as a police officer. It has even included totally inappropriate and unnecessary details about how he prepared the list of targets, who might have been on that list, and how other similarly deranged extremists might want to pick up where he left off.

It’s well known that publicity is one of the motivating factors, which makes this extreme coverage irresponsible, and it should be actionable.

Wes Christensen
Palo Alto

The president lacks
qualities of a leader

Real men don’t need a parade. Real men respond to their country and community. Real men respect women and protect all children. Real men work at their jobs honestly and ethically.

Marilyn Zelaya
San Jose

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Government deserves
better than it has

I often wonder if politicians lose their souls after being elected to office. I’m talking about U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, who finds humor in political assassinations and posts snarky jokes.

Our government deserves better.

Ralph Nichols
San Jose