Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for April 12, 2025

Inspiring protest in Marin sent a very clear message

I attended the “Hands Off” demonstration in Marin at the Civic Center on April 5 along with hundreds of other concerned citizens here locally, as well as hundreds of thousands of others at over 1,000 organized demonstration gatherings here in the Bay Area and across the U.S. These events were peaceful, the messages were clear and the demonstrators were vocal in delivering them: Keep your hands off our laws, the Constitution and our way of life. Give us back our democracy.

Demonstrations like this are one of the few ways the average citizen has available to them to get the attention of legislators and politicians in Washington, D.C., and here at home. Those who attended are doing what they can do to make themselves heard, and their numbers matter.

This is not a case of just a few cranks waving some signs. These demonstrations show that there are millions of people who are unhappy with this assault on our democracy.

— Tom Short, San Rafael

Remove bike lane from Richmond Bridge now

I drive across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge between three and four days a week (including some weekends). I hardly ever see any cyclists using the lane on the westbound upper deck.

The lane was supposed to be a four-year test, but it is now in its sixth year. I recall that it was sold as a commute alternative to reduce traffic and pollution. Unfortunately, all I think it has produced is morning and evening traffic jams, dangerous congestion and increased pollution from idling cars.

Mostly I object to the millions of dollars spent to support the ill-thought-out project that seems only to support a few recreational bikers. This is money that could be better used for bike safety projects like safe bike routes to school and lane striping in communities.

The test has failed in all its objectives. Remove the barriers and stop this test. Alternatives are worse and will cost more and more money.

— John M. Robinson, Mill Valley

Be transparent about ethnic studies curriculum

I find it a contradiction that the Tamalpais Union High School District says it is proud of the ethnic studies curriculum, yet appears reluctant to make it easily available to parents (“Tam Union parents push back on ethnic studies access,” March 27).

I think the lack of openness and transparency has led to distrust. In my opinion, it is a violation of the idea that government and public institutions must be open and honest. How can parents make informed decisions if relevant information is not disclosed?

— Sharon Malone, Mill Valley

Step up to help save libraries from bans, cuts

I have been a user of libraries in Marin County my whole life. Originally, I went with my parents and siblings. Later, I brought my children to each library in Marin to try out the uniqueness of each one — enjoying the story hour, children’s library section and singing. To this day, I love going to my local San Rafael library to check out books.

Libraries are so much more than books and movies. They have cultural talks, job assistance, free Wi-Fi and computer classes, free park passes, seed sharing and safe spots for folks. I’m always impressed how much the libraries offer to the residents and students.

We need to support intellectual freedom without bans or censorship. We need to keep libraries open and safe for learning and exploring. I think the political climate leading to book bans and cuts in funding is awful. We must protect books and libraries. We must cherish what they give back to us.

We must protect our libraries from financial cutbacks, censorship and the Department of Government Efficiency. Please help save our libraries.

— Mary F. Kyle, San Rafael

Impact on ranch workers should be considered

After reading the Marin Voice commentary by Rosa Rodriguez (“Point Reyes ranch workers, tenants still being shut out of decisions about park’s future,” April 3), I feel compelled to write. Point Reyes National Seashore is very dear to my heart.

I am incredibly sad about what these environmental agencies have unwittingly done to the people that live and work in my beloved park. It upset me so much that I took the Nature Conservancy out of my will. As the primary group providing funds in the secret deal between the National Park Service and park ranchers, it should realize that this is a horrible plan for ranch workers.

I love seeing the tule elk and cows on ranchlands out there in the vast park. I still believe they can coexist. If the ranchers needed help with upgrading their facilities to avoid contaminating streams in the park, then why not spend the buyout money on that?

I am still hoping that all this can be undone. The Nature Conservancy should not proceed.

— Michele Schickli, Mill Valley

It’s time to introduce national health care

I am writing in regard to the recently published opinion by the Bloomberg editorial board on health care evolution over the last century (“Health care system has a flawed design,” Jan. 28).

I think it misses the elephant in the room. I suspect that eliminating employer provided health care would just perpetuate our inefficient system. U.S. health care is largely driven by ideology, specifically profit, and not the needs of the nation. Universal public health care would be better because it is lower cost, more effective and safer. Whether health care is a human right is debatable and a diversion.

Our system has too many players fighting over pricing, revenues and profits, driving up costs and reducing effectiveness. These include doctors, nurses, clinics, hospitals, health care companies, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, lawyers, consultants, advisers and more. With nationwide public clinics and hospitals, we’d be safer. Private health care will always be an option.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed that the lack of a national health care system was tragic for America. Numerous studies have concluded that many Americans unnecessarily died from it when vaccines, lockdowns and wearing masks became political issues. A national approach led by science would have been much better. COVID-19 death rates for many countries like America with uniform policies were only a fraction of ours.

With national health care, taxes will go up, but after netting out medical and insurance costs paid by the public and employers, the overall cost will go down. Our health care costs are roughly double those of other nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, all of whom provide national health care.

Our system hurts our economy and individual freedom, due to health insurance uncertainty. This is an ironic twist to a system where health care costs are driven by an outdated profit ideology, rather than by health care needs.

— Toby Marion, Tiburon

We all need to step up efforts to save democracy

In a recent issue of the Marin IJ, I saw news stories focused on the missteps, overreaches and unconstitutional acts by the Trump administration, an editorial cartoon of Tesla CEO Elon Musk driving President Donald Trump off a cliff in a Cybertruck and a commentary about how Trump’s trade war threatens U.S. economic freedom. I also saw a letter to the editor with the headline “Conspiracies about Trump going too far.” I think that’s rich.

I am personally witnessing the chaos caused by Trump’s actions as many of my former coworkers in the government have been fired with no plan in place for how to do the important work they were doing.

As a lifelong registered Republican, I am not blinded by the “news” that many of my Republican friends are continuing to be poisoned by. I will continue to do what I can to “save the ship” of our democracy, but it is going to take a Herculean effort on all our parts to do so.

— Tom Andrews, Novato