Letters: Sargent Ranch purchase is the result of teamwork

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Wildlands purchase is result of teamwork

Re: “‘Classic’ site is preserved” (Page A1, Jan. 29).

The recent announcement that the Peninsula Open Space Trust has purchased the final 2,284 acres of Sargent Ranch marks a historic turning point for Santa Clara County. This acquisition officially ends the decade-long threat of the Sargent Ranch Quarry, an industrial project that would have irreversibly damaged one of our region’s most sensitive landscapes.

This victory is not just a win for land conservation, but a monumental achievement for the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, which has long fought to protect Juristac, a sacred ceremonial site. The preservation of this land ensures that their ancestral home remains free from the destruction of an open-pit mine.

It is important to recognize that this success was made possible through the cooperation of a broad coalition. Organizations like Green Foothills played a pivotal role in co-leading the Protect Juristac campaign, mobilizing thousands of community members and securing opposition from multiple city councils.

Laurence E. England
Morgan Hill

‘Top two’ rule should be expanded to vary field

Re: “Mahan enters race for governor” (Page A1, Jan. 30).

The article about San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan entering the governor’s race pointed out that California could be faced with choosing between two Republicans for governor in November 2026. That is because the many Democrats in the race could split the vote, and only the top two go to the general election.

The long-term solution is obvious — send the top four or five candidates to the general election, instead of just two. Ideally, there would be a runoff election if no candidate receives a majority in the general election. The runoff can be done in the same election with an instant runoff using ranked ballots. An instant runoff with ranked voting (ranked-choice voting, as used in San Francisco, Eureka, Redondo Beach and other cities) would eliminate any vote-splitting between Democrats, with one of the Democrats being an instant runoff winner.

Paul Haughey
Sonoma

Trump shouldn’t serve due to lack of restraint

Donald Trump repeatedly claims millions of undocumented immigrants must be expelled because they are criminals, gang members, rapists and thieves. Yet Americans see students, parents taking children to school and families trying to live normal lives. The accusation is sweeping; the evidence is absent. What is unfolding is not neutral law enforcement, but discrimination carried out through federal power.

The pattern is unmistakable. A post depicting the Obamas as apes was dismissed as a mistake, yet no apology followed. Programs honoring Martin Luther King Jr., slavery history and minority military service, including the Tuskegee Airmen, the 442nd Regiment and the Harlem Hellfighters, were removed or flagged while DEI offices and related grants were dismantled. ICE and Border Patrol deployments into communities of color extend the direction.

Trump has said the limit to his power is not the Constitution but his morality. A president who claims that power breaks all constitutional restraints required to serve.

Mark Grzan
Morgan Hill

Second Amendment needs to be updated

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution stands to be one of the most debated amendments today.

The Second Amendment was a great idea when it was brought up. For a while, it stood to be a good thing for the freedom of the United States. Today, the exponential incline in our weapons technology has caused many horrific events to occur, from suicides to mass shootings and massacres. At the same time, the freedom has preserved tons of lives as well.

I think it’s important to respect this right, while also coming up with some restrictions. Back when the amendment was forged, the biggest weapon was a single-bullet musket. This could be used in a home defense, and it was difficult to cause destruction. In order to maintain prosperity, the Second Amendment should be adapted to the modern realities of our society.

Robert Hess
Saratoga

Bad Bunny show is a break with darkness

Re: “Bad Bunny likely to have bested Kid Rock in halftime showdown” (Page A3, Jan. 10).

Some day historians will look back at America’s darkest hour, the year we almost lost our democracy, and attempt to find the moment we began to re-emerge as that shining city on the hill.

Was it when we saw the stupidity of excessive random tariffs? Was it when “affordability” was labelled a hoax? How about when the great state of Minnesota exposed the inhuman brutality of unrestrained deportation? Using the Big Lie about the 2020 election to steal future elections? All of these and more, I suspect.

But Bad Bunny’s halftime show belongs among those moments of enlightenment. The sight of everyday people reveling in a celebration of many cultures with dance and music was a joy to watch. Of course, Donald Trump misread the room and launched an attack that exposed the dark roots of his White supremacist agenda.

So who won the Super Bowl? America 1, Trump 0.

Raymond Jones
San Jose