Our airport should not be a homeless shelter
As a longtime resident of the valley, I have always taken pride in the amenities and services that are provided to residents and visitors—especially at our beautiful airport. However, I have discovered a very disturbing and critical issue regarding public safety and the image we are portraying as a major tourist destination. I recently had the opportunity to be at our airport on several occasions after 9p.m. On all of my airport visits, I was appalled by the amount of homeless taking over almost all of the available seating areas in the airport lobby. Many were surrounded by several bags and carts, sleeping on the floor, spreading out beyond the seating area.
From a public relations perspective, as the first and last image of our city that many visitors will encounter, this is extremely counterproductive! From a safety perspective, if this goes unchecked and unaddressed, the airport will not be viewed as a safe and welcoming environment.
Our airport should project the image of civic pride and the first class airport experience that both residents and visitors expect and demand. The Palm Springs airport should not be a homeless shelter!
Glenn Sigmund, Palm Springs
Super PACs, just like everyone else, have an absolute right to express their political views
While I suspect almost everyone agrees there is far too much money spent on political campaigns, the letter suggesting that super PACs be banned from local elections missed the mark on several points. First, there is an inviolate wall between super PACs and the campaigns they support. It is illegal for campaigns and candidates to coordinate their efforts with independent entities. So, Mayor Garner and her campaign were forbidden to communicate or conspire with the PAC which supported her campaign; to suggest that she should have somehow controlled what her super PAC did is an open invitation to break the law.
Second, the letter conveniently ignores the fact that those who supported the other candidate in Mayor Garner’s race could have done precisely what her supporters did, raise money and independently advocate for their candidate. Finally, super PACs, just like everyone else, have an absolute right to express their political views – banning political speech would be a direct and dangerous violation of the First Amendment. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis was right – if we don’t like what somebody else is saying, the solution is always “...more speech, not enforced silence.”
David M. Hamlin, Palm Springs
The holidays can be a lonely time
Regarding the story, “The Rabbi who Loves Christmas Movies” that ran this week: I am Jewish and also enjoy Christmas (and Chanukah) movies. I love the lights and the festive atmosphere. Chanukah is, in Jewish tradition, the “ Festival of Lights.”
I do wish the stores, banks, clinics, etc., would include some Chanukah music (as well as music played to celebrate other cultures). I agree with Rabbi Corber that the emphasis on gifts, parties and vacations tends to overwhelm the reasons for the celebration of Chanukah and Christmas.
However, while I understand that these holidays are meant as family celebrations, there are many of us who have no family at all. I was raised in an orthodox Jewish home and loved every minute of the Jewish holidays. But I have no children and am married to a non Jew. My parents have died and my one brother lives far away and has no interest in celebrating with me. He, too, has no family.
The holidays, therefore, are very lonely times. I love watching families enjoying the holidays together and envy them. As happy as I am for them, their togetherness underlines my “aloneness” and makes me sad. So, thank you, Rabbi Corber, for your thoughts. But please consider that some of us are not so fortunate as to have families.
Naomi Z. Levine, Palm Desert
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs airport should not be homeless shelter
