Letters to the editor: Police chief; Nasarenko; water usage; GOP switch; gun debate

Support local women in their fight

With Roe v Wade being overturned, men and women everywhere have been blasting social media with “women’s rights are human rights.” Yes, I understand the frustration of it all. But I am here asking, “What are you doing personally to support our local women?”

Currently in Santa Paula, police chief Travis Walker, who’s still working, has been accused of sexually victimizing, raping and sexually battering local women. Before coming here, he was accused of sexually victimizing, raping and battering women in Cathedral City, also as a police chief. He found himself in a sexual battery suit in 2019 for $500,000 and before that had a sexual battery suit in 2014 in San Bernardino. Where is the outrage on this? Where’s the media coverage on this?

How can we expect to change the U.S. Supreme Court if we can’t stand up and demand necessary changes in our own neighborhood? Before changing the Supreme Court, we must take care of home.

To those local folks who are being keyboard warriors posting about SCOTUS on social media, please step away from your computer and join us who are in the streets supporting local survivors. I encourage all who are able, to come out and join us in the streets to demand Santa Paula’s police chief to be fired. Let your voice be heard and let your love be shown to these survivors. Santa Paula Latino Town Hall will update all ways to support at https://www.sp-lth.org/.

To all women who have been sexually victimized, please know I for one stand with you. I for one will fight this battle by your side. I will not stop until you have received justice. Please remember, you are sacred on Chumash land and worthy of being defended. Much love.

KC Rodriguez, Ventureno Chumash

Nasarenko and restorative justice

Erik Nasarenko said that his office will now apply restorative justice in many juvenile cases. How many times did Erik Nasarenko mention restorative justice during his 2022 campaign?

Mike Brickey, Ventura

Ways to reduce use of water

Currently California is facing an extreme drought, and it is important to bring light to the issue. Around town you may have seen signs about the water drought and conserving water but did not think much of it. Neither did I.

For years California has been in a drought, so what makes the situation extreme? According to SimiValley.org, our city and California in all only has half of the water needed to get through the next few summer months. That means if we do not take the necessary steps to conserve water our community will not have enough water. It is time to take action and conserve water so we have enough to last us.

There are a few things you can do to help conserve water: limit your water use to only essential purposes, limit showers from 10-15 minutes, and there is also an outdoor watering schedule once a week to cut down on water. The outdoor watering schedule was released May 9 and it states that there are two cycles: houses water on Saturday if your address ends in an odd number and the even group waters on Sunday.

These are just a few ways to reduce the use of water. If you are looking for a more detailed list of how to conserve water the city of Simi Valley has composed a Water Shortage Emergency Fact Sheet. The time is now to make a positive change in our community.

Alicia Carpenter, Simi Valley

GOP story is wishful thinking

Re: The Associated Press’ June 28 story, “More than 1M voters switch to GOP”:

The article states that the GOP has gained ground for the past year. It sites COVID concerns amid various reasons for this, with studies to justify its theme. It’s illustrated by a photo of a woman with open arms and a “halo” effect. This story is wishful thinking. It’s a ploy, a “Hail Mary” by the GOP Public Relations Department. Or perhaps, an effort by the corporate world to head off a Blue Tidal Wave in November.

I cannot believe that anyone would rally to the GOP cause at this point. Trump still owns the Republican party. His disgraceful behavior has been widely observed and is outlined in Republican testimony at the Jan. 6 hearings. Exposed as a criminal/would-be despot, few people of sound mind could be inclined to follow him.

When the Republican National Committee chose to hold its annual CPAC meeting in Budapest this April, to honor fascist leader Viktor Orban, it showed us its true colors. Now, after a conservative SCOTUS majority has told half of our population — women — to pound sand, that GOP claim seems even less likely.

Lynda Morris, Ojai

We really don’t need guns

Re: George Maguire’s June 30 letter, “2nd Amendment refers to ‘people’ ”:

Just about anything can be left up to interpretation. What so many gun advocates feel when hearing the right to keep and bear arms why we have the mess we have now. Sadly, they don’t take into consideration when the Constitution and its amendments were written.

Our founding fathers were trying to decide on rules for that time, for the citizens of our country in its infancy. That’s where the amendments came from. They drew up a wonderful document, that needed some specific things added.

It also states the citizens should be prepared to form a well regulated militia in the event we were attacked by the British or anyone else. There was no organized army back then, no police. They also had muskets and pistols (and cannons). People respected each other; people didn’t go around killing their neighbors. Nobody needs a semi-automatic rifle and a large capacity magazine. Those are for killing people, mutilating people.

Our founding fathers could never have dreamed what guns would become. People (men) just like owning powerful weapons. It feeds their testosterone like huge pick-up trucks that men who don’t really need to haul anything on a regular basis seem to need to have; they just like the big noisy trucks. Yes, you have the right to own those huge trucks and to own a gun. Australian comedian Jim Jefferies said it best, “America, just say you like guns.” We don’t really need them.

Judi Kroeger, Ventura

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: Police chief; Nasarenko; water usage; GOP switch; gun debate