talkback...

Not for sale

I think it's great to see Matt Gonzalez taking on the despicable world of corporate ownership ["Not for Sale," 8/7/02]. His move to limit the renaming of public property by corporations is to be applauded.

In the case of Candlestick Park, a legendary name, becoming 3-Com, fans and nonfans young and old were angered and dismayed to the point of stubbornly refusing to use the new name. But it continued to be broadcast full throttle over the airwaves and from the scoreboard to the snack bar. In cities around the world everything is becoming branded. I could barely believe it two years ago when I experienced the "AT&T 4th of July Show": the city had allowed the national day of celebrating our independence to be bought by a corporation.

To suggest that we need these advertising dollars to fund social programs is the same absurd logic that says we need corporate funding for our environmental foundations, or our political campaigns. The same corporations that have destroyed our environment, exploited child labor, and robbed the IRAs of honest employees are applauded as heroes when they drop a dime for charity. We need to wake up to the fact that corporations have enough money to make seemingly large charitable donations because they've exploited citizens and been handed endless government subsidies in return for campaign cash. We need their money, yes, but we don't need to sell our souls to get it. The way to get it is through taxes and by not constantly bailing them out when they've spent all their money on executive bonuses!

Paul Platt San Francisco

Ma for supe

We do need additional women in city government, especially on the Board of Supervisors ["Where the Girls Aren't," 7/31/02]. In District 4 we are very fortunate that the most qualified candidate running in our district for the board is an Asian American woman, Fiona Ma. A CPA and active community leader, Fiona has worked part time as a field representative for state senator John Burton for seven years. This experience has helped her gain the political savvy and experience that is needed to be an effective representative. Fiona is intelligent, works well with people, and knows how to get things done. She is a true asset to our community and the city. We need her on the board!

District 4 Women for Fiona San Francisco

Why politics needs women

As a man who is chief of staff to a city councilwoman, let me make it absolutely and perfectly clear: there is nothing more important in American political life than getting more women into elected office. And when I say "women," I mean women as women, not "women who have met the litmus test." Anyone who believes in true gender equality must realize that there is social and cultural value, in and of itself, in having a political system that has gender equality. Anyone who actually believes that the convictions and actions of an individual woman are as valuable as those of an individual man must step up and make it a priority to ensure that women are represented in the halls of power as they are in the general population.

For those who think that we're "over" strict numerical equality and should now let off: Wake up! Women's rights and women's accomplishments are under attack from every direction, from the lack of reproductive health services to the latest wave of the "children vs. work" debate. It is more important than ever to encourage, support, and groom women to put them in positions to determine the destiny of their communities.

While male politicians focus on ensuring their potency through expanding development and lockin' up "bad guys," women are spared the emotional handicaps that men have to live with every day, and are able to look at our old problems in new ways.

Justin Horner Chief of staff, Oakland city councilmember Jane Brunner

Prop. O helps women

As suggested in your July 31 article "Where the Girls Aren't," a lack of access to both campaign money and insider political networks contributes to the underrepresentation of women in local elected offices.

Common Cause and our partners in the successful campaign to pass Proposition O in November 2000 hope that our city's new public campaign financing system can help correct this imbalance.

Under Prop. O, Board of Supervisor candidates who raise a threshold amount of campaign money from San Francisco residents and agree to limit their overall campaign spending can receive up to $43,500 in public campaign matching funds. Even if a qualifying candidate raises just $12,500 in local contributions, she could become eligible for an additional $25,000 in public funds – enough to run a competitive race.

In cities with systems like Prop. O – including New York and Los Angeles – grassroots activists like some of the women quoted in your story have benefited most from public financing.

Andy Draheim Common Cause

For the record