Rape case tragedy leaves heartbreak and a few lessons

Readers comment on a controversial rape case, a mosque planned
for rural San Martin and the demise of the English language
De Anza Rape Case Tragedy Yields Heartbreak and a Few Important Lessons

Dear Editor,

Let’s be clear about something – District Attorney Dolores Carr’s decision to not file charges in the De Anza rape case is not a proclamation regarding guilt or innocence. Rather, it is a painful reminder that, at times, there is a great divide between what actually happened and what can be proven “beyond a reasonable doubt” in a court of law. In this case, the chasm between these two points is littered with heartbreaking human debris, including:

n The victimization of a 17 year-old who, admittedly, made some bad choices that night, none of which were an invitation or excuse for the violence and degradation she suffered.

n The disbelief of the three young women who bravely broke through a wall of male opposition to save a girl, who they didn’t know, from further harm. Against many odds, these three were persistent in their efforts to do the right thing and are now left to wonder why our justice system couldn’t do the same.

n The young men who believe that “sex” is a team sport that involves several participants, multiple spectators and one inebriated, vomit-covered, and partially-dressed young female. They should not gloat in the lack of prosecution but, rather, be ashamed of their lack of basic human decency.

Though there may be no justice in this case, there are lessons to be learned. Let us teach our daughters that they are their own best protectors and must not make choices that will in anyway impair their ability to be so. After all, danger can come in many different forms – including good looking, athletic ones.

Let us teach our sons to always treat the hearts and bodies of others with the utmost respect, care and dignity. Their actions are a mirror of their true selves.

Let us teach all young people that, with the consumption of alcohol, any situation can easily turn toxic, tragic or worse. One young woman will unfortunately have a lifetime of nightmares as a reminder.

Lisa DeSilva, Morgan Hill

The Golden Quill is awarded occasionally for a well-written letter.

Plans for Islamic Mosque in San Martin Represent an ‘Out of Tune Monstrosity’

Dear Editor,

I read your article about the plans to build an Islamic mosque in South County. I can’t think of anything more out of tune with this community than this proposed monstrosity between San Martin that Morgan Hill. This is a rural community for which the proposed size and architectural style will be grossly out of place. Over the years I’ve come to respect Supervisor Don Gage’s views and believe he’s done a fine job. However, he must have had his head in the sand for the past several years when he made his comment about this mosque becoming “a social asset for South County.”

Name one place in the known universe that has had its social environment or quality of life improved by the introduction of Islam. Please review a few examples of the “improvements” Islam and its believers have brought to Thailand, the Philippines’ Algeria, Somalia, Indonesia, Pakistan/India, Afghanistan, and Iran. Take a look at more recent events resulting from the activities of Islamists in France, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands’ Lebanon and Turkey, to name a few.

I could not find a single example of the Muslims bringing anything but chaos and and violence to areas where they have increase in numbers to the point of numerical dominance or  strong political status. I submit that these are not the kinds of enhancements that will benefit the local residences. 

The presents of a mosque as a dominate structure in San Martin and South County will be a gross mismanagement of land use and is certain to have an impact on land values. 

Bill Currie, Morgan Hill 

The Future of Our Youth Could Be Like, Well, You Know a Total Bummer

Dear Editor,

In the course of human interaction, it has come to my attention that the once dignified English language is in the process of a major metamorphosis. Those at the root of this change might call in an “extreme makeover.” The Oxford English Dictionary had been revised to include the terms “wiki” and “bootylicious”, my personal favorite.

This realization has greatly affected my relationships, for I have found myself incapable of carrying on a conversation without counting the number of times the individual utters “like”, “you know”, or “dude”.

Does this make me inconsiderate, or does it simply mean that my tolerance for lazy speech is diminishing? When did it become acceptable to craft words based on momentary whim rather than their descriptive relevance? Gone are the days of formal greetings or affectionate terms of endearment, and in gallop the “whassup”s, “yo”s, and “holler”s.

Furthermore, I desperately hope for these perpetrators of illiteracy to see the error of their ways. Otherwise, the future of our youth could be like, a total bummer, you know dude?

Allison Scagliotti, Gilroy