Editorial Racism At The Santa Cruz Sentinel Pits Latinos Against UCSC Students?

With the current socio-cultural makeup of Santa Cruz's population,
this this looks like an attempt to drive a small,
unnoticeable-at-first wedge between the local latino community & UCSC
students, who already think the local population of Santa Cruz hate
them because of UC's weed-like growth plan.

Open Letter:

Regarding "Drunken UCSC student hits, kills cyclists, CHP says"
By Jennifer Squires Sentinel staff writer

Ms. Squires,

You might note, I'm 'white'. Male, in my 50s. I've been riding a
bicycle as my main method of transport for over ten years now after
retiring from OTR truck driving, and all drivers scare the living crap
out of me, no matter what their color or gender, or religious beliefs.

In modern American culture, cars are inherently deadly weapons in the
hands of adolescents.

Adult adolescents, AND the ones under 20-something too.

But to the point... I do have one.

I have zero tolerance for institutionalized racism.

[...] "The bicyclist, who carried no ID, had not been identified late
Friday. He was a Latino male riding a 21-speed mountain bike without a
helmet, according to the CHP.

***Investigators said they don't know why he was out or where he was
going.***" [...]

I am thoroughly inclined to believe if the victim of this tragedy were
a white male, that question would have NEVER been asked, I'm sorry,
...answer... published.

After I send this missive to you, I am contacting every Latino
organization in the Santa Cruz area with a copy, and I've lived here
for a long time... I know a few.

I also have many latino friends who would like to know that the Santa
Cruz Sentinel is institutionally racist (the ones who don't already
know) in it's editorial policies regarding people of color.

Expect to hear from them.

Have a nice day,
The Buffalo


Drunken UCSC student hits, kills cyclists, CHP says
By Jennifer Squires Sentinel staff writer

SOQUEL — A UC Santa Cruz sophomore allegedly driving drunk hit and
killed a bicyclist early Friday, the California Highway Patrol
reported.

Suleiman Hodali, 19, was less than three blocks from his Thurber Lane
home when he allowed his pickup truck to drift toward the side of the
road and strike an unidentified bicyclist, according to the CHP.

The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. Hodali was uninjured.

This is the second fatality believed to involve alcohol in the county
this week and the fourth this year.

"People need to take this seriously," CHP officer Grant Boles said.
"That should upset people, that innocent people are being killed by
drunk drivers"

Hodali is a Porter College student who lives off campus, according to
school and arrest records.

He had a blood-alcohol level 11/2 to 2 times the legal limit for
people over 21 as he drove north up Thurber Lane around 3:15 a.m.,
Boles said.

The bicyclist, also traveling north on Thurber, was allegedly hit by
the right front corner of Hodali's 2002 Toyota Tacoma when the truck
drifted toward the outside of the road, according to the CHP.
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"He was thrown through some brush and landed on Sequoia Drive," Boles
said of the bicyclist.

Hodali stopped shortly after the collision. Two people witnessed the
crash and one called 911, Boles said.

Preliminary investigation shows "this 19-year-old's at fault," Boles
said. He added that CHP officers are looking into where Hodali
obtained the alcohol and said others could face prosecution for
providing alcohol to a minor.

Hodali, who grew up in the Los Angeles area, was arrested and booked
into County Jail on suspicion of felony drunken driving and gross
vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. His bail was set at
$100,000, which is higher than the standard for those crimes.

The bicyclist, who carried no ID, had not been identified late Friday.
He was a Latino male riding a 21-speed mountain bike without a helmet,
according to the CHP. Investigators said they don't know why he was
out or where he was going. [...]

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