Playing the race card is the last resort in any argument.

The opposition to naming the community building after Asian donor Fred Chan, who was willing to contribute $250,000 toward this project, has nothing to do with race.

The naming of buildings should be based on two factors.

The person named must have been a Cupertino resident for an extended period of time (15 years sounds appropriate) and must have made major contributions of a social, cultural, educational or business nature, irrespective of ethnic background.

Unless those conditions are met, anybody from the East Coast or wherever could become a candidate, based solely on the size of his or her contribution. If we want to name a building after a person or organization of merit, why don't we think of Apple Computer or Hewlett-Packard, both of which have made and are continuing to make major contributions to this city?

—Jan Black, Cupertino


Cop's ticket for barricade crossing is unfairly harsh

Unfortunately for Peter Tadin [Letters, June 4] there is a sign prohibiting entrance to Kim Street during certain hours. And it has to be observed, regardless of whether the gate is closed, open or broken.

But it angers me that a ticket was issued for such a minor offense.

Older people worry about their insurance being raised or cancelled, and cops should not be too harsh in prosecuting such minor offenses.

According to an article in your paper awhile back, cops are trained to be particularly courteous to older Asian males, as they are heads of households and demand respect. Evidently Peter was mistaken for a head of lettuce: old, but not Asian.

My advice to Peter is to ask for traffic school. That is the best way out. And stay out of Kim Street. As far as the cop is concerned: May he choke on a doughnut.

—Jerry Smith, Cupertino


Reasons for foreign adoption more complex

Mr. Carlisle's letter [in the June 4 issue] contains a whole lot of misinformation about the international adoption landscape. He mistakenly puts numerous countries--Romania, Hungary and the republics formed after the Soviet Union disintegrated--in the same boat. I have no information about all the ex-Soviet countries, but Russia, in fact, still allows foreign adoption.

Romania allowed foreign adoption of Romanian orphans for a period of time, but not anymore. And Hungary has never allowed foreign adoption of Hungarian children; at least one of the prospective adoptive parents must hold Hungarian citizenship. This means according to Hungarian citizenship law--which is similar to that of Ireland--a U.S. citizen must first present documentation of having Hungarian ancestors; then he or she is able to seek adoption in Hungary.

About the so-called poor countries: yes, those countries show only about 10 percent of the income of U.S. citizens. But in fact an income of $2,176 (as of 1995) offers a comfortable living standard in Hungary; this income level is 77 percent higher than in Romania and 31 percent higher than in Russia.

And as to the chances of single mothers: Hungary offers health insurance as a citizenship right (family planning included); more than a year of fully paid maternity leave for all working mothers; and free state preschools for all children living there. The society caters to families in a way that the U.S. family can only dream of.

The notion of economic hardship making available more orphans is a crass misrepresentation of the situation. In fact, it is at least as hard to find young orphans available to adopt in Hungary as in the United States.

There are numerous other reasons than poverty why children end up in state care. Poverty's effect lies in minimal funding for orphanages. Communist Romania, for instance, declared it official policy to grow the population by forbidding family planning. The result was full orphanages. Moldova, populated mostly by Romanian nationals, but being a spinoff of Russia, is the poorhouse of Europe, with its per-capita income less than half of Romania's. Mr. Carlisle might have confused this country with Romania.

Ukraine, Russia and Belorussia have high divorce rates and widespread alcoholism, both inducing family instability.

Race is an issue in adoption, but there are other considerations in looking for a foreign adoption--e.g., U.S. regulations about the age of the parent candidates and the possibility of legal complications in U.S. adoptions, which are virtually excluded in legal foreign adoptions.

—Edit K. Rath, Cupertino


Streets are dangerous, especially for seniors

Should we walk on the sidewalks or on the streets of Cupertino?

A number of Cupertino citizens have seen people walking in our streets when our sidewalks are available and adequate.

This is a particularly dangerous practice because many drivers exceed the posted limit of 25 or 30 miles an hour, and sometimes visibility is limited.

Certainly most drivers deal safely with joggers, bikers and even gym classes using our streets freely. These are almost always young, agile people who can respond quickly if threatened by an inconsiderate motorist.

But there have been senior citizens pushing baby carriages in streets meant for vehicles.

How long before a tragic accident happens in Cupertino, which we would all deeply regret? Unwarranted walking in our streets makes such a tragedy possible.

Let's hope it never occurs.

—J.H. Peters, Cupertino

Correction

The "French Lesson" article in last week's Cupertino Courier gave an incorrect website address for Alliance de Francaise. The correct website address is www.afscv.org.