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Recently, my household received a big glossy mailer from our congressional representative, Jimmy Panetta, proclaiming, “End the war now” in reference to our latest deadly partnership with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Panetta is suddenly characterizing himself as a peace candidate, speaking out vociferously about our folly in Iran and co-sponsoring H.R. 3045, the West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025.
But his hawkish history of support for the deadly bombs dropped on Gaza belies his campaign strategy. And his recent sponsorship of the Enlist Act, mandating secondary schools to display information regarding military recruiting at a time when President Donald Trump is threatening to institute automatic registration for American boys turning 18, underscores his historic embrace of militarism.
As a grandmother of two young men, one of whom – attracted by hype and attentive recruiters – alarmed family members with his eagerness at 17 to sign up for what he viewed as the glory of being a Marine, I find Panetta’s push for military recruitment at high schools horrifying. And as a local, I find his sudden interest in teaching our schoolchildren about civics during a reelection campaign more than curious.
Unless perhaps it’s a manipulative campaign strategy to counter Sean Dougherty, a serious challenger who hails from Santa Cruz, refuses PAC money and is genuinely, morally, an anti-war activist.
Sheila Carillo
Santa Cruz