Letters to the editor - 12/30/2005

By: Readers of the North County Times and The Californian - | Thursday, December 29, 2005 7:48 PM PST ∞

No conflict of interest in serving


In a Dec. 21 Community Forum titled "Chavez's school ties lead to conflict" by Mr. Randy Horton, it was asked how to remedy a supposed conflict of interest attributable to Oceanside council member and local charter school principal Mr. Rocky Chavez.

First, there can be no remedies offered for a conflict by Mr. Chavez, since there can never be a personal interest conflict in the service to the community. And it is the antithesis of political correctness for Mr. Horton to take issue with Mr. Chavez's political morality and devotion to public service. And, at all costs, we must resist attempts by those with personal political ambitions who seek to undermine our true, axiomatic and noble heroes whose only goal is to offer public service toward our best interest.

And Mr. Chavez's record of public service is very clear about his heroic deeds of service to country and community.

Let me also remind the reader of the Dec. 5 letter titled "Knock off personal attacks" by one of our most honorable political activists, Mr. David Shore, who described therein the unseemly disrespect of Mr. Randy Horton toward Mr. Rocky Chavez. Mr. Shore was absolutely right to advise that we should demand a certain civil decorum of behavior from our political leaders toward each other.

JAMES COBAR

Oceanside

No time for ethics


Neither politicians nor religion is higher than truth. There's so much wiggle room these days about truth that we look to the model Republican administration under George W. Bush to see how easily truth can be fabricated.

So many are so eager to accept the truth that they fail to see the lies. Today, in our nation's capital, it's easier to embrace the lies and lie about the truth than it is to have an extramarital intern-affair in the halls of the White House.

Deceit, corruption, lies, stealing, torture, obscene spending, killing and war games are the truth for the Bush administration and its many clones. There's too much money to steal. It's easy to betray the public.

After all, if no one investigates you, you are free to do as you want in politics. Our own backyard variety of corruption in Southern California and in San Diego have shown us that crime does pay, even after you're caught.

Cunningham fooled the public while his closest allies in Washington and San Diego knew the truth. Now, he's a dishonorable veteran.

Too much money, no time for ethics.

GREG BALLERINO

Fallbrook

Desert airport not a good idea


Once again the desert rats are advocating an Imperial Valley Lindbergh Field. NCT columnist Jim Trageser on Dec. 22 writes that Congressman Bob Filner has the history and expertise to claim the high road in this matter. Stopping a commercial airport at Brown Field, because his constituents demanded it, and pushing for the airport near El Centro, because the local voters want the airport, is not the signature of an expert. Mr. Filner is only working for his district at, however, the greater expense of people of San Diego.

At $10 billion, Mr. Filner's maglev train will cost more than the new airport itself. With MCAS Yuma nearby, the TCAs are not compatible with commercial activity. In addition, there is the fuel situation, the San Andreas Fault (it runs through Imperial Valley) and the lack of qualified employees. With a half trillion dollars in debt, the feds cannot afford Mr. Filner's pork project.

There is already a great airport site in our own backyard. Centrally located, adjacent to three interstates, good air approach and departures, fuel supply, infrastructure and labor pool, Miramar is the only logical choice for the new airport. The Marines can split the difference between MCAS Yuma, NAS North Island and Pendleton.

MARTY WARREN

Carlsbad

The Minutemen are not patriots


Re: a Dec. 18 letter written by Penny Magnotto, where she subtly drops my name and calls me an ill-informed dissenter. A dissenter is somebody who disagrees with the beliefs or opinions of a majority, and I don't think the Minutemen mind-set is the majority.

She calls the Minutemen American patriots; what a nice title to use. A patriot is somebody who proudly supports or defends his or her country and its way of life. I suggest if the Minutemen really want to support and defend our country they should volunteer their services in Iraq. Penny states that I use vile and contemptuous terminology to get attention. Her letter was very vile and contemptuous ññ is that her way of getting attention?

As far as visiting the Minuteman Web site, I would not waste one second of my valuable time going to that Web site any more than I would go on a porn site. If the Minutemen are peaceful, as she states, why do they carry weapons? Although I have something in common with Penny, I am a Christian, I am a mom and I am a taxpayer. I think she has lost sight of one thing: As Christians we should show the love of Christ to all people, yes, even undocumented immigrants.

TINA GARCIA-JILLINGS

Vista

America's Christian heritage


Re: the Dec. 14 letter by Stephen Johnson. According to my tabulation of the "Handbook of Denominations in the United States" (2001) published by Abingdon Press, a respected Christian publication, and from churches' own numbers, all Protestant denominations (including those considered controversial) total 85,554,865 or 30.40 percent of the population. Catholics and Orthodox total 67,183,404 or 23.86 percent, for a total of 152,738,269 or 58.3 percent for all Christians.

Non-Christian groups (atheists 10 percent, Islam 2.5 percent, Jewish 1.52 percent) and all other non-Christians amount to only 14.63 percent of our population. Those unaccounted for by Christian and non-Christian groups equal 27 percent. By dictionary definition this country must be over 25 percent pagan. This sounds pretty diverse to me.

The number listed in this report claiming to be fundamental/evangelical amount to slightly over 5 percent of the population, yet they are the most vocal in wanting to set the rules for the whole country. I will send a complete tabulation of this report on all religious groups, in Microsoft Excel format, to anyone requesting it. My e-mail is vendegaar@cox.net.

WILLIAM R. EADE

San Marcos

Tookie's funeral


I can't express how touched I was by the emotion-packed funeral of "Tookie" Williams. I was particularly impressed by the list of attendees, punctuated by grieving luminaries such as Snoop Dog, Louis Farrakhan and Jesse Jackson. How touching. A question did occur to me, though. How many sorrowful, red-eyed celebrities would have answered "present" at the funerals of Tookie's victims?

ROBERT J. BUCK

Oceanside

Casualty count


a half-told truth

A half-told truth may not be a lie, but it is much closer to a lie than it is to the whole truth. A wartime casualty is one disabled in action. If we knew the total casualties as well as those killed, we could know better the cost of the Bush war. This might include the number of innocent Iraqi now dead from our military action and the counter-insurgency fire.

RICHARD L. SOULSBY Vista

Congress is responsible


In 1974 during the Arab oil embargo the federal government awarded a contract to TRW and many other major technical organizations under the heading of Project Independence. The objective of this effort was to determine if the U.S. could generate all its required energy needs using national resources. The recommendation of the study was that seven prototype energy development plants should be constructed to demonstrate the conversion processes considered to be practical. The total cost of the prototype programs was $7 billion, which would result in the production of 1 million barrels of oil-equivalent energy.

The U.S. Congress refused to fund the proposed program in, I believe, late 1974. Had they taken action then, none of the major energy problems that appear to be ahead for this country would be real.

I urge every reader of this letter to recognize that the members of Congress from both parties are not concerned about the energy problems facing individual voters now or in the future. When your opportunity comes to vote I recommend that you vote for a candidate who does not represent either party. If you fail to do this, then you have no reason to complain about the energy costs or the growing isolation of Congress persons from the real individuals living in this nation.

RICHARD STASZAK

Oceanside

Web sites support rule of law


It is now beginning to sink in to more and more Americans just how serious, pervasive and dangerous the out-of-control border situation with Mexico is. While this corrupt nation, Mexico, has a virtual lockdown on their own southern borders, with heavily armed federal troops, and while they treat harshly any violators of their immigration laws, they openly and fiercely criticize any efforts or dialogue in the U.S. to enforce our own immigration laws.

Many are wondering what they can do to express their fears and legitimate concerns over this desperate situation. Letter writers on this page have been trying to alert readers to the seriousness of this huge problem.

There is a renowned online organization called NumbersUSA. This is a large, bona fide organization dedicated to presenting and disseminating the facts surrounding this mounting crisis. You can join, at no cost to you. You can even send free faxes to Congress on the issues and pending immigration bills. Please go to www.numbersusa.com to send free faxes.

Also, please check out Concerned Citizens for Immigration Reform at www.ccir.net (another large, national organization) and tell others about these Web sites that support the rule of law.

MARY McNULTY

Escondido

Good guy baloney


Unlike his colleague at The New York Times, Tom Friedman has been a voice of reason. Where Tom writes tightly logical observations and conclusions, Maureen Dowd writes very articulate, hate-filled garbage. He has consistently refrained from bomb-throwing attacks on GWB.

But Friedman's latest piece regarding the Iraqi elections earns a spot on my baloney list ("The measure of success in Iraq," Dec. 22). In essence, he worries about the diversity of the electorate and the difficulty that might present in forming a viable government. My God, Tom, diversity rules the political picture in the United States and other democratic governments.

The U.S. may only have two parties, but there is no shortage of bickering, maneuvering and old-fashioned horse trading. He should remember that we are trying to steer Iraq toward a democratic structure in a part of the world where such governance is practically unknown.

So let them bicker and debate and maneuver. Let the rule of the majority apply and don't worry about this group or that not getting enough power. We want the Iraqi people to govern in their interests, not in ours. So, a big baloney award to Friedman on this piece while still holding him dear as one of the good guys.

WILLIAM G. FICERE

U.S. Marine Corps

(retired)

Escondido

We are to blame for oil crisis


In regard to questions to the letters posted Dec. 23 about the ANWR reserve, I have a couple of questions and comments. First, if we don't continue to look for oil reserves in our own backyard, we face the reality of an unstable resource outside of it. Yes, wars are fought for it along with smaller commodities; look up sugar and in your history books about Japan and World War II.

Why not drill off of California or inside of Alaska if you and I are willing to drive large SUVs and have oil for someone else's backyard (and they are benefiting)? Where were the previous administrations in demanding car companies provide alternatives? I don't see, like in Taiwan, people driving scooters or mass transit.

Are we too good? What is the solution? People have a lot of complaints, but no solutions. We do need to get onboard and take a pro-active stance by walking, or making a number of errands in one shot, and get rid of fuel guzzlers like the V-8s. Think about it ññ who is really to blame?

HOWARD BRENNER JR.

Poway

Bloviating letters


Every once in a great while a gem pops up in the editorial section of this paper. The most recent gem can be found in one word appearing in the "Other far-flung heroes" opinion by Richard J. Riehl on Dec. 23.

That one word is "bloviating." It was such an unusual word that I had to look it up. It didn't appear in my desk reference dictionary, nor did it appear in even the Oxford English Dictionary or the New Oxford English Dictionary.

That's because it is a distinctly American word. Thanks to today's technology and access to the Internet, however, the definition was easily found. Its meaning: "to speak pompously." It's a word that so aptly describes 95 percent of the letters and opinions expressed in these pages.

BRYAN L. McADOW

Escondido

Democrats tearing down safeguards


Well, I hope everyone has their place to be buried picked out. The Democratic Party is trying to tear down any and all safeguards we have in place to protect ourselves, again. People, I would like to know what will your so-called civil liberties mean when a dirty nuclear device goes off in your city? What will it mean when you and your grandkids are starving in the streets because the Democratic Party put taking power of office by any means possible ahead of your future safety.

You Democrats and your party leaders need to get with the program quick. We are not even close to being out of the woods yet. Maybe we need thousands more to die in the streets of a major American city to make people shut up and start caring about our safety.

I don't plan on going out whimpering like a coward. I love my country and sometimes you've got to give up freedoms (thanks to others) to protect yourselves. Besides, if you're not doing anything wrong, what do you have to worry about? Plus, every time you use the Net, or phone, or buy something with your plastic money, you leave a nice little trail. Don't forget, Democrats, this type of wire tapping started with Carter, and was followed by your boy Clinton. That's fact.

WILLIAM EVERETT

Escondido

Support appreciated


My husband and I sincerely appreciate the comfort and support so generously given by Fallbrook residents and friends following the sudden death of our son, Michael.

We have lived in the community only one year and the magnitude of concern and love, by scores of people, touched us deeply during this difficult time.

JOE and BARBARA AJELLO

Fallbrook

USC plays basketball, too


I couldn't believe this morning's sports page (Dec. 22). A fairly large article covering UCLA barely nudging Wagner College (whoever they are) and not a word of USC's upset of No. 17 North Carolina. Not only did USC beat the defending national champs, they won handily. I enjoy The Californian, especially the high school sports coverage, but this omission was ridiculous.

No Trojans on your staff?

TOM HODGINS

Menifee

Liberals want to save last pristine areas


Bill Hoover (Letters, Dec. 25) says he is always surprised by Democrats who want to block oil drilling in the Arctic. I don't understand what surprises him. It seems it's the liberals who are interested in preserving what's left of pristine areas. And, the area will not produce enough oil to solve our problem.

And he is right about one thing: Many of us are more worried about polar bears than the pocketbook of a senator from Alaska and the big oil companies. If the people have to pay $5 per gallon for gas, maybe they should quit driving their big SUVs and learn to conserve with autos that get 35 miles per gallon. But that wouldn't be macho, now would it?

My hat's off to our two U.S. senators from California.

GARNET SHERMAN

Murrieta

Wisdom from an 8-year-old


My 8-year-old daughter apparently understands something that many adults do not understand. While traveling to Temecula from Menifee, she stated, "There are too many houses being built."

RANDALL T. FREEMAN

Menifee

Church school is still a business


December 23's Opinion and Letters pages were very provocative. I even learned a new word: "jeremiad." Because we are word-limited, I'll concentrate on the editorial ("School has right to expel girls"). Our View states "..churches are allowed to discriminate." I infer your use of "church" includes schools of churches, because a school was the stage for your discourse.

Business is defined as: a field of endeavor involving economic dealings. I'm unconvinced by your attempted distinction between a religious commercial activity (pay to learn) and a business. Charging to attend indoctrination into the dogma of their faith is commercialism without taxation, a perk not shared by other business enterprises. Vouchers (a stealth word for public subsidization of religion) is further discrimination. If it walks and quacks like a duck, then religious business should not duck the obligation we all have to pay our share of taxes.

DON SCCOTT

Aguanga

Who's next spy target?


Shades of the Nixonian era ---- spying on the Quakers. What's next, the Amish?

SHANNON WILLIAMS

Temecula

Tourist bigger problem than oil drilling


Each year, as the oil crisis looms, the environmental wackos come out and proclaim their lies again and again. Any time someone dares to suggest drilling in ANWR, one of the most desolate places on earth, the loud, unknowing fools spew their lies about romping caribou and bears dancing in the arctic being disturbed by drilling for oil.

Now, any drilling would take place during the nine-month period that the place is a frozen wasteland and any caribou left would be popsicles.

With current drilling technology, a single drilling platform can drill 10 wells in different directions, thus leaving a small footprint on the land. By the time the caribou move in, all the filthy drillers will be gone and unless they trip over a wellhead they won't even know anyone was there.

As opposed to the enviro-tourists who buzz the herds in their rented planes, likely causing them more distress than a winter drilling program. So, when our oil and gas supply drops sufficiently to cause gasoline to hit $5 a gallon and we have rolling blackouts because natural gas supplies dwindle, you are going to want to drill in your own backyard.

BRIAN REED

Murrieta

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