Shame on the strikers

The night before Thanksgiving I witnessed strikers in front of Vons in Carlsbad who wouldn't let shoppers in the store. There was an elderly lady in tears because the strikers wouldn't let her into the store.

Now, this woman probably doesn't live far, and all she wanted was some groceries.

Where do these strikers come off scaring the elderly? Last night, again, the strikers were at Vons, with the police standing guard, and I took my children into the store.

A striker put a sign in front of my face and started yelling to go home. Why do they feel they have the right to frighten children? My children don't understand why people are so mean just because we wanted to shop. Shame on the strikers for making people cry to shop. It is the holiday season.

ANNE GALLAGHER

Carlsbad

Government must think before it acts

Thank you for your fine, reasoned and moral Dec. 3 editorial, "Enormous cuts, still no solution." You are quite right to say that our California budget crisis cannot be solved simply by budget cuts, especially those that hurt our children and our educational structure (both of which are our future).

It is important that our governor and our legislators think before they act. It is not enough for Mr. Schwarzenegger to keep saying, "Action, action, action."

As the respected classical conservative, Richard Weaver, put it in his book, "Ideas Have Consequences," "One must realize that every act has consequences; we must think of what they are before we act."

SAM HAMOD

San Marcos

Disagreements call for a free and open debate

Instead of castigating frequent letter writer Richard Crews for using the North County Times as a forum to present his views (Letters, Oct. 28), Mike Walters could better serve his own interests by actually responding to and rebutting the specific opinions of Mr. Crews. That is called a free and open debate on the issues.

Mr. Walters' prediction that President Bush "will win handily" in 2004 with Jeb Bush "swamping" Hillary in 2008 is hardly a coherent or relevant argument in response to Mr. Crews' vision of the circumstances that present themselves today.

In Mr. Walters' view, ultraliberals are the only ones concerned about the amount of American blood and treasure being spent in Iraq. And questioning administration policies is now relegated under the heading "sour grapes."

Mr. Walters would have us blindly follow President Bush wherever he leads.

This is what Republican President Teddy Roosevelt said on the subject: "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

JERRY JONES

Oceanside

Most homeless don't deserve our help

If I read another letter about the "poor homeless or hungry folks" I think I will scream.

Most of the really needy people won't even ask for help. Most of those who are out begging are scam artists.

We have soup kitchens and lots of agencies with free food, in addition to the food stamp program. Kids get free breakfast and lunch at school. There is absolutely no reason anyone in this country should go hungry.

There are four basic groups that are homeless: illegals, chemically dependent, mentally ill and those who refuse to support themselves. These people rob grocery stores, defecate on public property, leave a trail of trash and destroy property, breaking down any barrier that gets in their way.

A large number of mentally ill have income but because they are no longer in locked facilities, they are at the mercy of the criminal element on the streets. They are frequently assaulted and robbed. I don't mind helping them.

Chemically dependent folks will never recover if you provide all their basic needs. Illegals probably lived the same way where they came from. Those who refuse to work should starve.

CAROL J. CULP

Escondido

Don't feel sorry for our military members

I had to respond to the Nov. 22 letter written by Joe Martin concerning our military in Iraq. I'll say this once: All the men and women who serve in our military are volunteers, meaning, of their own free will. What part of that doesn't his ilk understand?

The purpose of our military is to fight wars (not forest fires, Doug Crews), and kill the enemy, who are trying to kill U.S. citizens and our allies. As a retired Marine I can tell Martin that our military men and women don't want his pity. I will also tell him from experience that I have killed the enemy in battle and I have no problems sleeping, and I don't do drugs. Martin watches too many Hollywood movies. He can keep trying to convince himself that many Iraqis hate our forces, but get it right.

Many Baath Party Iraqis and their families hate our forces because they're out of power. My opinion - Martin and his ilk are the saddest bunch of U.S. citizens I hope never to meet. But, on the other hand, it just might be fabulous to see the faces of disgust as George Bush wins again in 2004. Vote Bush in 2004, we're going to need him.

FIDEL JAY JIRON

Wildomar

Marines are not firefighters

I read the Letters section every day. Since the devastating fires occurred in San Diego, I have seen more than a few asking why the military was not deployed to fight the fires. I am going to give these people a really simple answer: Marines are not trained to fight fires. How do I know? Because I am a Marine with over 22 years on active duty, and I am one of a handful of Marines who have actually received training to do wild-land firefighting.

The number of Marines who are actually qualified to fight fires is extremely limited, so putting Marines into a firefighting effort would be the same as placing firefighters into military operations. People must be trained to perform the task they are assigned. Wild-land firefighting is dangerous, as evidenced by the death of an experienced firefighter.

So, Mr. Douglas Crews (Letters, Nov. 20), next time you sit down and man your smoking typewriter, ask yourself, "Why wasn't Douglas Crews available to fight fires in Southern California?"

I am just guessing it's because you know you didn't have the qualifications to perform that task. Either that, or you were too busy formulating an idea as to how you could blame the president of the United States for the devastation.

ERIC B. GARCIA

Camp Pendleton

Another Home Depot would not be successful

Re: the Nov. 22 article, "Home Depot report released." It seems to me that a major consideration for the Home Depot store involves status of the extension of Melrose to Palomar Airport Road. The article did not address this. The extension, or lack of extension, would directly affect the viability of the store and the surrounding community. Without the extension, the store would be isolated and probably fail. With the extension the store would have access to Carlsbad residents but would create a large influx of traffic and pollution.

Does the staff report discuss this? The article wrote of road improvements. Does this involve Melrose?

I am for the extension of Melrose but against the store. Home Depot and Lowe's are already overbuilt. In my opinion a Home Depot store would not succeed, with or without Melrose extension. What are the Home Depot executives thinking?

BOB LEMME

Vista

Proud of Solana Beach's cigarette beach ban

I live in Solana Beach, and I applaud the City Council for making Solana Beach the first city in California to outlaw smoking on the beach.

I feel well-represented here, and I know many neighbors who also support this ban. It doesn't surprise me that Solana Beach is first in this regard.

It's a town of individuals, a group of independent thinkers who can collectively decide that this is something we care about. And I hope this sends a message to those developers who think they can railroad projects through our town with no regard for the people who live here.

We're not easily subdued.

JENNIFER BALL

Solana Beach

Outside interests cheating Indian casinos

I have read some of the past articles about Indian gambling.

Apparently, the Indian casinos are mostly unregulated, paid for and built by outside interests or corporations, and do not give a fair percentage of the profits to the Indians/Native Americans on whose land the casinos are built. I regularly visit one of the local Indian casinos and have gotten information from an unnamed source who lives on the reservation and who works in the casino for minimum wages. This person gets no money from the casino profits, and the senior tribal members get very little, while the casino is raking in several million dollars a month. Apparently the Indians got taken advantage of when they signed the contract to have the casino built. The Indians keep getting screwed by the white man, even now.

It would be better if the California government would just legalize casinos in all cities, and then the government could regulate them, keeping outside interests from cheating the people and making sure the machines would pay out a fair percentage.

MICHAEL BROGAN

Escondido

The real story about the lost and found dog

I just wanted to clarify some of the facts regarding the story written by your staff reporter about the loss of the dog from Animal Urgent Care ("Happy owner recovers ailing dog," Dec. 4).

First and foremost let me say that I and all the staff of Animal Urgent Care are extremely sorry for the incident and could not be happier or more relieved that Roogie is home safe and sound. There is not any situation that can happen to a veterinary facility worse than losing a pet.

In this case, it would have been completely prevented had Roogie been on a leash as hospital policy dictates. What has not been made clear is that Roogie had been put down on the floor in the hospital earlier that morning and refused to move and needed to be supported to stand. With good intentions Dr. Cadile thought he might feel more comfortable to urinate on the ground outside.

Dr. Cadile was holding Roogie and as she began to put him onto the ground to support him, he very unexpectedly bit her. In that split second that Dr. Cadile pulled her hand away from him he bolted away from her. This in no way changes the fact that had hospital policy been followed, Roogie probably would not have gotten away, but hopefully it will clarify the misunderstanding and the impression that Roogie was let outside and turned loose by employees of the hospital.

I truly hope that in completing the facts as to how exactly Roogie got away you will be considerate enough to print this letter.

KAREN E. SEIBOLD, DVM, ACVECC

Animal Urgent Care

Escondido

lllegals pose real and present danger

You're either for the rule of law or you're not. You can't have it both ways.

Anyone pro-illegal immigration/immigrants is against the laws, sovereignty and safety of our nation and its citizenry. Anyone for illegal immigrants is for the rapid destruction of our borders, language and culture. Anyone pro-illegal immigrants is in some way partly responsible for the recent murders and shootings of our dear police officers (two by Mexican illegals) and other countless crimes committed by illegal immigrants.

Those who are pro-illegal immigration/immigrants are the same self-righteous socialists who are assiduously at work destroying the social, moral and ethical values this nation was founded on. These misanthropes can never debate with facts and truth. Instead, like a typical bully, they'll try to intimidate truth-tellers with names like racist, bigot, etc. We all know who they are. What they can't win fairly at the ballot box they steal at bench (via some legislative judge).

Those patriots who are against illegal immigration are for the rule of law, fairness and the protection and safety of American citizens.

The political, socioeconomic, demographic and security threats posed by runaway illegal immigration are a real and present danger.

GARY WALKER

Escondido

Good job on education stories

A compliment on two articles on education recently. The Nov. 30 story on the Pauma schools was especially significant because it identified the many problems that community struggles with that are unusual and the several steps that have been taken to address those problems. I get very upset about the amount of bad press I see about teachers. This article expressed some of the real problems being addressed daily in classrooms and their solutions.

The second article was on a special program being developed for students with learning problems, especially hearing. A program was developed in California by a group of Ph.D.s at our universities that used a special MRI to determine how the brain processes language. They found that there are two paths possible for processing sounds, one efficient and one not. The inefficient path is often found in children with learning deficiencies.

These specialists developed a program for reprogramming the way the brain processes sounds. This program, called Fast ForeWord, is often very successful in helping people with profound learning problems.

PATTI GRAFF

Oceanside

50 mph in school zone invites tragedy

My children are enrolled in the newly formed Bonsall Charter Academy of Learning in Bonsall. This school is located below the Bonsall Elementary School off of Camino del Ray. I noticed at the beginning of the school year that there was a speed limit sign posted within the school zone marked 50 miles per hour.

I have contacted many city and county agencies to get this sign removed, but it is still there. This triangle intersection is dangerous at 25 mph, let alone 50 mph. Add on top of that congestion from commuters, parents and buses every morning and afternoon, and this is an accident waiting to happen.

Please help me to find the agency I and my fellow parents can contact before a tragedy happens.

KAREN SOWERS

Fallbrook