The council members are not patriots

True patriots are they? Huh, Mr. Gary Walker (Letters, Oct. 26)? I say, yeah right. Mr. Gallo, Mr. Abed and Mrs. Waldron are the furthest thing from that.

True patriots would have ignored the order of the U.S. Supreme Court to remove prayer and Bible reading from the classroom. This, after all, is what led up to the deaths of the officers mentioned in his letter. It is also the reason why Mrs. Waldron feels the need to have the cops waste their time protecting her.

Stephen Johnson

Vista

We need to get serious about fire threat

It is time for the residents of northwest San Diego County to get serious about the wildland fire threat to their community. I recently traveled from San Marcos to Interstate 15 via Twin Oaks Valley Road. Unbelievable. You folks are sitting on a time bomb.

Everything from Escondido north, and Valley Center west, is potentially the worst wildland fire situation area in California, if not the United States.

I have the guts to say it.

Glen Larson

Ramona

CNN commits treason by airing footage

Those who claim CNN was simply exercising its First Amendment right to air the insurgent sniper footage are simply misguided. No right, however precious, is without limitation. The character of every act depends upon the circumstances. Furthermore, acts that may be permitted in peacetime are punishable in a time of war. This is not just my opinion, but a concept that has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States.

The question is: Were the actions of CNN committed in such a manner as to create a &#8220clear and present danger" against the United States that the Congress has a right to prevent? I firmly believe they were. CNN needs some help in enemy identification. During World War II we didn't place journalists with Nazis and we shouldn't place journalists with the insurgents. Doing so only promotes an appearance of validity to their cause.

By providing such aid and comfort to an enemy of the United States, I believe that CNN has committed treason and that those responsible for this act should defend themselves against such a charge in a court of law.

Scott Newell

San Marcos

Most deaths are not firearm-related

Regarding Joseph Grant's Oct. 19 letter &#8220Gun people march to beat of a ditzy drummer." I agree. It's unfortunate some people take out their rage on others by using a weapon. So where was the outrage when a Mira Mesa man murdered three family members using a baseball bat?

School killings? In Japan, a man walks into a kindergarten and murders 13 people (including eight children) with a knife. A congressman pushes for more gun control after Timothy McVeigh kills 168 people - with a truck bomb. On 9/11, the murder of 3,000 people using box cutters, Mace, and willing accomplices.

Of the 40,000 murders that occur each year, over 60 percent are non-firearm related, not to mention the numbers of people who defend themselves every year with a firearm. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, many police officers abandoned their jobs, hence the need for the National Guard.

Something not widely reported: About two dozen families who gathered together to help and protect each other ended up fending off looters because they chose to arm themselves; neither the National Guard nor the police were around to protect them. And no, I am not a member of the National Rifle Association.

Monte Umsted

Poway

Sad that writer prefers Saddam in power

Bill Stuart's Oct. 26 Letter (&#8220Bush vs. Saddam") makes me ill. Nothing like seeing an American (I assume) stating that Saddam had it right controlling Iraq and our president is wrong being dominant. I'm sure he would prefer Iraq having a dictator back in power brutally running a country with an iron fist and suppressing all freedom only because the country appeared to be peaceful.

I guess the gassing of the Kurds wasn't a problem for him, and the multitudes of mass graves still being discovered wasn't a problem either as long as the state-prohibited press didn't report those. I can't believe what I read from Mr. Stuart. He prefers Saddam over a democratically elected government? Truly sad.

Bill Reynolds

Oceanside

Marine Corps obstructs justice

The latest plea deal in the Pendleton Eight case concerning Pfc. John Jodka III is the latest abuse of the legal process. The Marine Corps had a duty to extract justice. The Marine Corps had a duty to the American people, but chose to protect incompetent leaders instead.

As stated by legal analyst Gary Solis, &#8220Guilty pleas minimize the Marine Corps exposure to public criticism." Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice in Washington, D.C., said the Article 32 process was &#8220an end around the public's right to know what was going on." From the very beginning of this fiasco the public has mistrusted Marine Corps leadership to operate with honor and integrity and the public was right to question Marine Corps leadership.

Our government continues to send the message to its citizens that the law and fair enforcement of justice has no value to our leaders.

Make no mistake, our political and military leaders couldn't care less about the Pendleton Eight.

These plea deals were given to protect real criminals in the government, not out of compassion to these Marines and sailor.

Thomas Calabrese

Oceanside

Actors read scripts again in San Diego forum

How ironic is it that Ed Asner, aka Mr. Grant, who played a grumpy, sourpuss conservative on the &#8220Mary Tyler Moore" TV show, continues to stump again for the whacky left. Along with sportscaster Jim Lampley, Asner grandstanded to a whopping crowd of less than 100 people recently in San Diego to try to scare voters that electronic voting machines won#'t be accurate.

As a director would say, &#8220Cut! Ed." Let's roll back the videotape to the 2000 election when Ed and his fellow Hollyweirdos were stumping for electronic voting machines because of the famous hanging chads in Florida. Oh, that#'s right, without the script to read from the actors union's Democratic Party talking points, the Hollywood types don#'t have an original idea. Asner#'s and Lampley#'s bandwagon voter conspiracy rhetoric of fixed elections has been proven many times over as false and inconsequential.

With the low TV ratings and movie ticket sales over the last five years, maybe it#'s time Hollywood concentrate on reading better entertainment scripts, rather than try to use their celebrity for bad politics.

Dale Weston

Vista

Fence or no fence?

&#8220Good fences make good neighbors" stated Robert Frost, poet and thinker exraordinaire, in his poem &#8220Mending Wall." I have to agree, despite the unsettling response to our initiative in some corners here and abroad.

The real issue is do we have the inalienable right and, in fact, the obligation to protect our borders? Undeniably, we do. Will a fence do so? Undeniably no. Will it help? Undeniably yes. It is only one part of the ultimate solution.

We must begin to control the unfettered flood of illegals to this country in any way we deem necessary. It must happen now and it must be a serious attempt. The current situation is causing egregious conditions and effects for the long term that may not be solvable should we not take action now. So, despite the notion that &#8220something there is that doesn't love a wall," build away, George!

Dennis Copson

Oceanside

Why are the super rich so special?

Let's realistically think about the death tax for a moment. The neocons describe it as an evil tax that removes the last pennies from a dying man's hand. Few among us are fortunate enough to be subject to this tax and already have many ways to avoid it, but the heirs of the ones who are are spending millions to eliminate it. The biggest lie used in the arguments against death taxes is that money has already been taxed and taxing it again is unfair.

The truth is for people with extremely large estates, the value is in investments that have never been sold; therefore, taxes have never been paid on them. Much of the Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, estates would fall in this category because they both hold enormous amounts of their original shares. They both are smart, caring people, which is why they're against elimination of the death tax.

When I leave a tip for a waiter or waitress, I've already paid tax on that money, yet the government considers my tip taxable income to that waitress. So the question I have is - what makes heirs of the super rich so special that they should receive millions of never-taxed dollars as a nontaxable gift?

Joe Martin

Oceanside

NCT needs to better monitor online postings

I am writing this letter concerning the comment section under each of your articles. I am a strong supporter of freedom of speech and think that comments can be constructive in creating dialogue.

Some people, however, have seen the comment space after your stories as an anonymous way of posting hateful, disrespectful, misguided and false statements. This happens on both sides of the political spectrum, and should not be tolerated from either.

Though I want to reiterate my strong support for freedom of speech, I do think that the newspaper has a responsibility regarding the postings that it allows on its Web site. The person or persons monitoring the comments should receive better training at filtering; otherwise the newspaper might find itself liable for creating a space where hateful, disrespectful, misguided and false statements are allowed to flow rampant.

Erubey Lopez

Vista

The war is about slogans

The war in Iraq is not about 9/11. That has been verified by a bipartisan commission. The war in Iraq is not about an imminent threat to the U.S. It is not about defending our country from terrorists.

Again, it was determined that the war is generating and recruiting more terrorists who would do us harm. The war is not about defending our country. Those same terrorists could easily hop on a plane to Mexico, then just cross into the U.S. at will, thanks to the way politicians have protected our borders.

On a political level it is about catch slogans like &#8220Mission Accomplished," &#8220shock and awe" and &#8220cut and run." In real life it is death and destruction at a cost that will come in at over $1 trillion with our country in deeper jeopardy on several fronts than before the Iraq war. Instead of cut and run it is time to cut our losses, stupid.

Robert Watson

Carlsbad

Bleeding hearts

Re: the Oct. 29 column, &#8220The name was David Arnulfo Lopez." What color is the moon on Mr. Van Doorn's planet? If the bleeding hearts had their way, and the cops had waited to see what this miscreant, David Arnulfo Lopez, was going to do, the cops would probably be the ones not moving anywhere (dead).

Does the name Tony Zeppetella mean anything? Spin that, Mr. Van Doorn.

Mark Ruhm

Escondido

Clinton's latest deception

Bill Clinton, in support of Proposition. 87, claims that Brazil ended its dependence on foreign oil by switching to ethanol and that &#8220it's 33 percent cheaper than gas." He also says, &#8220If Brazil can do it, so can we." A little research, however, shows these statements to be examples of half-truths that a Ben Franklin quote reminds us are &#8220often a great lie."

The truth is that gasoline still accounts for half of Brazil's transportation fuel, and the main reason for their recent near-independence from foreign oil is that they aggressively increased oil drilling in their offshore Campos Basin oil fields. Also, ethanol's being inexpensive in Brazil doesn't mean it will be inexpensive in the U.S. Brazil has cheap land, cheap labor, no winter freezes and an abundance of sunshine and rainfall, allowing it to produce ethanol from sugar cane at a small fraction of the cost to produce it in the U.S.

My main problem with liberals like Clinton, Gore, etc., is that they are devious and dishonest; they seem to think as Michael Moore does that Americans are the &#8220dumbest people on Planet Earth" and, as such, that we will believe any half-truth they feed us.

Ralph Anderson

San Marcos

Another Bush would be a scary thing

Gov. Mitt Romney says he is considering a run for president in 2008 with Jeb Bush as a running mate. Old McDonald lives again. With a Bush, Bush, here and a Bush, Bush there, here a Bush, there a Bush everywhere a Bush, Bush. The next thing will be a Laura Bush presidential run. After that, how about the twins? Are we never to be rid of the Bushes?

I think it would be a good idea for Gov. Romney to do that, then we can vote against a Bush and, in that way, we can destroy the Bush stranglehold on this country. One Bush was bad enough, two Bushes was disastrous, but three Bushes this country cannot survive.

Then again it's Halloween season and I am sure that Gov. Romney will soon yell &#8220trick or treat." He sure scared the heck out of me. I will give him all the treats he wants if he forgoes the very bad Jeb Bush trick. Talk about scary things.

Phil Epstein

Oceanside

It is not the coyotes' fault

I live near Grand and Rose. There have been some coyote sightings in the vicinity. Apparently a coyote had been trapped and then euthanized. People always freak out when wild animals seem to appear from nowhere and show up in residential areas.

The first thing they want to see happen is for the coyotes to be killed. Some want the coyotes to be relocated. Well, the coyotes have been relocated. That is why they are here in our residential area. People need to stop and think. First the wild animals will be chased out for lack of room and empathy.

Then there will no room for food to be grown. Then there will be no water. Please keep your own beloved pets safe. Keep them inside at night. Do not leave any food outside. No trash or anything else that can lure a wild animal into your yard or trash. If these coyotes find something to eat, it will keep them around longer and pose a bigger threat.

They are smart and cunning and when hungry, they pose a danger to our pets, but it is not the coyotes' fault - they have been forced to leave their own homes and are desperate for food and shelter because of greedy humans.

Michele Erwin

Escondido

Fire violations of Stonegate

Owning 4.83 acres on Deer Springs Road, with Stonegate's proposed condo development next door, north and east of me, the current fire situation has caused me to move to my vacant rental in Lake San Marcos until the situation is corrected.

Can you believe Stonegate claims they didn't know they owned this property after paying $3.2 million for it two years ago, after showing us drawings of 120 condos they want to put on this ag-zoned land? Perhaps if Stonegate cannot comply to fire safety rules on eight acres, we need to question their abilities with 400 acres.

The errors on their application, not stating they are in wildfire area, are ignored? This area is being ruined insofar as fire safety is concerned. Santa Ana winds make this the most dangerous area in the world and arsonists, terrorists know when and where to strike. Not only will this human slaughter kill thousands in Stonegate, but existing residents will be trapped as well.

None of us would have bought here if we had known the county was going to trap and incinerate us!

Pauline Hadley

Escondido

Most pious usually most corrupt

The Grand Old Party sure ain't what it used to be. When the unreconstructed South left the Democratic Party after the civil rights legislation passed, Democrats were glad to see the backs of them. Now they have remade the Republican Party in their own image. It's sad to see them wrap themselves in the mantle of Jefferson and Lincoln when they would have run them out of town on a rail.

What really scares me is that I see the country become more and more like the South of the old days when the politicians and the ministers worked hand in glove to stay in power. &#8220Sunday Christians" we called them. The most pious and outspoken usually were the most corrupt.

Isn't it ironic that the more religious the politicians in Washington claim to be, the more vicious the rhetoric?

Maggie Van Ess

Oceanside

Don't twist the facts

In regard to Don Steigerwald's letter of Oct. 30, how can he possibly compare the atrocities of Joseph Mengele and the Nazis to the kind of research involving stems cells? There is no comparison, of course.

His letter is extremely insulting to the victims of the Holocaust, as well as the medical researchers trying to find cures for horrible diseases.

Mr. Steigerwald's disgusting use of imagery of cutting up babies is so far from what occurs during the actual research it just shows his total ignorance of the subject.

Kevin Brown

Oceanside

Conduct checkpoints weekly

Here's an alarming fact about the safety in our town. On one night during a seven-hour period, 65 vehicles that shouldn't have driven on our streets were impounded, as they should be; 65 unlicensed or invalid licensed individuals putting your families and mine in danger.

This does not account for all the vehicles that were flagged through and not checked. My thought, conduct these checkpoints weekly, lock these folks up and sell the impounded vehicles.

John Miller

Escondido

Some random notions on education

Schools are labor intense, should they not become capital intense? It appears that teachers generally are not allowed to focus on student's strengths. Teachers focus on a student's weaknesses. Testing, the necessity of sticking to the curriculum and a myriad of other factors seem to dictate this.

Achievement has to be based on the student#'s strengths - as has been known by teachers of artists, every coach of athletes and mentors. Finding the student#'s strengths and focusing in on them is the best definition of both teacher and teaching. Here the computer will make the difference to free teachers from spending most, if not all, of their time on routine remedial learning.

Teachers will still need to learn these activities; the computer will do these routine activities better than a human being. Teachers will increasingly have the time to identify the strengths of individuals and focus on them, and lead students to achievement. But even if technology enables us to do this, there must be a change of attitude to focus on strengths, and to teach individuals rather than students.

John Rajcic

Ramona

His agenda is Escondido

Thanks to all the volunteers at last Saturday's cleanup; almost 200 helped. We did a great job, and it's only the beginning; next cleanup is Dec. 2. We will clean up Mission Middle School. This is the beginning of a great dream, of unifying our community. Thanks for your kind comments.

My agenda is Escondido, for those who don't know me personally.

I'm a member of the Coalition of Agencies for Escondido, the Superintendent Advisory Council. I donate platelets every other Friday to the Red Cross Blood Bank. I helped open three shelters during the wild fires with the Red Cross, and I set up conferences for the community on prevention of gangs, drug use, alcoholism and how to be a better parent.

I'm a single father who volunteers in his daughters' school two days per week and who loves Escondido with all his heart, and I'm a Christian who loves God with all his heart and my neighbors as well (you are my neighbors). That's my agenda, I hope someday it will be yours.

Daniel Perez

Escondido

His agenda is Escondido

Liberal writer needs a paradigm shift

Rocky Velgos (Letters, Oct. 12) expresses intolerance of those who do not share his socialistic approach to helping the poor. This seems out of character for a man who has virtually become an icon in the North County Times as the voice of tolerance for alternative lifestyles.

In an earlier letter (June 11), Rocky called the rich &#8220arrogant" and condemned the president for relieving some of their discriminatory tax burden. The tolerance that Rocky demands for those &#8220born homosexual" does not apparently extend to those born rich.

Rocky likes to promote the general welfare part of the Constitution, but disregards the &#8220secure the blessings of liberty" part. If we translate general welfare, as Rocky does, into &#8220from each according to their ability, to each according to their need," that would mean everyone's need trumps everyone else's ability. Then, what about the &#8220blessings of liberty" for those with ability? Our Founding Fathers - classic liberals - considered those blessed with ability to be entitled to their own honest rewards and lifestyle without prejudice or discrimination.

If Rocky prides himself on being a tolerant liberal, he needs a paradigm shift.

Grant Kuhns

Carlsbad

Teachers are the real heroes

Nov. 12-18 is Retired Teachers' Week. I would like to praise the heroes in our schools. Too many people are looking for heroes in all the wrong places. Movie stars and rock musicians, athletes and models aren't heroes: They're celebrities. Heroes abound in public schools, a fact that doesn't make the news.

There is no precedent for the level of violence, drugs, broken homes, child abuse and crime in today's America. Education didn't create these problems, but deals with them every day.

Last year the average school teacher spent $475 of his/her own money for student necessities and classroom supplies that children and school districts needed but could not afford. That's a lot of money from the pockets of the most poorly paid teachers in the industrial world. The average teacher works more hours in nine months than the average 40-hour employee does in a year. Just ask those who live with them.

For millions of children, the hug they get from a teacher is the only hug they will get that day. Go to your local school and see how our real life heroes are changing lives for a better America. Allow no teacher to be left behind.

Lucile Reeder

retired teacher

Fallbrook

Wake up, America!

How saddened we are to learn of another fatality due to an illegal alien felon who had no regard for our laws or human lives (&#8220Justice for Amy Kortlang," Oct. 31). Our hearts go out to her family.

We, as citizens, must demand that our Border Patrol officers be given the power and tools to stop these illegals from crossing in the first place. The political correctness has gone too far and protecting our fellow legal citizens should be the priority.

All four of my grandparents entered Ellis Island in 1906 and 1907 from Italy on a quota and underwent scrutiny. They named their sponsor, gave addresses of same, were given a physical, including visible ID marks, and had to state their trade. Actually, they were herded like cattle. I have copies of the ship's manifests from the Ellis Island archives to prove it. They overcame the ordeal, learned English and became proud, productive citizens of this great country, despite the harsh welcome. They never asked for special treatment or all the freebies the illegals are demanding today.

Let's support the Kortlang family in their efforts to stop this madness from happening to another loved one. God bless them.

Elaine Sollima Melson

Oceanside

Foley is in the right party

We need to set Murel Murel Fisk straight (&#8220Foley's mistake was not being a Democrat," Nov. 1), that Mark Foley is indeed in the right party. Has Fisk so soon forgotten the moral hypocrisy, sleaze, lies and cover-ups of Duke Cunningham, Tom DeLay, Jack Abramoff, the Cheneys, Scooter Libby, Dennis Hastert et al. and, of course, the greatest deceiver of all, George W. Bush, to name a few of the GOP's poster children?

No, Fisk, sorry to disabuse you of your wishful illusion, but Foley fits right in where he is and has been for many, many years.

Constance Chase

Carlsbad

Mark Foley is a good fit with Republicans

This is in response to a letter suggesting Mark Foley belonged with a list of Democrats who have resigned or disgraced themselves or their party. I think Mark Foley is an excellent fit with the likes of Duke Cunningham, Tom DeLay, Bob Ney, Jack Abramoff, Dennis Hastert and Donald Rumsfeld - all Republicans!

As a former Democrat turned Independent, I don't think there is a lot of virtue and integrity in either party anymore. John Kerry's recent remarks are another reason to distance myself from my former party. I can only hope that the Democrats come up with better presidential candidates in 2008.

Norman Syler

Valley Center

GOP just as sleazy as Democrats

I am outraged by the letter written by Murel Fisk (Nov. 1). It is an insult to every Democrat. We may not be perfect, but Republicans have just as much sleaze as we do.

Fisk can keep his own hypocrites, Foley belongs to him. His party collects as much money from gays as the Democrats. They have drug addicts like Rush Limbaugh. They have a White House full of liars who would not admit the truth if their life depended on it.

The truth is the terrorists are not afraid of President Bush, he has no credibility anywhere in the world. He can't stop Iran, or N. Korea from making a bomb. They may, however, force this country to spend itself out of existence if we don't look for a better way to deal with other nations.

Gloria Formica

Oceanside

Weather predictions for SM

For the last two months the weather in San Marcos has been listed as 65/57. San Marcos is a large and growing city in North County. We have both a four-year and a community college. We do deserve an accurate and current weather prediction.

Maryann Zounes

San Marcos

President Duncan Hunter?

Duncan Hunter has announced his candidacy for president. My first reaction: How could anyone even possibly imagine that such an ignorant politician could ever be elected president of these United States? And then I remembered the incompetent Bush. This really is the land of unlimited opportunity.

Take heart, fools: You too can be president of the United States.

Gerold Firl

Poway

Keep your mouth shut

Ancient Chinese Proverb: &#8220It is better to keep one's mouth closed and be thought stupid, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." Like John Kerry did.

William Vielhauer

Lt. Col. U.S. Marine Corps, retired

Carlsbad

Kerry's lame defense of his comments

Everybody is missing the biggest hole in Sen. Kerry's defense of his outrageous comments to Pasadena City College students Oct. 30. Here is what he said: &#8220You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, you try to be smart, you can do well. And if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

The next day Kerry defended himself. He said that his words were &#8220a botched joke" about President Bush and his &#8220failed policies." If this is true, then Kerry was claiming two things in his little joke: 1. That Bush failed in his personal education; and 2. That this is why Bush got &#8220stuck in Iraq." Viewed objectively, Kerry's reasoning is absurd.

Moreover, is it likely that Kerry would claim that Bush's personal academic record is a failure when that record (higher college entrance exam scores, Harvard MBA) is at least as good as Kerry's? Kerry's defense of his slam of our troops in Iraq is indefensible.

He's slandered our GIs before, and he'll do it again. It's quite an education to watch Kerry's fellow Democrats and the mainstream media try to defend him.

Howard Killion

Oceanside

No more business as usual

We need to stop the insanity of business as usual and put people on the school board who really can help educate our kids.

For several years now, I have seen kids go through the Vista system as elementary students, middle school students and high school students. I have watched how the business-as-usual method has allowed too many to slip through the cracks to where many fail classes and do not have the basic skills they need to be successful.

Under the current board, these failures have been allowed and unfortunately, overlooked for the supposed greater benefit."

After spending some time speaking with Mrs. Anderson, I find her to be a passionate educator who is looking to identify the real problems in this district with real ideas to solve them. She has shown me that she is willing to put in the time and the effort to make these changes happen and not just spend time talking about them.

On Nov 7, I will be voting for a candidate that I know can exact real change for our kids, I am voting for Patty Anderson.

David Mears

Vista

Carlsbad needs to protect firemen

Since being hired by the Carlsbad Fire Department five years ago, my husband has been on thousands of calls. Be it a heart attack, car accident, plane crash, brush fire or house fire, he has seen it. He has been spit on, bled on, vomited on, punched, kicked, bit, burned and nearly run over at a car accident.

But that's not what keeps me up at night; what worries me is the fact that Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis and council members have failed to build a fire-training facility! Our firemen have to practice fighting fire in a deserted parking lot on weekends. With the lack of proper training in a realistic environment, our Carlsbad firefighters are putting your life and the lives of others at risk while trying to save your burning house.

A fire-training facility enables firefighters to not only practice fighting fire, but other critical jobs, such as search and rescue, forcible entry and rescuing unconscious victims - all in a realistic environment. Citizens of Carlsbad, without this training facility, your house could become another training opportunity for the firefighters to practice.

I am asking you to call Mayor Bud Lewis and council members Matt Hall, Mark Packard and Ann Kulchin and tell them to keep our firemen safe by building this long-delayed training facility.

Carolee Heimaster

Oceanside

Letters deserve comment

A recent AP story and three letters deserve comment. The AP piece stated that blacks have historically voted Democratic. This is true if historically refers only to the past 72 years. Blacks first voted Democratic in 1934. Prior to that they had always voted Republican.

Jim Watson (Letters, Oct. 31) calls President Bush the most incompetent leader of modern times. I hold no brief for the Bush administration, but surely there have been many leaders less competent than he - Kim Jong Il and Idi Amin for instance. If Mr. Watson wants to argue that Mr. Bush is the least competent among those who lead the 22 Western democracies, he may have a point.

Michele Arnensen (Letters, Nov. 2) tells us America now has fascism. Even though civil liberties have taken a downturn, we're still a long way from fascism. Ms. Arnensen further avers that the writ of habeas corpus is from the Eighth Amendment. Not so. It is from Article 1, Section. 9, U.S. Constitution. Carol Derbis (Letters, Nov. 2) asserts President Clinton &#8220surrendered in Somalia." Republican leadership strongly urged him to remove our troops several months before he did. I agreed with them.

John George

Carlsbad

North County needs raceway, not more houses

What North County needs now is a raceway so that the illegal street racing will stop. Instead of building all these houses that they don't need, they should build a raceway. Illegal street racing happens a lot because these people don't have anywhere to go and race.

I think if a person was smart, they would invest in building a raceway so that people could have fun.

Edgar Lopez

San Marcos

Kerry apologized; what about Bush?

John Kerry knows that some people cutting from college often join the military if a decent job isn't around. There's nothing unpatriotic about it, it's just a fact. But Bush condemned the statement, assuming it insulted &#8220every person in the military." Ridiculous. Many were sent to Vietnam against their will after joining the military for a job. And they were honorable.

The problem is that this government refuses to admit Vietnam was a mistake in the first place. Kerry criticized My Lai massacre activities. So what? I did too. That has nothing to do with most in the military.

Bush recently said that &#8220like the American people, I'm dissatisfied with progress in Iraq." Yet now, AP reports Bush is &#8220satisfied with progress in Iraq." So satisfied, he'll retain Rumsfeld for the duration. Maybe he meant he's satisfied with the good parts - Hussein jailed, voter turnout, -but at the same time he's dissatisfied with the bad parts - 60,000 uninvolved killed, loss of American men, trillions in debt and we're still there with bases rented 25 years into the future.

But Kerry apologized for not being clear. Bush, however, relentlessly attacks Kerry's changed war vote that relied on false intelligence.

Richard Sauerheber

San Marcos

Of campaign signs and shopping carts

As I pass all the political signs along our roads and see the abandoned grocery carts blocking the signs, a couple questions come to mind.

1. Why has no one running for office said they will do anything about the carts littering our corners?

2. Why does a grocery store prosecute someone for stealing a can of beans and allow anyone to steal their carts?

3. Why doesn't the city fine the stores for littering?

Jack Key

Oceanside

GOP Congress has been unproductive

It is quite amusing to hear Republican candidates predict that a Democratic House majority would be &#8220wild." Republicans are obviously not paying attention to the wild and obscene things their own party is doing.

Currently there are 18 federal investigations into illegal acts by Republicans - everything from bribery - like Duke Cunningham - to inappropriate sexual behavior toward children - Mark Foley - and even charges of assault and battery by the mistress of one Republican House member - Don Sherwood.

Also, since 1994 the Republican House leaders have been involved in major scandals. N. Gingrich, T. DeLay and now D. Hastert with his attempted cover-up over the Foley affair, which have helped disgrace the U.S. House of Representatives and our nation. Adding insult to injury, this Republican Congress worked a mere 218 hours - making it the laziest Congress in history.

These Republican scandals are in great contrast to when Democrats held the House. The House under Democratic rule for 40 years was one of the most productive in history. This is a far cry from the current wild Republican House.

Tad Calcara

Oceanside

It is time to think about the future

The recent report on the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation board's findings showed that cost-cutting at British Petroleum's Texas refinery was a major factor in the disaster and numerous fatalities.

When you add this to the two pipeline oil spills in Alaska earlier this year, which have also been attributed to cost-cutting and faulty management, we can see that the massive profits that the oil industry is raking in are not being put to use to preserve the environment and protect the workers, but are rather going into programs to obstruct the EPA and the development of alternative fuel and energy sources and the election of oil-friendly politicians.

The arrogance and irresponsibility of oil industry leaders are worthy of criminal investigation and prosecution because of the irreversible damage to the environment from the drilling, transportation and pollution resulting from their activities.

Congress must act to pass a windfall profits tax and enforce it, as well as enforce penalties for the environmental destruction they cause. I also call on Congress to put serious money into research and development of alternative energy sources. It's time to think about the future.

Karen Holmgren

Oceanside

No guarantee of energy from Powerlink

As noted in Dave Downey's Oct. 17 article, Gov. Schwarzenegger hopes to play both sides of the environmental aisle, but his press secretary, Julie Soderlund, gave it away when she said that &#8220the governor has not taken a position (on the Sunrise Powerlink).

&#8220However, the governor believes that increasing transmission will lead to a greater reliability on the grid, increase access to renewable energy and decrease the cost of power to consumers." That statement is right out of the SDG&E play book: renewable energy, increased reliability and lower cost to the consumer.

Too bad the governor didn't read the fine print in SDG&E's filings to the state. There is no guarantee of sustainable energy as the proposed Sterling energy system has not been tested commercially at anywhere near the size they are advertising; the most reliable energy is that generated locally; and there is absolutely no guarantee that the proposed Sunrise Powerlink would lower our electric bills.

There are good alternatives for our community, but they don't benefit either SDG&E or its parent company, Sempra. Oh, I forgot, SDG&E is in the business of making money, not protecting our community's precious resources and quality of life.

Michael Pinto

Warner Springs

Questions that should have been asked

President Bush was asked at a press conference last week if the U.S. would withdraw all its forces from Iraq after "victory" or would keep permanent military bases there. He would not affirm total withdrawal, seeming to say that if the Iraqi government asked us to stay on, we would.

I wish Bush had answered: "Yes, we will withdraw all our forces, otherwise Iraq would have neither freedom nor independence." I wish the journalists had asked, also, if Iraqi oil concessions would be in American hands at the end of the invasion of Iraq.

If the invasion's purpose was to deal with WMD, regime change and democracy, these reasons might merit respect. I believe, however, that the American and Iraqi lives lost because of this invasion would be dishonored with any hint that this was about oil and permanent basing.

Starting with the Philippines a century ago (featuring "insurgents" and water-boarding), the U.S. set out on a path strewn with invasions, CIA coups, and regime changes. World War II was a proud interlude when we stood up to an aggressor nation bent on invasion and Baku oil. German national security took a nosedive when the world concluded it was a rogue state.

Key question: Is it the national sovereignty right of former colonies to choose their own form of government? Millions of lives would have been saved if we had considered this question more carefully.

Ken Johnson

Temecula

Stop illegal immigration before too late

Our government officials in Washington are not doing a thing to uphold our immigration laws and we must stop this illegal invasion of our country now.

The facts are:

1. It is a felony for anyone to enter the United States illegally.

2. It is a felony to knowingly aid or help a felon elude deportation or prosecution.

3. Most illegals do not pay taxes or contribute to our welfare, Social Security, medical and educational systems.

4. U.S. citizens must teach illegal immigrant children to become bilingual in grade school, which in turn enables them to have an advantage over our children in the labor market.

5. These same laws also state that U.S. citizens' children are not entitled to be taught a foreign language in grade school even though our tax dollars pay for schools and teachers.

6. We spend millions every year in food stamps, cash aid and medical care, helping these criminals who are in the U.S. illegally.

As for the argument that we need migrant workers to pick our crops, I have this question for our government: How is it that we can send someone to the moon and develop satellites that can read vehicle plates from space, but we cannot find a way for our own citizens to make a living picking our own fruits and vegetables?

Rise up, Americans, and stop this illegal invasion of our country now or we will soon be saying goodbye to the American way of life.

David Masters

Wildomar

Democrats have better military record

I was dismayed that once again Sen. John Kerry had "botched" a line. I believe what he said was more of a reference back to the days of the draft, where college students escaped going to war, but could be drafted if they failed or dropped out.

I wish everyone could see the list of Republicans, as well as their conservative radio personalities, and the very few who had any service time in their lives, versus the Democrats who almost all had substantial service in the military and in time of war.

This president is like the man who, having killed both his parents, begs the judge in court to have pity on him because he's an orphan. Bush took us to war then says "poor me, I am the only one qualified to lead us out of this war I got us into." Just look at those lists I recommend to find who the competent military men are.

Anita M. Williams

Wildomar

Say thanks to a firefighter

I am one of the many parents who have a firefighter who is fighting that horrible Esperanza Fire. My son, Chris Carrera, who is an engineer is one of the thousands who was pulled from his station in Valley Center.

Chris has been a firefighter for 12 years. Chris has been pulled to all the large fires for two weeks or more at a time, the fire by Magic Mountain, the fire by Morongo and the fire on Santa Catalina Island, and now this fire that has taken lives of five of his fellow firefighter brothers.

All I am asking is to ask people to take just a moment to pray for our firemen and women to keep them safe. We have given so much praise to our New York firefighters, which was well deserved, and all I'm asking the public to do for our local California firefighters is say "Thank you" when you see a firefighter, or just honk your horn or just roll down your window when you see a fireman's license plate or an emblem on their windshield that show they are a firefighter.

They risk their lives to save others.

Helen Carrera

Perris

Bike lanes a waste of others' money

To spend $14.6 million on bike trails in Temecula is a classic example of how easy it is to spend other people's money. This is a typical case of "having lost sight of their objectives, they redouble their efforts."

Of the 20 people who showed up at the recent council meeting to advocate this, the amount planned would come to $730,000 per person.

If it were actually a good idea to promote bicycle riding in Temecula, with $14.6 million we could purchase very nice bicycles for every man, woman and child, with some left over for dog trailers. This might encourage a few people to actually use bicycles, but not many.

The fact that almost no one actually rides bicycles in Temecula is easy to verify. Just ride around town and count the bicycles on the road. You can drive for days without seeing even one. And then if you do see one, it is most likely someone riding for sport, as opposed riding to get somewhere.

Riding a bicycle in an environment designed for cars and trucks is an inherently dangerous enterprise. Painting lines and posting signs will never make it less so. Bicycling as a means of transportation is only popular in countries where people can't afford cars or don't have the required infrastructure.

Encouraging bike riding is a "feel good" political idea that makes no economic sense. Nor will it have any effect on the total number of people who do so.

John Music

Temecula

WEB COMMENTS

Oceanside council ads take negative turn

Readers respond to our Nov. 3 story about political advertisements turning nasty in Oceanside as unions, developers and airport groups pour $90,000 into the City Council election in the last two weeks - enough money to buy more than 51,000 elementary school lunches.

Moving on up

kit: "Why does character assassination run so rampant in our Oceanside City campaigns? It is time for it to stop. We must move to a higher ethical ground. I am sick of it."

Union-fied

Unionside: "Maybe we should start calling Oceanside 'Unionside.' The police, fire and other unions have control of the council and are spending thousands to keep it. I can't believe any intelligent adult would vote for Mackin or McNeil. The unions own them and Oceanside will soon be in debt with our pension fund. Vote out the unions."

Turn charitable

David: "Wouldn't it be something if these donators could find it in their hearts to donate this kind money for shelters for the homeless U.S. citizens this winter or maybe to the Oceanside school system or maybe to the Red Cross, or maybe to widows and children of our young Marines? But the problem with that is there is not a buck to be made off the taxpayers if they did that."

C.C. can't see?

CC didn't know?: "How does a candidate's campaign manager run an ad without the candidate knowing? Those two have been in bed together since their days of buying elections in the Oceanside Democratic Club. If C.C. was as true and honest as he says, he would fire Lawson for going behind his back and costing him some credibility. Tsk, tsk, C.C. Own up to your activities."

Rocky's falling

Chavez Out Of Touch: "The more I read about Chavez and the more I hear his comments the more I realize he is completely out of touch with the current state of our city. If he doesn't have more insight as an current council member then he's useless to our future. NO on Chavez!"

Man charged in deadly arson fire

Readers respond to our Nov. 3 story about Raymond Lee Oyler being charged with the murders of five firefighters killed in the Esperanza fire eight days ago and the Riverside County district attorney's office saying there is "overwhelming" evidence against him.

County Supervisor's off

Shame On Stone!: "What happened to innocent until proven guilty? Police and prosecutors have charged the wrong people before. Stone's statements are not based on any factual evidence, unless he has been able to see the evidence that the public has been denied. Maybe he should wait until he sees the evidence and hears the jury's verdict before he strings up the noose to hang this guy!"

Emotions run strongly

Back to the subject: "I can understand Stone's comments - they are born of grief and rage. I think his words and the emotions behind them are more of a non-personal nature directed at whoever is the perpetrator. When one person has been killed, we all have died a little. I do think that his assumption that Oyler IS that guilty party - prior to having been tried and even in the face of the reported 'overwhelming' evidence against him - is errant. My condolences to families and friends of all the victims."

Amazing speed

Concerned: "It just seems odd to me that this happened so fast. Typically arson is very hard to prove - that's why there are so many of these guys out there. I really hope the evidence is indeed overwhelming. I would sleep much better knowing that one of these less-than-human pyropychopaths is off the streets. That said, Stone should tone it down a little."

Can be done

Firefighter: "Actually arson is not that hard to prove. It is finding who done it that can be tricky, but every person has their own way of doing things and when you figure that out and can prove how he set fires and catch him with the items to do this, you have him. I hope this guy gets what he has coming."

Color-blind and fair

senseful: "Wow! These Euro-Americans are always lighting fires. We should deport them! But seriously folks, if this was a Latino or any other immigrant all would be going crazy right about now. This is a horrible tragedy and you gotta feel for the families. I don't care what surname they have or whether they're first-generation immigrants or not."

More than a dozen arrested in Vista patrol

Readers respond to our Nov. 3 story about 18 of the Sheriff's deputies in addition to the usual deputies on duty arresting more than a dozen people during a Saturday night "directed patrol" in Vista.

Kudos to cops

Finally: "Our community is that much safer now. Thanks! And keep up the good work! "

Keep it up

Good job: "Thank you for cleaning up our town. Get rid of the problems. Either they step up or ship out!"

What cops face

WT: "And people wonder why there are deputy involved shootings? Look at some of the violations - assault, auto theft, stolen property."

Go get them

Finally!: "Excellent work by the Sheriff's department and resources - well used in the right place at the right time. When I am driving to and from my Vista home, I wonder: "Am I the only one that see this?" Been seeing it for years. Keep up the good work, and do it when they least expect it."