Sprinter boondoggle

My congratulations to George Crissman for adding his voice to the many of us who have been preaching the absolute ridiculousness of the Sprinter ("Sprinter: A solution seeking a problem," Community Forum, June 13).

How sad it is that so many thinking, average citizens can grasp reality and that so many experts cannot.

Keith Schmidt

Oceanside

Comfortably numb GOP

OK, boys and girls, let's check the options the comfortably numb neocons have at their disposal. 1. The Koreas are still officially at war for the last 50 years. 2. North Korea has nukes and plans to use them someday. 3. The Korean peninsular region has no, none, nada, zilch, crude oil reserves or deposits. 4. Iraq has the second-largest crude oil supply on the globe, the entire Arab region from Turkey to Nigeria has at least two-thirds of the world's crude.

Well, then, I guess they think that we must have a permanent base there, now, shouldn't we?

James Giberson

Vista

Try this on for size

If we do need immigrants to pick our fruits and veggies, why not swap one for one? For every illegal we deport (not just across the border, but all the way back to Guatemala), we take the next person in line who is coming into our country the legal way to fill the illegal person's place. This way, maybe some people will see the light and help us round up the illegals. This way, we get rid of some of the illegals, employers still have laborers to pick our fruits, taxes will be paid and crime will go down.

This is a win, win, win, win situation. Also, what about using the people in our jails to pick the fruits and veggies, instead of just sitting on their butts, getting free room and board?

Reg George

Escondido

Marines should not be on trial

I read almost every day about these Marines who are on trial for murder. What were they trained to do? Under the environment they were sent into, and not knowing who your enemy is, what can anyone expect?

I do not believe they murdered anyone. If you are going to single out these Marines, Army men and sailors for mistakes under these circumstances, then Bush and Cheney need to be standing right beside them on trial. They are the ones who sent these young, trained men to kill over there.

I was in the Navy and I have two sons who have been over there twice, and a daughter-in-law who is in Afghanistan now. Our oldest son retired in 2005 as a corpsman with the Marines out of Pendleton and, to this day, he will not talk about some things he had to do over there. But what little I did hear, we are lucky we do not have 10,000 troops dead instead of 3,500.

Right or wrong about this war, these men should not be tried and convicted of what they were trained to do while the responsible ones sit in Washington on their fat behinds.

Robert Anderson

Escondido

Crow magnum or magnus vectori?

Again, writing about crows. My wife says not to, but I can't help myself. It's not Iraq, it's not politics or the Sprinter, but it's still getting to me. No nervous tick, yet, but soon.

Yesterday's paper had an article about the decline of a variety of birds in our country/planet ("Populations of 2 dozen common American birds down by half over past 40 years, Audubon says," June 15). As I sat outside last evening, watching the sun set, there was no dearth of birds. There were crows flying everywhere! There were a few finches, and a hummer or two, but crows ññ there were hundreds.

I'm less than a mile from our freshwater lagoon, where the Audubon Society has a permanent presence, due to the number of birds in our lagoon. But are they in the surrounding neighborhoods? I remember seeing a great heron swoop down into my neighbor's backyard pond just a few years ago, but, today, there were only crows in his tree tops. I've also become accustomed to waking up to "squawwkkk, squawwkk," instead of "chirp, chirp." If these bad boys ran instead of flew, I'll bet I wouldn't be the only citizen writing about it. Maybe rats will evolve feathers too, which is about their only difference from these magnus vectori! …

Michael Bertrand

Carlsbad

Keep hospital downtown

I have practiced at Palomar Hospital and lived in Escondido for over 30 years and, just like the hospital board members, am amazed at the increased cost of building a whole new hospital in the Auto Park area of our city. This will drive up the cost of health care for all of us who live in the Palomar hospital district. The move will also hurt downtown Escondido since there won't be money left to significantly renovate the present hospital site.

Since much of the present downtown hospital is fairly new and will meet earthquake standards for many years, and since the present site is so convenient for those relying on public transportation and ride sharing, the PPHS board should realize that the original plan to build a new tower at the downtown site is best for the district residents. Abandoning this site and building a whole new hospital is like throwing the baby out with the bath water, and I should know since I practiced obstetrics for over 30 years at Palomar.

District residents should contact the Palomar hospital board by e-mail at tlc@pph.org or call (800) 628-2880 and ask them to keep our hospital downtown.

Dr. Arthur Stehly

Escondido

Common ground on immigration

Thank you to Junious Montgomery for his recent letters questioning U.S. immigration (Letters, June 17). He is absolutely correct that the perpetuation of this problem is from the left and right. We hear about amnesty from both Kennedy and Bush. How can we as a country continue to enable our laws to be broken by illegal aliens and by those who illegally employ them? How can we as a country send troops away to war without securing our own borders the day after 9/11? That was nearly six years ago.

I think most of us share common ground that there is definitely a problem. Token measures are just that. Our borders need to be secure and our laws need to be upheld, then [come up with] a real solution for those millions of illegals here.

Thank you to Neil Turner for reminding us of an excellent solution

(Letters, June 17). A $5,000 incentive to leave our country gives an individual or family an opportunity to get a new start in their own or to stay there until they can immigrate legally.

Again, we need to put our country and citizens first. We can help others when possible, but not to the point where Southern California becomes Northern Mexico. That helps no one.

Robert Watson

Carlsbad

Treachery from our senators

The disastrous McCain/Kennedy amnesty bill, the single greatest act of political treachery and anarchy in our nation's history, is dead. But, like a bad horror flick, the political ghouls that promoted this disastrous bill will again crawl out of their crypts to terrorize the nation. These zombies will again hear Americans howl: No amnesty, secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws, now!

Rational, caring and patriotic Americans do not view border security and law enforcement as political/partisan issues to be gambled or bargained with, and they certainly do not see it as right vs. left, but rather right vs. wrong, sanity vs. insanity, the rule of law vs. anarchy. By promoting and facilitating the relentless invasion from Mexico, the gravely out-of-sync Bush administration (which is also fracturing the Republican Party) and all the pro-illegal alien forces/groups promoting this mass anarchy are playing a risky game of Russian roulette with the safety and sovereignty of the Americans.

The pervasive disrespect, contempt, intolerance and hate for our people, laws and values we daily see coming from the millions of illegals from Mexico have no precedent in our nation's immigration history (ever seen the French, Asian, Irish, etc., immigrants act out this way?).

Gary Walker

Escondido

Single-payer health insurance

For-profit health care seems immoral and unchristian. Greed is a mental illness as defined by psychiatry. What we are generally offered at the grocery stores makes our lives shorter and sicker. It should be simple to improve many health problems. Single-payer health insurance only hurts greedy insurance executives. Let the workers in that industry get an honest job instead.

Scott Carr

Vista

Bush takes step toward dictatorship

For those of you who do not know, last week President Bush added a directive, the National Security Presidential Directive 51/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 20. What this directive does is allow the president to take control of all branches of government in case of a national disaster. Yep, you heard me right. I shiver to think that this could actually happen.

What this means is President Bush can call anything he likes a national disaster without the consent of Congress, and take over all three branches of government. This scares me to death! If this is not the first step to dictatorship, I do not know what is.

When are we going to wake up? It's bad enough this administration has pulled the wool over our eyes for the last seven years, but this is going excessively too far. Please take the time to write your senators and congressional representatives about this issue.

Ron Griesse

Escondido

Why vote for Ron Paul

Ron Paul is a nine-term congressman, physician and a veteran of the Vietnam War. He is currently seeking Republican nomination for the presidency. His voting record is undeniably consistent with the limited government ideal. Each time the federal government has proposed spending bills to expand its responsibilities and power beyond the Constitution, Ron Paul has voted no.

Aligned with him are groups that wish to increase state autonomy, lower taxes, increase federal accountability, reduce inflation and introduce legitimate fiscal responsibility.

Ron Paul's support is growing and his message of limited government is breaking into mainstream news. Check out his Web site at http://www.ronpaul2008.com/ or just Google Ron Paul. Most Americans have realized there is not a dime's worth of difference between most of the candidates running for the office of president. True Americans (patriots) would vote for Dr. Paul if they checked his voting record. Please, do it now.

Bill Hasty

Escondido

Toxic tap water at Lejeune

It was with great dismay that I was unable to locate this story on your Web page, although it was published in the North County Times on June 12 ("Past contaminated water at Lejeune suspected in death and illness"). The figure labeled "Toxins in military sites' groundwater" is inaccurate and is in need of clarification/correction. There are a number of polluted/contaminated groundwater sites (numerous existing leaking underground storage tank sites and federal Superfund sites) at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, although the caption of the figure published by the NCT clearly and inaccurately states, "None of the affected sites are in San Diego County."

It appears that the NCT has chosen to publish a story that misleads the public into a false sense of security. If you want to check my claim of groundwater pollution at Camp Pendleton, please feel free to contact Mr. John Robertus at the Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Region. …

John Odermatt

San Marcos

I want to marry him

In regard to the phrase, "I want to marry him and have his children": My age, 70, renders this statement not only impossible and irrational, but as the number of potential recipients of this "honor" increases, illegal. Oh well, c'est la vie. I've said it of Congressman Tom Tancredo, Victor Davis Hanson, Sen. Jeff Sessions, Sen. Tom Coburn, Congressman Duncan Hunter, Charles Krauthammer and Lou Dobbs. These men have defended our national sovereignty as regards border security, and have earned the gratitude of tens of thousands of citizens. And they are just the tip of a massive iceberg of public opinion that is reflected in an unprecedented number of calls, faxes, letters to Congress. Plus, increasingly local media, which see that policy set in D.C. impacts their local communities, are able to break the PC straitjacket that strangles common sense in much of the nation's major media.

The "marry/bear children" thing is an extreme device used to indicate my extreme gratitude for those who defend our nation. "I want to marry him and make his life a living hell" is my equally extreme promise/threat to any of our glorious leaders who are determined to throw national sovereignty on the ash heap of history.

Barbara Vickroy

Escondido

Time to leave Iraq

Kurt Waldheim died last week; he was 88. He used to be the U.N. secretary general back when I was young, until it surfaced that he had been in a German army unit in WWII. Back then many were charged with war crimes for just being a member of the German military.

Today our soldiers who are carrying out the invasion, occupation and destruction of an innocent country have somehow been told that they are heroes. I realize that all you people still believe the lies you have been told about Islamic extremism and their evil religion and Iraqi culpability in 9/11. But, after four years and hundreds of thousands of dead and a brutal war continuing for seemingly as long as Bush wants, isn't it time to admit our crimes and leave Iraq? How many generations must be born and die in the Middle East before Israel and the U.S. quit using our military to control the region and its resources?

I shall spend the rest of my life waiting for Bush/Cheney to come to justice at The Hague for international war crimes. I won't hold my breath.

Eric Parish

Vista

Believe in America, not Bush

For better or worse, the U.S.A. is a two-party system, and no one party approaches a complex world in a satisfactory way for anyone. The binary choice can cause a compromised vote, an amalgamation of many issues. Sometimes, choices aren't met. Sometimes you vote against something rather than for something.

Now America has a Republican Party dragging her down, smearing her name and wasting our future. Their agenda is anti-American. Anyone who believes that the president has the power to order individuals inside the U.S. imprisoned with no charges or due process is someone who simply doesn't believe in the legal system of our U.S.A. The Republicans believe our American system can't handle the modern world. They've embraced torture as American policy. They want me to be afraid, and I am, mildly ññ of them.

Osama will never take away my America and my American rights, but the Republican Party sure is trying. Do we need an amnesty for duped Republican voters, those too stubborn to see that they've been misled? Can't they get the intellectual and moral fortitude to see that sometimes you need to walk away from what you are not? Or is this what they really are?

Richard Crews

Encinitas

Access is reality and the law

Try it for yourself, then judge. Live from a wheelchair for a week.

Until you have lived this way, you have no business judging anyone who does. The smallest things become huge.

This isn't a pity cry, it's reality! So go ahead, put up or shut up!

Jan Morrical

Escondido

PB&J religion analogy has no basis in reality

Travis Clementsmith's inane peanut butter/jelly allegory (Letters, June 14) is a sticky product that warrants examination.

He writes, "For the longest time, all civilizations in Sandwichland had to accept … peanut butter and jelly mixed together, even if they didn't like jelly …" "For the longest time" implies that the relationship between church and state just sort of fell out of the sky and then, wrongly, became traditional.

In truth, the government's role in religion was carefully established on a precise date, Dec. 15, 1791, when the Bill of Rights was ratified. The First Amendment reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …" Thus Clementsmith's allegation that United States ("Sandwichland") citizens ever had to "accept" jelly (religion) is ludicrous.

What they do have to accept is the reality so well-articulated by Patrick Henry: "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."

Further study of the Founders' writings would undoubtedly help Mr. Clementsmith come to grips with the idea that living in a society established on Christian principles that are sometimes referenced in the public sphere does not establish a religion, nor require him to "accept" any belief. Likewise, he has no justification to change our nation into a Godless creation the Founders never intended.

Julie Gilbart

Murrieta

Ban 'cruising' in fast lanes

The rest of the civilized world passes in the center lane and "cruises" the outside lanes. This rule applies to left-hand driving countries as well. It is only underdeveloped countries and the U.S. where this rule is not followed. Watch traffic the next time you drive an interstate. It is not the slowpoke in the No. 1 lane involved in an accident; it's the driver passing and weaving on the right who creates the greatest peril.

What needs to happen is a ban on cruising the No. 1 lane, along with a ban on passing on the right. Slower traffic would naturally shift right and drivers would have greater visibility of quickly approaching motorists from behind.

Edward Musgrove

Temecula

Teen driver learns lesson about attitude

I would like to respond to the June 18 submission by Kayleigh Bingham in "Student Letters." Miss Bingham seems to think the issue is her wearing, or not wearing, a seat belt. That the officer should just "stick with the Click It or Ticket" and that the writing of the ticket for the lack of the front license plate was the officer getting back at her for being "proven wrong."

By her own admission, "my seat belt was on, but my attitude was not." Too many young people in today's society have such total disregard for authority such as police, teachers and yes, parents, that whenever they are questioned, they just go off on the "establishment." The mere fact that the officer "raised his voice" should have indicated what type of attitude was displayed. I would bet a box of police doughnuts that had Miss Bingham not displayed an attitude, she would have been shortly on her way down the road.

My own teenage daughter recently was kept from the most important school event of the year, because she spoke harshly to one of her teachers. She had her dress, her shoes and no place to go. But, you know what? After the initial shock and sadness of not being able to go to the school's gala, she understood, and learned a valuable lesson.

So you see, Miss Bingham was given a ticket for a missing front license plate only because the officer could not give her one for attitude. Let's hope she learns a valuable lesson that discretion is sometimes the better part of valor.

John McRae

Temecula

Evolutionists contradict themselves

The June 17 letters by Michael Wells and Brian Ackerman demonstrate how Darwin's theory of evolution doesn't have a leg to stand on. Not only are these letters lacking in scientific content, they contradict each other. Seeing them back to back gave me my laugh for the day.

On one hand, Brian Ackerman attempts to use evolution as a way to ridicule creationists, falsely claiming they don't believe in dinosaurs, that creation requires a 6,000-year-old Earth, and Noah's flood is a biblical myth. However, Michael writes that evolution and atheism are not connected. I wish Michael had known my high school biology teacher who used Darwin's theory to convince his students God doesn't exist.

Michael's example of rats and insects "evolving" resistance to poisons and pesticides proves that there are no known examples of macro-evolution. If there were, why do evolutionists always use examples of variation within a species, something we all agree with? God did not create a bunch of clones, so variation will always exist.

But above the species level, evolution is only inferred, and evolutionists avoid this like the plague. To illustrate how frustrating this is to them, consider the quote by one of the world's leading atheists/evolutionists, Dr. Richard Dawkins. In a 2004 interview, he said, "Evolution has been observed; it's just that it hasn't been observed while it's happening." 'Nuff said.

Rick Kellogg

Wildomar

July meeting critical to future of Wildomar

On July 12, Wildomar's march toward cityhood will continue with a hearing before the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission. The LAFCO commissioners are scheduled to decide if Wildomar's residents are to be allowed to vote and decide for themselves if they wish to become Riverside County's next city.

If the commissioners vote yes, Wildomar residents will be given the power to direct discretionary sales and property tax dollars for the benefit of their own community. A yes vote will allow Wildomar's residents to decide who represents them on regional commissions and decide where vital transportation dollars are spent.

A yes vote will allow Wildomar residents to decide for themselves local issues concerning planning, level of fire, police and other local services. The rapidly growing Wildomar business community will have the opportunity to become a partner with local government, promoting the sale of products, manufacturing, employment and tourism while increasing the prosperity of local residents.

The July 12 meeting is an important one for Wildomar's 27,000-plus residents.

All concerned residents should attend and show their support for their right to a vote on this important matter.

Rick Estes

President, Wildomar

Chamber of Commerce

Fresh from the Web

Bilbray offers alternative to Senate immigration bill

Readers respond to our June 20 story about Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Solana Beach, and other leading House Republicans announcing they would introduce an alternative to the Senate immigration reform plan, which has raised the ire of some conservatives by proposing to legalize illegal immigrants.

Make some noise

Step it up Bilbray!: "At least on politician sees the outrage here. Good job, Bilbray! Where are the democrats and union leaders? Where's the outrage from the working people? It's time they step up and make some calls, e-mails, letters to the democrats in our government."

Not buying it

Veronica: "Just what we need - another legislator who walks on fear and intimidation by voters. 'Voters would show their disapproval in next year's elections.' 'Go ahead and see what happens in the '08 elections,' he said. Oh, come on Brian, the American people know the need for immigrant labor and I wish you would man up to the job that we elected you to do. Your 'the sky is falling' attitude really does not leave me with much confidence that I had cast the right vote. Vote for amnesty and the protection of the American way of life and economy. "

Go to the source

Gary R.: "Enforce the laws we already have. It doesn't make sense to punish people that have nothing. Go after the people that have something to lose - the employers and others that aid and abet. Fines and then jail time. The fines can pay for the cost of enforcement, it's a problem that solves itself."

Follow the law

Another Grandma: "We do have the laws already on the books to deport, stop illegal hiring, and illegal housing. Why aren't these laws being upheld? And the answer is: George W. Bush, the decider, doesn't want the illegal aliens stopped. That man has hurt our country in so many ways - it's tragic."

MCC officials approve budget; controversy over source of letter continues

Readers respond to our June 20 story about MiraCosta College President Victoria Richart saying she authored a controversial press release suggesting that a former employee made "special deals," a document she originally denied writing.

Educrats

Ron: "What you have at MCC is a fight for power within the campus and this 'fundamental values,' I hope this means educating students because it would seem to me that an increase in pay should mean an increase in teaching workload. Educrats … you just gotta love 'em."

Get over it

Give the taxpayers a break: "And stop this incessant moaning about Ms. Richart and the MiraCosta board. I think we need to look into teacher's pay, it sounds like it's way too much and they are still so hostile and go on and on. It's getting boring. And we never did find out what happened to our money - the stupid trees were sold. Move on, people!"

Clean house

Start over: "Fire everybody and start over. This power struggle is completely out of hand. Two groups have been totally ignored - the students and the tax payer."

Survey: Strong support for legalizing illegal immigrants among local voters

Readers respond to our June 20 story about a coalition of groups supporting immigrant rights releasing a survey saying of the 600 local voters polled, 61 percent agreed with an immigration plan to legalize millions of illegal immigrants similar to the one offered in the Senate immigration bill.

Consider the source

Reardon: "One needs to read no further than the first part of the first sentence: 'A coalition of groups supporting immigrant rights released a poll … ' Do I believe a poll released by government telling me that government is doing well? Do I believe a poll released by environmentalist special interest groups telling me that everyone loves the California Condor as a beautiful bird? Do I … "

Vocal minority

Filled with Hate?: "That's what it seems, just take a look at today's letters to the editor. They are a small minority filled with hate so this poll is very interesting - a small, imperfect indication of what most people believe. Let's find a compromise that allows immigrants to add to the economy of our country, stops an influx without a fence and provides opportunities to learn English."

No card play

We are not racist: "We do not desire to legalize criminals and playing the race card is not going to work. I am a Latina and I do not support amnesty!"

Financing the hitch in crucial bridge project

Readers responded to an article Wednesday about the Murrieta City Council's decision to go forward in bridging Linnel Lane over Interstate 215?

Make developers pay

Why? Why? Why? Why is Murrieta going into debt to build bridges? … The city shouldn't have to pay one penny to build roads or bridges! When will our council members wake up and realize developers need to pay before they are allowed to build, build, build? It works in Temecula, but our council members just don't get it!

No regrets

Zygo: This was a tough, but good decision. Whether mistakes were made in the past for not having development fees in place is another matter. When I bought in Chino Hills, many years ago, I had to pay monthly landscaping and lighting fees and development fees. … A beautiful and safe community was built and I don't regret … (paying) the fees. …

Murrieta's better

Roy: Oh come on! … Temecula has it worse than us! Where are all of their new bridges that were built before development? … If you include our Nutmeg bridge, we are ahead of them in bridge improvements. …

Bridges needed

Save Murrieta: … Anyway, I am not one for development but we need those bridges widened. Did you not read the article about response time? More sales volume will increase taxes, which will be better for the city and our kids, better schools. Being a mother, that is my main concern.

Right decision

Mike: … By going into debt and building bridges, we will attract more businesses to our area. When we have more businesses we will be able to collect more taxes and pay our debt. … The City Council made the right decision. …