Carrie Prejean is no role model

Re: "VUSD trustee continues push to honor Miss California," May 12: Carrie Prejean, the Sarah Palin of the beauty queen circuit, is being hailed by Vista Unified Trustee Jim Gibson as "a great role model." For whom? As a teenager, Prejean has posed partially nude in pictures for public consumption. She has also had breast implants to enhance her sex appeal.

Has Gibson given any serious thought to Prejean's inappropriate behavior and its impact on impressionable young women, or is his judgment clouded because he is more interested in making Miss California the poster child for right-wing intolerance for equal rights for gays and lesbians?

Bunny Landis

Oceanside

Who will be helped key to health care

Health care in America is a huge problem. About one in six Americans have no insurance, and many who do worry whether their coverage is adequate. The problem is so bad even Congress seems ready to do something, which has the corporations and CEOs that profit from the current system up in arms. In order to protect their profits, they will lie. What lies will they tell?

You'll hear about government bureaucrats replacing your doctor when it comes to making decisions about your health. How does it work now? Your doctor says you need a test and submits the request to a corporation for approval. That person decides, based on health and profitability considerations, whether the corporation will pay for the test.

Under a single-payer system, the same thing will happen, only the decision won't depend on corporate profits. How can paying 30 cents per dollar to shareholders improve care? Government will replace your HMO, not your doctor.

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., admitted recently that private insurance can't compete with a public health plan like the one we taxpayers buy for him. The question should be which system will help the most people, not augment private profits.

Paul Cavanaugh

Ramona

Thanks for paying for soldier's meal

On May 3, my granddaughter, her fiance and myself went to Bobby's Hideaway in Carlsbad for supper. My granddaughter's fiance was in his Army uniform, having just returned from his National Guard duty of that weekend. He is also a former Marine who served in Iraq and will possibly be going back there with his National Guard Unit.

When we went to pay our check, the waitress informed us that a couple who were sitting in a booth near us had paid for our dinners in thanks for my grandson's service to his country.

We would very much like to thank that anonymous couple for their kindness and generosity. Our soldier was especially grateful and encouraged.

Susan Kievit

Carlsbad

Republicans always clean up after Dems

Remember when Iran captured our citizens during the Carter administration and Reagan got them released? Remember the Cole bombing? Remember when Clinton had bin Laden in the crosshairs and didn't pull the trigger? Then came 9/11. Remember how united we were, and happy when President Bush said the terrorists would pay for knocking the buildings down? Every time the libs are in power, these problems occur and it takes the Republicans to fix it.

Why are we even discussing Gitmo or waterboarding or releasing photos? The terrorists do not deserve any help from us or anyone else. They want to kill us. Dick Cheney is correct by defending our actions.

Jim Jones

Fallbrook

Disabled persons, beware of citations

On March 26, my disabled husband received a citation for forgetting to display his handicapped placard. That same day, he mailed a copy of his disabled person ID and proof from the DMV. We thought it was over.

On May 6, he received a notice stating there had been an "administrative review" and his fine was reduced to $25 if paid before May 22 and $65 if later. Payment due seven to 10 days prior to May 22; otherwise, more penalties. If paid via Internet, add another $3.95 as a "convenience fee" to EZPay Corp.

So you are paying $28.95. Try to get an answer from an Escondido councilmember (you know who you are), and you will hear, "It's probably a paper processing fee, but I'll check into it." To date, no response.

Oh, and by the way, the second service that the city of Escondido uses is a Parking Enforcement Center in Irvine. But it gets better yet â€"â€" you still have an opportunity be heard. After you pay the fees, you can request a hearing in person, a hearing in writing, or no hearing at all by marking the bottom of the form. Go figure.

Rosalia Zamora

Escondido

Make a difference with Village H

What is a meadow? How do I explain this to a child if he is never to experience it? I walk my two little boys, 5 and 3 years old, to Village H. "Look," I tell them. "There it is." When city after city puts up structure after structure, there is little left to take our breath away.

My two little boys run. Their eyes, full of wonder and inquisitiveness, are taking one of their first steps in building a relationship with our world on a very personal level. They find bundles of branches, denlike homes and we talk about what animal may have lived there.

"Amazing!" says my 5-year-old breathlessly. I think to myself, so many talking about our human accountability â€"â€" being green, saving the planet! How do we care about something that we have never been taught to respect and appreciate? How do we value something we no longer stop to see, touch and admire? It begins by leaving those pieces of the world immediately around us â€"â€" that catch our attention â€"â€" untouched. That is how we make a difference, by starting with Village H.

Dyanna Burak

Carlsbad

Obama should end Iraq, Afghan wars

I voted for President Obama because I was hopeful for peace under his leadership. He promised it during his campaign. I think it is one of the biggest reasons he won.

But now, instead of only one war, we have two. And what will result from them are more dead Americans, Pakistanis, Iraqis and Afghans, as well as many more billions of dollars wasted.

Simply put, more death and debt. Death and debt. Not what I voted for. Not what America desperately needs.

I implore Mr. President to keep his promise. Bring our young men home. End the wars. Now, not later. Be the peacemaker he said he'd be.

Scott Thom

Fallbrook

Liberal contributors favored in NCT

I read the joint Community Forum written by the two frequent contributors to the Letters page, Eric Parish and J. Howard Crews ("Hate crimes legislation: Not all murders are equal," May 17). It concerned the murder of a gay young man by two despicable men in Laramie, Wyo., in 1998. If I had my way, these two degenerates would have paid for their crime against Mr. Shepard with their lives, and not after 10 years or so of legal wrangling which is, in my opinion, designed mostly to drain the state's funds.

As usual from Messrs. Parish and Crews, their writings turned into an attack on Republicans. I checked the article that they referred to on the net, and one item in a link caught my eye. It stated that "most Democrats (voted) in favor" of the hate-crimes bill (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/house-passes-hate-crimes-bill/). Note, not all, just "most."

I doubt that you will print this letter, because it seems that liberal contributors are far more likely to have their views published in this section.

In fact, I am so tired of this apparent bias, that I am ready to cancel my subscription. That would be a shame, because I like to see my name in lights sometimes, too.

John Schueler

Oceanside

Proof of our Christian foundation

Obama said in Turkey, "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."

He is wrong, we were founded on Judeo-Christian principles. I have proof.

On top of the Washington Monument, engraved on one face of the aluminum point, are the words laus deo, praise be to God. It was put up there in the 1880s. The stones inside the monument are also donated and engraved with scriptures some from foreign countries. A perfect cross is imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north, the Jefferson Memorial to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. A cross, you say? Google "Laus Deo" and read more.

Deen "Tinker" Mills

Encinitas

The indelible stain of Gitmo prison

You and I must no longer avert our eyes from what the Bushites did in our name. Gitmo â€"â€" as this off-the-books dungeon was called â€"â€" held detainees from Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere who were branded as terrorists by Bush and Gang, even though many of them (perhaps most) were not. Only 10 were charged with a crime, but all were deprived of any right to challenge their imprisonment. They were not allowed to see any evidence against them and were essentially denied access to lawyers. They also were humiliated, abused, tormented and tortured.

These shameful acts against innocent people were despicable and something we never expected to see coming from our so-called "free" society with a Bill of Rights and a Constitution.

David Cutter

Carlsbad

We are who we say we are

The original founders of this country risked life, limb and future in order to be able, among other things, to exercise free speech. Today, if a person exercises this right and is not in lockstep with the homosexual agenda, they are either shouted down or labeled haters.

As an African American man, I can assure you I have been subjected to some pretty derogatory comments. But you know what? It's OK. I am mature and secure enough in who and what I am that no matter what anybody calls me, I am who and what I say I am. Simply because a person doesn't agree with me or doesn't share my views doesn't mean they hate me; it means they are exercising their right to free speech.

Free speech is no longer free speech when one person or one group is allowed to define what other people can or cannot say; especially when the people who are defining free speech are doing so in order to gain sympathy for their own personal agenda. Give respect and in most cases you will receive respect; and if you don't get it, it still doesn't mean they hate you.

Clifton Parr

Oceanside

Speeding is no laughing matter

When I read the front-page article about slowing traffic near schools, I actually laughed out loud, which is pathetic considering the seriousness of this situation ("Slowing traffic near schools an endless fight," May 19). I have been picking my son up at El Camino High School for three years, and in all that time, I have never witnessed the Oceanside Police Department giving a speeding ticket.

Their main concern is and always has been parking violations. I have personally counted 10 citations in one 15-minute span. (An officer) was actually throwing tickets in people's laps in his eagerness to get on to the next. Meanwhile, numerous groups of kids were crossing Rancho Del Oro illegally right in front of him (and school security), and I lost count of the number of cars speeding by in this school zone where hundreds of kids were being released.

Maybe traffic Sgt. Gabe Jimenez should earmark some of that grant money (or, better yet, "parking ticket" money) for safe and proper "Drop-off /Pick-up" areas so that his motorcycle officers can concentrate on speed enforcement instead of the sitting-duck parents.

Shelley Fink

Oceanside

Recall election is a loss for us all

Because of the recent recall efforts, I contacted Councilman Jerry Kern and asked him about the charges regarding privatizing paramedic services, and here are the facts:

Almost a year ago, an ambulance company made an appointment with Councilman Rocky Chavez to present an outline of their proposed services. Fire Chief Terry Garrison and Division Chief Mike Mathai were there. Jerry was invited to attend the meeting at the last minute. After the presentation, the fire department officials and councilmen determined that Oceanside would not be best served in this manner.

Another item that continues to be misrepresented is that Councilman Kern has voted for an asphalt plant. The asphalt plant considered for the El Corazon area was turned down by the Planning Commission; it never made it to the council agenda for discussion. Shame on those who twist the truth and make unfounded allegations!

In November, 2010, the voters will have a legitimate opportunity to elect whom they feel is right for the job. The city has much better places to spend $500,000 â€"â€" a recall election is a loss for us all.

Gigi Gleason

Oceanside