PUBLIC FORUM : OLYMPIC BRIBES BEST COURSE?

Why is everybody so upset that members of the International Olympic Committee accepted bribes? With so many cities all over the world wanting to host the Games, there is no better way to make the determination. Besides, if you can't outbid the competition, you probably can't afford the Olympics.

- Burt Prelutsky

Van Nuys

`Managers' should grow up

I truly hope the elected representatives of my homeland get a grip at some point in time, and begin to place my needs and desires for positive role models ahead of their delusions of grandeur.

If anyone believes President Clinton's indiscretions exceed the barrage of judgmental rhetoric and lack of decorum and grace I've been forced to endure for what seems an eternity, they are sadly mistaken.

I do not need ``the managers'' and pundits to define the meaning of honor, respect and justice for me. I need them to either grow up and personify it, or join a Gestault group session and get over themselves.

Linda Tripp is not me. The House managers are not me. William Jefferson Clinton, the president of the United States of America, is me - a first-generation baby boomer with hopes and dreams, strengths and weaknesses, selfishness and compassion. Stumbling together, we may take one step forward and two steps backward while traveling down the path toward equality and human rights, but at least we're on the path.

- Sharon Anderson Kanan

Encino

Castro comment shocking

It is incredible that Los Angeles school board President Victoria Castro would question the right of Norman Bernstein to be a principal at a school in which the students are of a different ethnicity than he (``Commission to examine school attack,'' Daily News, Feb. 5).

It is especially shocking to read that Castro's segregationist comments were made on the same day that Bernstein was beaten by two thugs in an apparent racial attack.

By using her office to advocate separation of ethnic groups within the Los Angeles Unified School District, Castro is aiding and abetting the mentality that led to this assault. She should think carefully about the implications of her statements.

- Douglas Lasken

Woodland Hills

Company suits not answer

Just recently one of your more sharp-eyed readers wrote to Forum (``Let's Just Sue Everybody,'' Public Forum, Jan. 24). He facetiously suggested that suing cigarette companies to defray the expense of resulting health care makes about as much sense as suing McDonald's because its cholesterol is likely to cause health problems down the line. And he included ``gun manufacturers'' because, like tobacco companies, they have ``deep pockets'' and there's always those prone to follow the money.

Well, well. Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina may be a fellow reader of Daily News Public Forum because she thought that was a terrific idea, and now it's going to the rest of the City Council for a vote.

When will the people recognize the real source of problems instead of looking for an easy fix or ``popular idea'' . . . or chase more money? For those who are seriously disgusted at the amount of handgun crime, look to the shooter. Revise and adjust penalties; extend jail sentences and times of parole.

If you get run over by a Pontiac, do you sue General Motors? The car was not a weapon until the driver turned the key.

- Terri Andrews

Castaic

Clinton's insect fight stings

Bill Clinton has decided to do something about the insect invasion that is plaguing the country. Oh, boy. He's going to spend $12 million to fight a plague that is costing the country $123 billion. That's like spitting on a forest fire and expecting to put it out.

Wonder what he'll say when fire ants invade his back yard and crawl up his pants or bite his dog? Twelve million, what a joke.

- Ron Honthaner

Studio City

Gov. Davis no left-winger

``Is Davis taking left turn?'' (Daily News, Feb. 7) is a question only a right-wing partisan would ask. We have had a Republican governor for 16 years. The results of that public decision were disastrous. That is the reason that Gray Davis easily defeated Dan Lungren.

Yes, there will be decisions that will run contrary to Pete Wilson's. That is what the majority of Californians want. The Daily News' interviews of people who may hold strong Republican views (something your front-page article did not disclose) do not prove anything. It is really poor journalism when the Daily News runs an editorial feature as a headline. This article would have worked well in your Sunday editorial section.

Consider the following items:

From The Associated Press in San Francisco: ``Gov. Gray Davis denied clemency Saturday to a convicted double murderer who once trained as a Buddhist monk. . . . Davis said the fact that (Jaturun) Siripongs has been a model prisoner is irrelevant. `Model behavior cannot bring back the lives of the two innocent murder victims,' he said.''

Gov. Davis has traveled to Mexico to improve the state's relationship with the Mexican government.

Gov. Davis has put education as his No. 1 priority.

Are any of the above items left-wing in nature? As to the five policies you cited in the article, only two can really be considered left vs. right issues. They are UC enrollment policies and illegal immigration regulations. Personally I agreed with Pete Wilson on the illegal immigration regulation but let's be honest, the governor won't make everyone happy all of the time.

The Daily News is obviously a Republican voice but it ought to keep editorials off the news pages.

- Don Evans

Canoga Park

Criminals won't disarm

In response to Luis Tolley's letter (Public Forum, Feb. 2), I would like to begin by asking him and City Councilman Mike Feuer to answer: If our law enforcement cannot keep illegal drugs off the street, what makes them think that they can keep illegal or so-called black market guns off the street?

I say that this is just another step in disarming Americans. You see, the likes of Feuer and Tolley are giving the upper hand to criminals - criminals who will certainly keep and possess their guns and use them on those of us who will remain the law-abiding. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out.

- Chris Nance

Burbank

Bureaucrats off-target

It seems that one government bureaucracy after another is going after guns to ``make our streets safer.''

Gun laws disarm only the law-abiding, and they're not the ones you have to fear. Tipping the balance of power toward the criminal is stupid.

- Brock Backlund

Calabasas

Clinton ignores rules

I am a federal government employee. Every year we are required to take ethics training. This year I came across the following excerpt from the Federal Register of Rules and Regulations concerning employee conduct and false statements in a government matter:

``Employees of the department are expected to maintain especially high standards of honesty, integrity, impartiality and conduct to ensure the proper performance of government business and the continual trust and confidence of citizens in their government.''

It is troubling to me to be asked to submit to a standard that our own president will not adhere to. It ought not to be.

The senators took an oath they swore to uphold. It ended by saying ``so help me God.'' I hope that they will be endowed with divine strength to put principle over party.

- Dennis Tayman

Simi Valley

Tell both sides

I am a subscriber to your newspaper - have been for many years. I am also a subscriber to the Los Angeles Times. I prefer the Daily News for your editorial views and your fairness in political coverage.

I also appreciate that you are attempting either to increase or protect your Burbank/Glendale turf by drawing attention to your contributions to the Burbank/Glendale area on Page 3 of your paper.

Accurate reporting of the news belongs on the front page of a newspaper and opinions and editorials belong in the op-ed section. So, it is very important that the Daily News offer in-depth information as to what's going on in Burbank - and there is lots.

A newspaper should not be biased; it should print the news - giving equal time to both sides of an issue. This does not happen in Burbank!

- Marlene Walker

Burbank

Airport noise responsibility

On Wednesday, Jan. 27, during the Los Angeles Airport Commission meeting at Van Nuys Airport, I witnessed three Los Angeles council members - Laura Chick, Mike Feuer and Cindy Miscikowski - taking the podium to accuse the airport commission of not doing its job. The council members accused the airport commission members of dragging their feet on the jet-noise problem at Van Nuys Airport. The anti-noise people in attendance were delighted.

To begin with, the L.A. City Council is responsible for the noise problem the community around the airport is subjected to.

As an example of the aforementioned statement: The City Council recently approved a zoning change on a 2-acre agriculturally zoned lot located one mile from the north end of the runway and directly under the approach path of Van Nuys Airport - a zone change to allow the construction of 23 condominiums at that location. The zone change was approved by the L.A. City Council, despite the objections of approximately 1,000 area residents and several airport users.

In time, there will be 23 more families complaining about airplane noise, and we will see the same council members asking the airport commission to do something for the benefit of the noise-affected residents, the same noise that the council was responsible for in the first place.

In the meantime, there are other important issues in the community, like crime, drugs, gangs, graffiti, etc., which are not given the priority they deserve by the City Council. I know the council will find someone else to blame for these problems. It is high time for the Valley to secede from the city to the south and cut off ties with the City Council's royal court.

- Sal Del Valle

North Hills