PUBLIC FORUM : WITHOUT GOVERNMENT.To all those who never stop haranguing about the evils of government regulation (while partaking of the smoothest-running, least problematic society on the face of the planet), I say take a look at the pictures coming out of Turkey and see what a world without a government-supported infrastructure really looks like. You may want to live in a country where buildings fall down on your head and disaster response services are wholly inadequate, but I do not. Thank God for the government we have. - Roland E. Zwick Valencia News to us It started with a Daily News reporter and photographer who picked up on a story about the Bessemer Street fiasco in North Hollywood some months ago. The reporter came to the door of resident Lori Crews to ask her how she felt about her house being bulldozed, along with the others in her neighborhood, for an LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) decision to possibly declare public domain to clear her and her neighbors' houses away for a school playground. Crews had no idea of this happening and few others did, and the thought of her 50 years of maintaining a beautiful home and neighborhood flabbergasted flab·ber·gast tr.v. flab·ber·gast·ed, flab·ber·gast·ing, flab·ber·gasts To cause to be overcome with astonishment; astound. See Synonyms at surprise. [Origin unknown. her. With publication of her picture and story, the news broke near and far. The coverage by the Daily News of this story snowballed and reverberated throughout the Valley. Civic public outcry and the unification of the homeowners, along with more stories in the Daily News hit a chord with the school board. On Aug. 20 it was decided to construct the playground on city property at the old police station, plus city property near Hacienda Heights Ha·ci·en·da Heights An unincorporated community of southern California, a suburb of Los Angeles. Population: 56,100. and Pacoima - a decision welcomed by all. It was the Daily News that alerted all those who would have been affected by these shenanigans shenanigans Noun, pl Informal 1. mischief or nonsense 2. trickery or deception [origin unknown] . - Bill Barrett William E. "Bill" Barrett (b. February 9, 1929) is a Republican politician from Nebraska who served five terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2001 as the congressman for Nebraska's third congressional district. North Hollywood Officers filing lawsuits Re ``Peace at any price'' (Editorial, Aug. 18). The Daily News' editorial asserted that the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Police Protective League solicits police officers to file lawsuits against people who make personnel complaints against officers. The editorial went on to conclude that such action was an attempt to use the courts as a weapon against the chief of police and as part of a ``shakedown tactic to blackmail the city'' into giving deserving police officers a raise. We strongly disagree with Verb 1. disagree with - not be very easily digestible; "Spicy food disagrees with some people" hurt - give trouble or pain to; "This exercise will hurt your back" your position. The board of directors of the Los Angeles Police Protective League unequivocally states that the assertions in the Daily News' editorial are patently false. We are baffled by your contrived and misleading characterizations, which are presented as fact. We do not solicit police officers to sue citizens who lodge false complaints. The Los Angeles Police Protective League does assist officers who sue complainants, if the complainant A plaintiff; a person who commences a civil lawsuit against another, known as the defendant, in order to remedy an alleged wrong. An individual who files a written accusation with the police charging a suspect with the commission of a crime and providing facts to support the allegation has knowingly and maliciously made false complaints against a police officer and, if the officer requests our assistance. America was founded by protesters who had complaints against the British crown and wanted to redress their grievances. The foundational legal documents that they wrote, ensure the rights of citizens to make complaints to the government. Police officers are not afraid of complaints. But, just like you, we are citizens and we are protected by law from people who knowingly and maliciously make false accusations, in this case false personnel complaints. The public has the right to lodge legitimate complaints, but does not have the right to make up lies out of spite and vengeance in order to make a false complaint against a police officer. - Ted Hunt President Los Angeles Police Protective League Thanks for the wall I would like to publicly thank the State Transportation Commission for selecting the eastbound side of the 134 Freeway from the Los Angeles River The Los Angeles River is an intermittent river flowing through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the west end of the San Fernando Valley, 51 miles (82 km) southeast to its mouth in Long Beach. to Forrest Lawn Drive to put up a sound wall there. My parents reside just across the street from this $3.1 million planned wall and although they have never complained to me about the freeway noise, I know they really appreciate the decision. In fact, I know I can speak for all the residents of both Mount Sinai and Forest Lawn cemeteries when I say, thank you. - Joe Goldwine Encino Pay your dues In response to ``Imposing agency shop'' (Public Forum, Aug. 18), why is it that those who are opposed always say that they want to have the right to ``choose'' whether or not to join or pay an agency fee but never say they want the right to choose to accept the raises and benefits negotiated on their behalf by the union. No they just accept it as due them. These same people accept the increases in salary, enhancement of benefits, and call upon the union to represent then when their rights have been impinged upon; yet, they are unwilling to financially support the very entity that is there to negotiate on their behalf and be there for them as a representative when needed. Why should they have it both ways? - Dorene Starita Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. Evolution and creation I have never understood this controversy. In Genesis one goes from void to man. In evolution one goes from void to man. I think it remarkable that a people, who by today's standards would be quite primitive, were able to grasp what happened. To me Genesis is an explanation of evolution, simply put. - Jack Brewer Simi Valley Social Security IOUs Re ``Social Security Nixed'' (Public Forum, Aug. 17). I can understand the writer's motive as a public relations person Noun 1. public relations person - a person employed to establish and promote a favorable relationship with the public individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" for Social Security to wish to prolong the status quo [Latin, The existing state of things at any given date.] Status quo ante bellum means the state of things before the war. The status quo to be preserved by a preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable, uncontested status which preceded the pending controversy. of this archaic dinosaur. However, when she states that, ``Social Security is neither bankrupt nor a bad deal,'' I must respond that she is using a very different accounting method than I have ever heard of. The fact is that recent estimates indicate that our federal government has ``borrowed'' more than $600 billion out of American Social Security accounts and left IOUs instead. If the perpetrators of this ``borrowing'' were executives of an American corporation, they would be indicted INDICTED, practice. When a man is accused by a bill of indictment preferred by a grand jury, he is said to be indicted. for grand theft or at the very least for fraud. And if or when the U.S. experiences its next economic recession and the government is unable to make good on its IOUs, Social Security could instead be ``bankrupt.'' - Sidney Dee Conkwright Van Nuys Our rights So, our local socialistic so·cial·is·tic adj. Of, advocating, or tending toward socialism. so  cial·is county representatives are chipping away at our constitutional rights via an attempt to prevent Great Western from having a gun show at a public facility (L.A. County Fairgrounds n. pl. 1. same as fairground. ) and to eliminate a $600,000 income for L.A. County. Easy solution here! I encourage Great Western to take the show to a privately owned facility or to another local county like Orange or Kern or San Bernardino. During my attendance at the last gun show presented by Great Western I stopped and chatted with police recruiters, L.A. County sheriff recruiters, U.S. Army recruiters, etc. etc. who did not seem to mind all the attention they were getting from children and families. I witnessed an officer giving his autograph to a child who requested it. It seems the real threat is that a gun show is where you learn the truth about politicians through many groups and organizations and you can give them financial support to help fight a crooked and anti-constitution government. The right to bear arms The right to bear arms refers to the right that individuals have to weapons. This right is often presented in the context of military service and the broader right of self defense. shall not be infringed - but they try hard. - Leo Leo, in astronomy Leo [Lat.,=the lion], northern constellation lying S of Ursa Major and on the ecliptic (apparent path of the sun through the heavens) between Cancer and Virgo; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Vaughn Santa Clarita Pet problems Re ``Los Angeles' pet troubles need dogged rules'' (Opinions, Aug. 18). Dan Knapp's comments show his lack of knowledge of breeders and cats in general. He comments that ``the AKC AKC - Ascending Kleene Chain and CFA (Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986) Signed into law in 1986, the CFA was a significant step forward in criminalizing unauthorized access to computer systems and networks. The Act applies to "federal interest computers" that include any system used by the U.S. agree that hobbyist should not be breeding purebred purebred progeny derived from at least several generations of animals of the same breed. purebred herds herds (or flocks) composed of purebred animals. Not necessarily registered animals. Distinct from crossbred herds. dog and cats.'' The American Kennel Club American Kennel Club (AKC), national organization in the United States devoted to the advancement and welfare of pure-bred dogs. It is comprised of approximately 500 autonomous clubs. and Cat Fanciers' Association The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. was established in 1906 and is the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats [1] and the predominant cat breeding association in North America. of America are made up of hobbyists exhibiting their pedigreed pets in competition at dog and cat shows. They breed for the betterment of the breed. The only professional breeders are the Midwest puppy mills. Is it his intent to rid L.A. of the hobbyist and leave us with ``puppy mill puppies?'' He states ``It is not unreasonable to assume that the feral cat population is twice that of those owned - nearly 2.5 million.'' According to feral cat authorities, there is not an acceptable formula that can be used to establish a reasonable number. Combine Mr. Knapp's numbers and you have 3.7 million cats; that means we have 3-1/2 cats living in every house and apartment in our city. - Charles Ober CFA Community Liaison Tarzana Legislating morality Re ``Republican division over abortion needless'' (Opinions, Aug. 22). So, Joseph J. Jacobs thinks that owning a person as a slave is a ``socially important'' decision for government to legislate against, but killing an unborn baby isn't. Unfortunately, that is the inconsistent and arbitrary view that is espoused by people like Jacobs, who believe that we ``can't legislate morality'' when, in fact, every law reflects our morality, or, in most cases, our lack thereof. - George W. Harris Agoura Hills CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: A relative tries to comfort a woman embracing the body of her dead husband in Sakarya, Turkey. Associated Press |
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