PUBLIC FORUM A SWEET DEAL.

So Zev Yaroslavsky has decided not to run for mayor of Los Angeles.

Surprise, surprise! Of course he won't run. He's got a sweetheart deal as a county supervisor, with no term limits, nobody to contest him in elections, ad infinitum.

Why take a chance in running for Dick Riordan's job, with many other known politicians seeking that same position?

This way, Zev stays in office as long as he desires - with all the perks, plus that lifetime pension. Why give that up?

- Frank Barron

Van Nuys

We have rights, too

If the Boy Scouts had expelled the assistant scout leader because he had engaged in immoral behavior, few would have protested. But this man was excluded not because of what he did, but because of what he is. Nowhere was it alleged he had engaged in immoral conduct in any context - only that he had admitted he was gay by participating in a political demonstration. In fact, he was an Eagle Scout with many merit badges to his credit. One of Scouting's elite.

The Supreme Court has held that the Scouts are entitled to exclude gays based on nothing more than the fact they are gay, because gays are an affront to the core of Scouting's philosophy. The rest of us have the right to treat the Boy Scouts organization as what it has demonstrated itself to be - driven by irrational homophobia and bigotry.

- Morris Schorr

Woodland Hills

Bush's tort reform

Because of shoddy manufacturing at Firestone, dozens of people have been killed and injured.

There will be a bevy of justifiable lawsuits based on product liability. George W. Bush wants to limit such lawsuits. He calls this tort reform.

- Stan Gordon

Encino

Hollow Gore

Vice President Al Gore said he'd debate Gov. George W. Bush ``anytime, anyplace.'' What he meant to say was, ``I'll debate Gov. Bush anytime, anyplace at the John F. Kennedy Library.''

- Armand Vaquer

Tarzana

Like a baby

When we speak of debate in any presidential debate, we always mean it to be a debate scheduled by the Commission on Presidential Debates. So when Al Gore said he will debate Bush any time, anywhere, he meant it on that basis. Thus, when Bush argued he wanted to test Gore's character and credibility - because of Gore's frequent promises to debate him any time, anywhere - (but) on his own terms and not on the commission's schedule, Bush argued like a baby.

- Cynthia Inguito

Los Angeles

Other political parties

Why do the media in general totally dismiss the coverage of other political parties in America? Why are only the Republican and Democratic parties covered? I believe I am not the only American who is fed up with both main parties and their marketing ``bully pulpits'' with their huge budgets.

Let's hear from the really concerned politicians who are running under the smaller political parties. You are not showing the political scene out there fairly and are hindering my rights as a citizen.

- Eric Graves

Woodland Hills

Slip-sliding away

I find it quite ironic the MTA is not standing firm on its original stance of what this system is truly designed for - getting people to leave their cars at home, thereby relieving traffic congestion and reducing air pollution.

In the early 1980s, at the North Hollywood Community Planning and Subway mitigation meetings, I recall the subject of parking in the vicinity of the subway stations being thoroughly discussed.

Now it all comes down to a ``short-term'' solution using property that would be a much needed greenbelt for this particular area. How sad.

- Robert L. Loveridge

North Hollywood

Spilled milk

I see that California dairy farmers and their counterparts from 21 other states are dumping thousands of gallons of milk because they can't sell it for enough money to make a decent living. As I recall, when Elian Gonzalez was returned to Cuba, it was reported on various networks that milk is rationed there, and, after 6 years of age, children receive no milk at all because of shortages.

It's time to end this silly embargo of Cuba and sell them our milk. There is no rational excuse to be dumping milk in America while children do without just 90 miles away.

With all the noise that Gore and Bush make about protecting the children, I'd like to hear what they have to say about the embargo. Or is it just the children of voters they're concerned with?

- Kevin Petersen

Eagle Rock

Bad bill

It seems the U.S. government is quietly attempting to push through legislation that will affect our use of the Internet.

Bill 602P will permit the federal government to charge a 5-cent surcharge on every e-mail delivered, by billing Internet service providers at the source. The consumer then would be billed in turn.

Why have many major newspapers ignored notifying the public?

We should all write our congressional representatives and say ``No'' to Bill 602P.

- Mary R.S. Bloch

Chatsworth

Medical marijuana

California voters approved the use of medical marijuana. The federal government should allow this compassionate policy a chance to work. Marijuana is a relatively safe and effective medicine for stimulating appetite and relieving pain, and even as a recreational drug it is far less harmful and dangerous than alcohol.

It's current illegal status is what causes gang and crime involvement, crowds our prisons with nonviolent pot users and diverts law enforcement dollars and personnel away from real crime.

The Libertarians have it right. The war on drugs is a total failure, a waste of tax dollars, an assault on freedom and the cause of most of our drug related problems. It's time to end it and try decriminalization of marijuana, legalization of other drugs, and treatment for those people who have drug abuse problems.

- Paul M. Solomon

Tujunga

Scooter injuries

Re ``Scooter fad takes a toll on children" (Sept. 6):

Here's what they left out: Since May, scooter sales have skyrocketed. So, obviously, injuries caused by scooters have increased. Here's the main question: Has the number of children injured by either skateboards, bikes, skates, or scooters changed significantly since last year? Of course not.

Instead of a little boy falling off his bike, now he's falling off his scooter. The writers of the article left out the fact that last year there were around 60,000 skateboard injuries and 100,000 in-line skate injuries as compared to the 9,400 scooter injuries as of this year.

- Thomas D. Guzman

Sylmar

Hypocrisy

Whatever differences may exist between President Fox and his predecessors, there is one thing they have in common: hypocrisy.

While insisting the United States open wide its southern border, Mexico continues to protect its own southern border from one and all.

I guess it all comes down to whose border is being gored.

- Burt Prelutsky

North Hills

Protecting whom?

Re ``U.S. likely target of ire at U.N. summit'' (Daily News, Sept. 6):

What struck me was the comment that China's Jiang Zemin would pressure President Clinton to cancel the missile defense system proposal altogether. Beijing fears the anti-missile shields will render useless its growing arsenal of missiles and force China into a costly arms race.

Hey, isn't that the idea? Whom are we trying to protect, China's economy or the American people?

- John Holt

La Canada