PUBLIC FORUM HAYDEN WAS RIGHT.

Re ``No thanks, Tom.'' (Public Forum, Sept. 12):

Thank you, Tom. I served in the 101st Airborne in 1966 and 1967. Where? Vietnam proper. My assignment: combat paratrooper/infantry. For the record, most so-called veterans did not see any combat over there. I earned my combat infantry badge. I believe that Hayden and, for that matter, Jane Fonda, were right back then.

I also believe that our government and those who did not protest were wrong. History has proven that to be the case. Hayden protested with peace in mind while Nixon sent Kissinger over there to drag out the slaughter of humans for another four years. Who won the Nobel Peace Prize? By the way, Tom Paine and Tom Jefferson, I believe, would be proud of what you did. I know I am.

- Dick Denne

Toluca Lake

Limitless offices

Re Tom Hayden running for City Council:

Is there anyone out there who can explain (try to explain) to me what good term limits do when a politician is forced out of one branch of government because of term limits and then tries to get elected to another form of government?

If anyone has about an hour to explain, I will gladly listen. Or can it be explained in 10 seconds, money, power and an easy life.

- Gene Bliley

Northridge

Who supports it?

Re ``Valley neighborhoods segregated, USC researcher says,'' (Sept. 12):

It's official. The San Fernando Valley is disproportionately divided by ethnic and economical lines according to a recent study by USC. Yet, Valley Vote (a k a West Valley secession movement) offers no answers for these disparity woes. Jeff Brain seeks cover by pointing out that folks from the Northeast Valley support secession.

It seems that all that is left now is to disclose who these secession supporters are. Isn't it time that Valley Vote volunteers its financials rather than hide behind LAFCO statutes?

- Felipe Fuentes

Arleta

Costly pot wars

Re ``Pot wars,'' (Editorial, Aug. 22): I take exception to your assertion that marijuana is responsible for the deaths of Chris McCulloch, Blaine Talmo or Nicholas Markowitz. My position regarding this topic is completely unbiased since I don't use marijuana or any other drug and I couldn't care less if alcohol were no longer available either.

The tragic deaths of these teens were caused by our so-called ``War on Drugs.'' If drugs were not illegal, there would be no drug dealers, nor would there be the murders, robberies and other crimes associated with them. As your editorial states, the motive of the murder of Markowitz was a $36,000 drug debt owed his half brother. When was the last time someone was murdered because of a $36,000 alcohol debt? The current situation with drug-related murders is no different than when alcohol was an illegal drug and, consequently, was also controlled by dangerous criminals.

- Tony Nathanson

Encino

No alternatives

Re ``Age limit on driving,'' (Aug. 31):

In theory, the Brandi Joy Mitock Safe Drivers Act, SB 335, is a great idea and I am in agreement that something needs to be done to stem accidental deaths due to poor eyesight or health. However, if most of these ``old'' drivers were refused licenses, many of them would become forced prisoners in their homes.

The reality is there is no clear alternative to driving in this city, and in most cities across the nation. It's long past the time for Los Angeles to look to alternatives to the automobile, i.e., functional rapid transit systems. Otherwise we will continue to be dependent on our cars long after we're deemed ``safe'' to operate them.

- Kathryn Louyse

Glendale

Growing movement

Re ``Racists leaning toward drugs,'' (Sept. 10):

It should be noted that the philosophy of the Skin Head Dogs is not unique. The Anti-Defamation League released a report a year ago, ``From the Prisons to the Streets: The Nazi Low Riders Emerge in California,'' which described this new and growing movement of white supremacy interlaced with the production and distribution of methamphetamine and other drugs.

Similar to the SHD, the NLR has been known to associate with and even recruit minorities where it benefits its drug trafficking and financial ambitions.

We also should not underestimate the potential danger of allowing the growth of such groups to go unchecked. As noted in the article, members of SHD have already committed several serious, violent crimes including murder, arson and vandalism of religious institutions. Such crimes impact the community, not just the victim. In addition, NLR members have been responsible for some of the most violent recent hate crimes against minorities - mainly African-Americans - in the San Fernando Valley, Antelope Valley and Orange County.

- Aaron Levinson

Valley office director

- Nancy Volpert

Ventura County associate director

Anti-Defamation League

A word too far

Re ``Greedy Liberals,'' (Public Forum, Sept. 3):

I saw Priscilla Lofton's chastisement of me in the Public Forum. My brother, an independent voter, told me that I was ``over the line'' when I called Republicans ``greedy.'' I apologize to Priscilla Lofton and her fellow conservatives for my comments.

I'm an old man and I've seen the Democratic Party since Wendell L. Willkie was its standard bearer in 1940. Lofton is not going to lose her freedom because of the Democratic Party. I hope she knows that is hyperbole. In any event Priscilla Lofton can cancel my vote in November. And vice versa.

- Tarleton X. Garton

Glendale

Both are needed

When I trained at Montclair State Teachers College, New Jersey, in the late 1930s, all subjects were taught with the fact that the students were to become teachers themselves. Hints, procedures and tricks of the trade were included and all college professors also had to teach in the on-campus seventh- to 12th-grade demonstration school. All college students were required to observe and seats in the rear of the classes were provided.

At present, most schools of higher education emphasize subject matter, mostly by lecturing, not a good teaching device. Teachers' training courses emphasize educational methodology, not subject matter. Both are needed to be a good teacher.

- William Braem

Sherman Oaks

Didn't have to die

Re ``Police condone officer's shooting of dog,'' (Sept. 1):

I was saddened, actually angered, to read the recent account of the police officer who shot the Rottweiler in Burbank. While wondering whether the dog really had to be shot, I was infuriated that this pet was allowed to die because the veterinarian would not perform lifesaving surgery because the owner could not afford to pay the hundreds or thousands of dollars for the operation.

Couldn't a payment plan have been worked out? Couldn't the veterinarian have offered a reduced fee or even, heaven forbid, a pro bono surgery, given the unfortunate circumstances?

- Mark Schuster

Canoga Park

Creek cleanup

My congratulations to Daily News reporter Jordan Smith for his article on the schoolchildren moving the cleanup effort to Topanga Creek in such a successful manner (``Operation Airlift,'' Sept. 10).

Get the junk out of the creek was what they started to do and they did it with good ideas and hard work. Sixteen junk cars in the bottom of the creek, lifted out by helicopter, not to mention the other two tons of refuse. Wonderful. If somehow this lead could be followed by the public in not using the canyon as a dumping ground in the future it would be a total success.

- Bryce H. Neff

West Hills