PUBLIC FORUM IRAQ COALITION.

Re ``Golden rule'' (Your Opinions, Feb. 11):

Chuck Heinhold opines about me and provides a short answer (cash) to my questions from a previous article. I would like to advise the readers that I don't listen to or watch Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, so I can't follow Chuck's advice. It is my opinion that the 49 countries committed to the Iraq coalition believe we must defeat terrorists before they defeat us. I don't believe that they are there because ``we are paying everyone of them off in cash and oil.''

I happen to know hundreds of immigrants, and most of them came here to enjoy the freedom and opportunity that this country offers. Yes, there are a few that wave their own flags and spew anti-American rhetoric, but the immigrants I know pledge allegiance to the American flag.

- Bill Zelenka

Granada Hills

Defending marriage

Claiming to ``defend'' marriage, President Bush wants to amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit homosexual marriage. Ask yourself this question: Regardless of how you feel about homosexuality, do you really feel that your marriage will be in danger if we don't ban gay marriage? I sure don't.

- Todd Squires

Pasadena

Fundamentally wrong

We've come a long way ... we should be moving forward to unite as the country we were meant to be, ``the land of the free,'' a country founded on the principles of equality for all. We are all different, and being an American means embracing our differences. Live and let live.

This is the first time that anyone has tried to discriminate against a group of people through the Constitution. Is it not obvious that this is fundamentally wrong, and that President Bush should be ashamed of himself? It just shows how ridiculous and hideous he and his administration are.

- Elaine Tse

Los Angeles 

Banned musicians

Apparently, Todd Strasburger didn't read about the Bush administration not allowing the Cuban musicians, nominated for Grammys, into the United States (Your Opinions, Feb. 12).

Apparently, the Bush administration thought that preventing some old Cuban musicians from entering our country would get Republicans more Cuban American votes in 2004's elections.

Todd's way of arguing is typical of wrong-wing pundits who ignore the facts and misquote those they criticize. I never said anything about George W. Bush trying to dictate the agenda of the Grammys (though Janet might). George W. might not even be aware of everything that's going on in an administration that's willing to sacrifice anyone to maintain power.

- John Wisdom Dancer

Canoga Park

Big box stores

On the question of big box stores, let the market decide. Our City Council forgets that there are two sides to every economic coin. While they seek to protect small-business owners and maintain ``living wages'' for workers, the council ignores the benefits of the big box to the consumer.

Big box stores should be able to put stores in places they believe people will shop. Assuming that people will shop at these stores, keeping them out does nothing but limit local shopping choices that would likely offer savings and convenience.

- Jerry Levinson

Sherman Oaks

Bloody hands

Re ``Fonda defends Kerry's patriotism'' (Feb. 12):

Too many young Americans are dead because of Senator Kerry. I would never consider voting for Hanoi Jane's pet candidate for president. It's an absolutely ethical, not partisan, issue. In this Vietnam-era vet's viewpoint, Kerry and others like him meekly, irresponsibly threw away their constitutional responsibilities to let President Bush have his way with Iraq.

By this surrender, Kerry's hands are just as bloody as Bush's. Kerry, war hero though he may be, is not exempt from being held responsible for his actions. He doesn't have the guts, integrity or skills required to be a national political leader.

- Stan Bass

Montrose

It's unimportant

Re ``Regardless of WMD, Iraq was worth it'' (Their Opinions, Feb. 12):

After reading Thomas Sowell's column, I have to agree that President Bush without a doubt did the right thing by attacking Iraq. Whether we find WMDs or not is unimportant. What is important is that there was a definite threat. Saddam Hussein was a cruel, violent, sick man. He killed thousands of innocent people and left their families devastated.

After 9-11, we can no longer afford to sit back and see what happens. There are terrorists out there, and I never want to go through another attack on our great country. President Bush let the world know we will not be threatened nor will we tolerate terrorists.

- Terri Glaser

Simi Valley 

Justification is gone

After reading Thomas Sowell's Feb. 12 column, I see that he suffers from the same myopic view from which many Iraq war supporters suffer. He contends, along with President Bush, that missing WMDs ``don't matter,'' and that the ends of the Iraq war justify the means. He fails (or refuses) to admit that the WMD issue was the primary justification for the invasion of Iraq, and that the evaporated weapons mean that the primary justification has vanished as well.

His opinion that the ``cooperation'' of Iran, Lybia and Syria (such as it is) is worth spending over $100 billion, killing over 500 American soldiers, wounding thousands, and damaging U.S. credibility around the globe. It seems to me that the rotten ends of this war will be felt for years to come in our country.

- Daniel S. Vieira

Winnetka

Selling us out

Bill Clinton did not serve his country and was in the heart of the anti-war movement in the United States and Europe. John Kerry served, but when he came back to the homeland he was seduced by the anti-war crowd and worked with the communists as a mouthpiece so he could dishonor our troopers who were in a pitched battle against the communist forces in Vietnam. But the commie-libs will put their hands over their eyes, ears and mouth.

But when the name of George W. Bush comes into eyes, ears and mouths of new Democrats, they will wake up and ask if President Bush did his part in serving his country. That's when the ``red diaper'' libs become very pro-military and they will wave the American Flag upside down and sell this country out to the terrorist.

- John L. Fiorella

North Hollywood

Beware chicken-hawks

Beware of war politicians who never served in the military. Dick Cheney used multiple deferments to avoid Vietnam. Neither Paul Wolfowitz, deputy defense secretary, nor Richard Perle, defense policy board, has served in uniform.

George Bush was in and out of the Texas National Guard. Donald Rumsfeld dodged Korea and later enlisted in a peacetime Navy. Douglas Feith and Lewis Libby have no military services. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Majority Whip Tom DeLay never saw military either. Noncombatants litter the top ranks of the Republican hierarchy. The ones who avoided combat in the Bush administration are the ones who led the fight to attack Iraq. The military doesn't start wars; politicians start wars.

- Jerry Pennington

Van Nuys

Military records

Given the importance of military experience in our presidential candidates, I applaud the Democrats' quest for President Bush's service records. While sifting through 30 years of old data, I hope the Democrats will keep an equally sharp eye out for the missing records of William Jefferson Clinton, most likely to be found in either England or Canada.

- Dan Pulos

Agoura Hills

He's no Bill Clinton

George W. Bush keeps insisting that he is going to cut the deficit in half in the next five years.

That's a laugh. He's not a Bill Clinton; he's a Herbert Hoover.

- Stan Niedwicki

Woodland Hills