PUBLIC FORUM NONCANDIDATES.

The Daily News often talks about leadership, vision and honesty ingovernment. That, unfortunately, in reality is rare. Look at the race for mayor. James Hahn is a weak leader, has a poor vision and does not always speak the truth. He is a union spokesperson and associated with special interests. Richard Alarcon is a longtime politician and opportunist who has also contributed heavily to the mess former Gov. Gray Davis created.

Bob Hertzberg shows similar flaws: big spender, former speaker who also helped Davis lead us the wrong way. Bernard Parks, a fired police chief and full of vanity. Not much of a leader and poor vision. We read all about these men in the Daily News often. What did they truly achieve beyond being on the public payroll too long?

- Frank Neumeister

Sylmar

Parks as mayor

When Bernard Parks begins his mayoral campaign, I hope the Daily News reminds the good citizens of the San Fernando Valley why the crime rateinvolving gangs is so high. Parks' dismal example of a leader, and his micro-management skills, can be directly linked to his overreaction to the Rampart scandal that caused the plummeting of morale on the LAPD, which resulted in skyrocketing gang murders.

Just think of the wonders he could do for the city if he became mayor. It's the first time that I can remember that gang-related murders could be directly attributed to mismanagement of a police department.

- Chris Biller

Moorpark

Mini-district works

Re ``Half-hearted reform'' (Editorial, April 27):

As a parent of children attending Los Angeles Unified School District schools, and as an employee of LAUSD as a school administrative assistant, I am appalled it is thought that the answer is to cut the mini-districts, either by consolidating them or leaving everything to the downtown bureaucracy.

I know that I can get any answers to any questions by calling District A, which has knowledgeable, competent staff and works in the best interest of the students, staff and parents. Just try calling downtown. You may get answers to your questions, that is, if you are ever to reach anyone in the vacuum that exists - it can sometimes be like calling the moon. It is a blessing that we have a mini-district that not only works with us, but also represents us.

- Debbie Parker

West Hills

Initiative halted

Re ``Prop. 187 backer halts latest try'' (April 28):

More than 400,000 Californians signed the 2004 ``Save Our State'' initiative petition that would have, first and foremost - unlike 1994's Proposition 187 - merely reduced California's optionally extravagant welfare (``public benefits'') for illegal aliens' programs into line with what the federal government offers them; nothing more and nothing less. It would have saved state taxpayers over $100 million annually.

Let's hope that when (and if) Ron Prince and SOS reintroduce another such initiative, they will receive enough contributions to at least hire some paid signature-gatherers, and, last but not least, that there will also be some pro - as well as con - coverage in the major mass media.

- Harvey Pearson

Los Feliz

Committed no crimes

Re ``Any religion'' (Your Opinions, April 27):

Miriam Abbas links Adolf Hitler, Gerry Adams, Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein with Ariel Sharon. I must protest. Ariel Sharon is an elected prime minister of the only democracy in the Middle East. His country has made every attempt at peace with the Palestinians and has only resorted to violence when attacked, as it has been the past three years.

The Israelis have supported Sharon and his policies as they have been faced with extermination of their state by the likes of terrorists like Arafat, Osama bin Laden and other Arab leaders who don't recognize the state of Israel. Sharon has committed no crimes - his responsibility is to ensure the safety of all Jewish people around the world.

- Marsha Roseman

Valley Glen

Islam in the media

I agree with Hassan Sheikh (Your Opinions, April 26) that the news media portrays all Muslims as terrorists. An example is the misleading front-page headline of the March 14 Daily News, ``Spain bombs tied to Islam.'' Why do you have to say ``Islam'' and not the name of the organization/people responsible? There is nowhere in the teachings of Islam that says kill innocent people and you shall be rewarded.

Headlines like this make people like Rueben Gordon (Your Opinions, April 25) write ``International Islam has declared a war of annihilation against us.'' Who is ``International Islam?'' The media portrays al-Qaida as representative of all Muslims. Well, they are not and Muslims should not have to go out on the street and shout slogans to defend their religion as it has been suggested by some of your readers.

- Sami Sadri

Calabasas

Small percentage

Letter writer Assai Aslani (April 27) complains that should Muslim Americans speak out against Muslim terrorism, the media will twist their words around ``for the public entertainment.''

Americans understand that Muslim jihadists make up a very small percentage of the 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide. Nonetheless, if mainstream Muslims, such as yourself, continue to remain silent in the face of Muslim terrorism, it can only be viewed as a result of either intimidation or silent approval of the terrorists' activities. Consequently, Americans are very much aware that should your silence be a result of some sort of intimidation, it is not coming from the American media. It is coming from the Muslim extremists in your own community.

- Michael G. Miller

Los Angeles

Financial aid to enemies

Re ``Money down the holes'' (Your Opinions, April 27):

Israel's 1967 attack on the USS Liberty was an accident, but Hubert C. Bachtel brings up an important point. As much as I support Israel's right to exist, the U.S. financial support of Jews against Arabs has been unfair and obviously hasn't stopped the more than 19,000 attacks by Arab terrorists against Israelis. If we want peace in the Middle East, the U.S. must give more financial aid to the Palestinians - not for weapons but for schools and hospitals.

My main point in my previous letter was that it was crazy to give financial aid to known supporters of al-Qaida.

- John Wisdom Dancer

Canoga Park

Tillman a hero

Re ``There's a difference'' (Your Opinions, April 28):

John P. Jarvis believes that Pat Tillman is not a hero because his combat death was merely a happenstance of war. That is true, his death was not heroic. And I agree with Jarvis that often the media does confer hero status liberally, if not in fact erroneously. However, what makes Pat Tillman a hero is an act of remarkable nobility. He put aside certain fame and fortune to serve the people of this nation.

Granted, millions of people make decisions that can be deemed heroic, and, of course, they go unnoticed because they possess no celebrity. Pat Tillman possessed celebrity, but he walked away from that and became a humble soldier. Worthy of admiration and emulation? I believe so. Hero? Perhaps that, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

- Al Diun

Panorama City

Whose body?

Re ``Abortion-rights supporters rally in D.C.'' (April 26):

After seeing pictures of the pro-abortion march in Washington, D.C., I saw some signs reading ``I want a choice'' and ``My body, My choice.'' Choice? Yes, if you consider killing helpless babies a choice. And yes, it's your body, but the baby's isn't. It appalls me that our society even considers abortion a choice. A total embarrassment for our country.

- Jacob Sweany

Mission Hills