PUBLIC FORUM OFFICER A HERO DAILY.Re ``Don't throw around the word 'hero' loosely'' (Dec. 4): Saying an officer killed in the line of duty In the Line of Duty may refer to:
It's not just the heroic act that makes someone a hero, it's also the willingness to perform the act that defines a hero. And in that light, God bless our troops, officers and firefighters - those who have been in harm's way harm's way n. A risky position; danger: a place for the children that is out of harm's way; ships that sail into harm's way. , and those who could be. They are all heroes. - Eric Heilbrun Valencia Presumed organ consent Thomas Sowell's commentary on kidney sales (Their Opinions, Dec. 5) is a useful part of the debate on organ donation Organ donation is the removal of the tissues of the human body from a person who has recently died, or from a living donor, for the purpose of transplanting or grafting them into other persons. . People are, however, dying daily as this discussion takes place. A failure to donate organs until it is decided causes needless death and family suffering. The United Network for Organ Sharing United Network for Organ Sharing See UNOS. shows an organ waiting list of 83,620; 17,500 in California. Since I do not believe the American public will allow the sale of organs, however reasoned by economists, we should consider the alternative to sales to the highest bidder HIGHEST BIDDER, contracts. He who, at an auction, offers the greatest price for the property sold. 2. The highest bidder is entitled to have the article sold at his bid, provided there has been no unfairness on his part. : presumed consent presumed consent Transplantation The assumption that a particular action would have been approved by a person or party if permission had been sought. See Cadaveric organ transplantation, Mandated choice, Organ brokerage, Transplantation. Cf Informed consent. . Used in many Western European countries, presumed consent would increase the organs available to everyone, require no complex bartering procedure and comply with the American sense of fair play. - Glenda Rosenbloom Woodland Hills Who's a hero? So I see Rep. Dick Gephardt made a trip to West Hollywood West Hollywood A community of southern California northeast of Beverly Hills. It is mainly residential. Population: 36,600. and hailed a group of grocery strikers as heroes. I'm terribly sorry, but a group of people who walked off their jobs are not heroes, sir. The men and women who have fought, and are currently fighting our wars, are heroes. Those who risk their lives to protect life, liberty and property are heroes. If a person holding up a cardboard sign in front of a grocery market is a presidential candidate's definition of a hero, then we are in a big world of hurt. - Ronald Weimer Granada Hills Issa's payback Regarding the statement by Darrell Issa's spokesperson, announcing Issa's decision not to challenge Barbara Boxer Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940) is an American politician and the current junior U.S. Senator from the State of California. A member of the Democratic Party, Boxer was first elected to the U.S. for her Senate seat: ``We have every reason to be certain that, if Darrell had chosen to seek the nomination for Senate, it would have been his for the asking Adv. 1. for the asking - on the occasion of a request; "advice was free for the asking" on request .'' I guess it depends on who you're asking. Might it be that Mr. Issa expects a return on his money for having bought Arnold and the GOP the governorship? Just asking. - Gene Mendez Venice Councilman is listening Councilman Grieg Smith joined his constituents recently by supporting the community when churches and schools created a negative impact. In North Hills along Aqueduct Avenue, the beginnings of a ``church row'' have neighbors deeply concerned. Smith called for input from the community on the issue, and says he is listening. When Hillcrest Christian School Hillcrest Christian School is a private school that was founded in 1971,was formally MCLEUR ACADEMY of the White Citizens Council of Jackson, and was opened in 1968, title was transferred to Hillcreat Baptist Church just after integration laws came into effect, and is situated on wanted to expand, a project opposed by the community because of traffic, safety and other concerns, Smith heard and responded. Similar church and school expansion projects are planned for all over the city. Angelenos can only hope their council members follow Smith's example of leadership and support for their constituents. - Susan Tipton Granada Hills Always more taxes What is wrong with our city politicians? Are ``more taxes'' the only two words they know? Year after year, all we hear from them is that they need more bonds, more taxes. This is becoming depressing. Will there ever come a time when an election year will go by without a request for more taxes? Aren't the working people of this city entitled to keep any of their income? Talk about taxation without representation. - Sol Swidler West Hills Dump was a done deal Re ``Granada Hills gets the dump'' (Dec. 5): Of course Granada Hills gets the dump. There has never been any doubt. The combined efforts of county commissioners, City Council members, developers and their lobbyists continue their perfect record. All wins, no losses. Citizen efforts are a charade and a waste of time. To whom do our officials owe their allegiance? Check the names of their campaign donors. Unless these donors are moved by a benevolent spirit, one would think they would want a return on their investment. - Patrick Weir Chatsworth Foster holocaust Re ``Foster care cash cow'' (Dec. 7): Troy Anderson's articles about the Department of Children and Family Services and foster care have been very well done and were so desperately needed. Parents have been banging on the doors of government, from city to federal, for many years concerning the atrocities of the DCFS DCFS Department of Children and Family Services DCFS Division of Children and Family Services DCFS Descriptional Complexity of Formal Systems (conference) DCFS Data Communication & Functional System . No one else has had the courage to expose the destruction this department has been visiting on American families. It has been no less than a holocaust. - Marilyn Dalrymple Lancaster Withdraw from WTO See World Trade Organization. The World Trade Organization has ruled that U.S. tariffs on imported steel are illegal. Excuse me? Apparently some entity other the U.S. Congress in now making laws for the United States. Of course, President Bush has caved in and this means U.S. steel producers will soon be cutting jobs. Power was previously ceded by the U.S. Congress to the WTO. This has placed control of our nation's economy in the hands of unelected globalist bureaucrats. This is a disaster that can be corrected by withdrawing from the WTO. Congress can do it, but it will take public pressure from citizens who care. - John K. Carter Camarillo Attack on CTA An abbreviation for cum testamento annexo, Latin for "with the will annexed." pathetic After reading Alan Bonsteel's tirade against the California Teachers Association The California Teachers Association (CTA), initially established in 1863 as the California Educational Society, is by far the largest teachers' union in the state of California. It is considered by many to be the most powerful union in California. and the National Education Association (``Time out for tax- exempt teachers union,'' Dec. 9) all I can say is how pathetic. Bonsteel represents a group that would like to see vouchers introduced in California and nationally. The problem is that the public doesn't want vouchers. Twice in California vouchers were overwhelmingly defeated by voters. Bonsteel did not accurately portray CTA's proposed November initiative, which would only raise corporate property taxes - not on homes - from 1 percent to 1.55 percent to help improve public education. It is because of falsehoods such as these, spread by those who would like to see the destruction and privatization privatization: see nationalization. privatization Transfer of government services or assets to the private sector. State-owned assets may be sold to private owners, or statutory restrictions on competition between privately and publicly owned of public education, that teachers unions exist. Voters keep rejecting vouchers because they realize it is just one more Enron-style takeover of a public entity that works. - Arleigh Kidd President, Simi Educators Assoc. Round up the illegals Re ``Feinstein urges Mexico to hand over suspects'' (Dec. 9): It's about time It's About Time may refer to:
After the Mexican government is inundated in·un·date tr.v. in·un·dat·ed, in·un·dat·ing, in·un·dates 1. To cover with water, especially floodwaters. 2. with a few hundred thousand of its unwanted, it will quickly change its attitude. But first Chief Bratton has to get off his dead end and start enforcing the laws of this country, now. If he can't, or won't, then let's get rid of him and find someone who will. - Ron Honthaner Studio City Lay off lax Legislature Message to the California Legislature: Don't even think about shafting shaft·ing n. 1. A system of shafts, as in a mechanical device, for transmitting motion or power. 2. Material from which shafts are made. 3. the population of this state with yet another infantile gridlock Gridlock A government, business or institution's inability to function at a normal level due either to complex or conflicting procedures within the administrative framework or to impending change in the business. . The referendum has shown its popularity and its power. And we now have a governor who is not shy about going to the voters and over your collective heads. The latter is easily accomplished, since your heads are buried in the sand anyway. Just remember that you're the hired help, and layoff time is right around the corner. - Daniel F. Taylor Tujunga |
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