PUBLIC FORUM.

Court of law

Re ``Jackson cleared on all counts in molestation trial'' (June 14):

The question is not whether justice was served, but whether the rule of law was followed. The court is a court of law, not a court of justice.

- Stephen A. Downs

Valley Village

So they claim

Re ``An armed resident might have intervened'' (June 10):

The Los Angeles Police Department and county Sheriff's Department claim to be so understaffed that they don't want to respond to our burglar alarms. And in the case of the incident in this article, they often take a long time to respond effectively to critical alerts. So it would be comforting to know that I had the option to responsibly protect myself and others with a handgun.

Unlike Rod Bernsen, however, that option is denied to me, so I continue to lock my doors, avoid certain neighborhoods and fear strangers on the street.

- Bill Johnson 

Granada Hills

Look it up

It seems that a lot of people do not know that the word ``fix'' has about 23 meanings. The most common are to repair something, to arrange in order and to deceive, with the latter being defined as colloquial or as a slang term.

Of all the potential threats from Saddam Hussein, the Bush administration decided to concentrate on what was potentially the most dangerous: his desire to have WMD, including nuclear weapons. From all the intelligence concerning Saddam Hussein, the administration thus concentrated on the information concerning WMD. That is, the administration fixed or arranged intelligence on WMD concerning its position on the WMD threat.

The president's detractors, however, want us to believe that an official British government memo used the slang definition of ``fix,'' and also admitted that it was willing to go along with this deceit.

- Roman Nykolyshyn

Pasadena

Time well spent

Re ``Homeowners sue to block Best Buy'' (June 9):

Attorney Ben Reznik, who represents the Best Buy developers, called this lawsuit a waste of time. Is it a waste of time to ask that a legally binding city document not be changed behind the scenes to favor the developer?

Is it a waste of time to ask for further traffic studies to spare us from more gridlock and cut-throughs before the city approves another development? This proposed Best Buy is book-ended on Van Nuys Boulevard between intersections deemed failures by the Department of Transportation.

If traffic can't move now, what's going to happen after a national, big-box retailer opens? We certainly don't think it's a waste of time to take action to protect our community.

- Nancy Kaleel

Sherman Oaks

Clear violation

Re ``Homeowners sue to block Best Buy'' (June 9):

This legal action, which I filed as attorney for the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, asks that the court do three things. First, we ask the court to set aside a ``revised'' decision that was made behind closed doors after the Los Angeles city public hearing and vote in clear violation of law. Second, the city failed to require a full environmental impact report, which would include traffic mitigation to protect the adjacent residential neighborhood.

Finally, we want to ensure the proper measurement of building height. SOHA and the local residents do not oppose a Best Buy store. All they want is for the city and this developer to comply with the law.

- Rob Glushon

Encino

That's democracy?

Re ``What will generations in the future think?'' (Their Opinions, June 9):

If they read, they'll think the same as the current generation of Americans and the overwhelming majority of world opinion, of which Thomas Sowell is so condescendingly disdainful.

They'll read that, without provocation, the Bush administration destroyed Iraq's infrastructure; incarcerated, tortured and killed her people; installed Paul Bremer, who summarily fired her army and every other semblance of authority (that worked out well, didn't it?); shredded her constitution, and unilaterally replaced it with laws that allow for 100 percent foreign ownership of her resources and industry and 100 percent of the nation's proceeds to leave the country.

They'll see Sowell and his band of like-minded shills for what they are - complicit in the recklessly arrogant and indefensible theft, by deception and brute military force, of a formerly sovereign nation. And they'll think, ``That's democracy?''

- Grant Gullickson

Northridge

One size doesn't fit all

Re ``LAUSD adopts new standards'' (June 15):

Prior to the 1970s, Hispanic students were channeled into shop classes because it was assumed we were not college material. Now the Los Angeles Unified School District assumes we are all potential Caltech or University of California, Los Angeles, graduates. Both approaches ignore the unique gifts each student has the potential to develop.

I learned I was not going to be a rocket scientist after struggling with physics. The humanities were my forte. For others, the availability of shop classes led to successful careers in honorable trades.

Yes, we must have the most rigorous academic classes available. However, technical vocation programs must be resurrected and given equal prestige.

- Harry Nieves

Sylmar

Making decisions

Re ``LAUSD adopts new standards'' (June 15):

Here we go again: people who have never been inside a classroom - maybe one or two have, a long time ago - making decisions for students. To allow ``access'' to all students is very acceptable, but to ``mandate'' to all is poor judgment.

Did any of these eight brilliant people look in particular at the geometry grades most students are earning? To mandate another year of math is unreasonable. After almost 37 years of teaching, this is nothing new. Cycles come and cycles go. Academics are pushed and electives are closed.

Julie Korenstein is correct and, mind you, she is the only one who has been on the board for 18 years. This will seriously affect the dropout rate, and not in a good way.

- Stephanie Schwartz

Canyon Country

Time will tell

Re ``Just Charm'' (Your Opinions, June 12):

Despite Carolynn Jones' opinion of President Bill Clinton's cautious policies or charismatic personality, the Clinton years will be remembered as ``The Good Old Days.''

Results speak louder than opinion. A president who was recently elected solely on the basis of his personality has (as has lately begun to seep into the public's consciousness) led this country into the jaws of hell to suit his pride and religious convictions.

History will record who was the better president.

- Jennifer Rabuchin

Burbank

Don't kid yourself

Re ``Pot fight far from over'' (June 8):

I don't think marijuana policy has anything to do with alleviating pain of those who truly suffer. I think it's because marijuana, medical or not, is not taxed in the same manner as tobacco, alcohol and legal drugs.

As soon an an appropriate way is found to tax marijuana, it will be. Whenever I hear someone say that every drug addict used pot first, I tell them he also drank milk and beer first.

This is simply about taxation, and we shouldn't deceive ourselves that it is about anything else.

- Shoshana Rubin

Van Nuys

Sigh of relief

Re ``Jackson cleared on all counts in molestation trial'' (June 14):

That huge sigh of relief that you just heard was Phil Spector's reaction to the Michael Jackson verdict when yet another gutless star-struck jury gave a free pass to another celebrity for bad acts.

Bet Spector's glad he was arrested in California instead of Texas.

- Doug Hamilton

Santa Clarita