PUBLIC FORUM.

Gas mysteries

Re ``$70 a barrel, $3 a gallon'' (Business, Aug. 31):

I gassed up my car at a Mobil station on Balboa Avenue in Mission Hills and I come home and the Mobil station on Foothill Boulevard in Sylmar is charging almost 20 cents higher. How can one station sell it for less then another?

Another stupid question is with the disaster in New Orleans causing the gasoline to increase, how come the gas stations take an immediate price increase. Their underground tanks are full at the price they paid but, using a disaster, they charge an increase before they have to purchase the fuel at a higher price. Like I said before, we are getting hosed and the only one that can do anything about is the president.

- Frank Jacobs

Sylmar

County doctors' hours

Re ``County docs err or lie on hours'' (Aug. 30):

If you can't trust a doctor, who can you trust? It seems that taxpayer- funded health care in the form of county-paid doctors has invited fraud. How can this be? I have been reading articles that government-funded health care is more efficient and less costly than the private system.

- Carol Milton

Woodland Hills

Bush's distortions

Re ``Bush compare WWII attack, 9-11'' (Aug. 31):

Bush keeps distorting historical fact. Iraq had nothing to do with the surprise attack that killed thousands in cold blood. If Bush was really sincere about fighting ``a ruthless enemy,'' we would have invaded Saudi Arabia inasmuch as 17 of the 21 hijackers had Saudi passports.

Instead, he put his arm around the Saudi crown prince and called him ``this country's best friend.'' If Bush was sincere about securing our freedom, he would reduce the troops in Iraq and place them in Afghanistan and go after Osama bin Laden. Donald Rumsfeld gave the real answer as to why we were in Iraq two years ago on ``Meet the Press'' - ``to capture the oil fields.''

- Jean Strauber

Encino

Regulate aggressive dogs

Re ``Policing pets'' (Editorial, Aug. 26):

Thanks for supporting SB 861, which gives local agencies authority to address out-of-control breeding of aggressive dogs of any breed in their community and to protect the dogs themselves from being born merely to die in fighting pits and animal shelters. Sen. Jackie Speier's office reports that 80 percent of dogs in L.A. area shelters and 70 percent in Bay Area shelters now are pit bulls and pit bull mixes.

Breeders and dog fighters statewide have a self-serving, economic interest in opposing this bill and raising emotional reactions to an alleged ``regulation of pets.'' Let's hope our Sacramento legislators do not allow the emotions of a few to cloud the benefits to all.

- Phyllis M. Daugherty

Director

Animal Issues Movement

Iraqi responsibility

Re ``Left loses legitimacy'' (Their Opinions, Aug. 29):

Richard Lowry uses Kosovo and AIDS as silly examples. I have a counter argument: Why should American boys have gone and died for Iraq's freedom? Shouldn't Iraqis have formed an army of freedom fighters to fight for their own country's freedom?

Back in 1959, Fidel Castro, to overthrow Batista, developed his own Cuban guerrilla army who put their own lives on the line for their country's freedom. I don't recall Russia sending troops to Cuba to help Fidel. It was Fidel's army. America could have helped Iraqis, but it was Iraqi responsibility to help themselves by forming their own freedom army.

- Gene Cofsky

Tarzana

Many questioned WMD 

Re ``Their only agenda'' (Your Opinion, Aug. 25):

Robert Kunz wrote, ``It is a well-known fact that everyone, liberal and conservative alike, thought WMDs were there.'' In truth, there were abundant critics - liberals and conservatives alike - who questioned the WMD argument from the get-go. One of the most vocal critics was Scott Ridder, who had been part of the previous Iraq WMD inspection team. The U.N. inspection team also argued that the claim lacked evidence, and Bush could not convince the U.N. Security Council or the leadership of most of the world's nations.

The largest protests in history occurred before the illegal invasion, with most protesters agreeing that the case on WMDs had not been made. We were out there en masse, and we will not allow revisionists to so casually dismiss us.

- David Holland

Northridge

Misdirected attacks

Re ``Overflowing pockets'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 26):

These incessant attacks on the Department of Water and Power employees in the letters to the editor are unwarranted and unfair. Most department employees are dedicated to serving the people of Los Angeles. Many engineers in the department have master's degrees and they didn't get them from watching ``Monday Night Football.''

If the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers negotiated a sweetheart deal for its members, blame the City Council for allowing it to happen and leave the employees alone.

- Tarleton X. Garton

Lancaster

Restricting speech

Re ``Chickenhawks'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 30):

I just have to laugh at the ``chickenhawk'' controversy as typified by the letter by James Dawson. I suppose I have to establish my bona fides for those of Dawson's ilk: I'm a Vietnam veteran. Per Dawson's closing paragraph, only military veterans aren't hypocrites if they support the war. Take that to its illogical conclusion and the only people with legitimate opinions on issues would be: cops on law enforcement; teachers on education; elected officials on politics; parents on child-rearing, ad infinitum, ad absurdum.

This is simply another attempt to attack those who support the war on an ad hominum basis.

- Brian Baker 

Saugus

Make everyone happy

Re ``Take Baez with you'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 26):

Bob Budworth of Canoga Park suggests that Cindy Sheehan take Joan Baez to Baghdad to sing ``We Shall Overcome.'' I have a better idea.

We know more troops are needed in Iraq, so why don't Bob and all the other pro-war advocates join up and go over there and fight? I know they would be welcomed by all our fighting men and women, and with their help would surely end the war in a hurry. That would make everyone happy, even our ``war'' president.

- Ron Honthaner

Studio City

Stereotypical claims

Re ``True believers'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 19):

According to Laura Rift, people of faith, communists and fascists all have religious beliefs, or the ``true believer'' mentality, alike. Rift, however, claims to be a ``skeptical secularist.'' She, apparently, has no beliefs.

But she clearly dislikes those who do. She states, ``I have no doubt,'' regarding religious groups' potential to destroy the world. ``I have no doubt'' begins her statement of faith - a conclusion subjectively held, and part of her dogma. To her, dogma is a threat to mankind. I'm glad I don't accept her stereotypical claims. Otherwise, she would be a threat to me - a person of faith.

- Lyndell R. Brown

Santa Clarita

Presidentially speaking

I can name at least 20 of my relatives, high school friends or men I served with in the Navy that never returned home during World War II.

Can you believe that not one of these parents that I know of ever asked nor was invited to have a private audience with President Roosevelt or President Truman. I guess they were just a noncaring generation of parents.

- Frank G. Carlisi

Calabasas

What weakens us

Anti-war protesters like Cindy Sheehan don't make America weak against terrorism nearly as much as the Bush administration's fear of one mom's voice weakens America.

- Jesse Albert

Los Angeles