PUBLIC FORUM.

Clemency for Tookie?

Re ``Governor should show mercy for Tookie'' (Viewpoint, Nov. 20):

How can Earl Hutchinson support clemency for a killer of four people? The Supreme Court has refused to review this case. Everyone languishes on Death Row for decades. Everyone is provided with legal aid from the public defender's office. The fact that Tookie authored children's books does not change the fact that he was found guilty of murder.

In all these past 25 years, there has been no unearthed evidence that has influenced a judge to overturn the findings of the jury. There are now over 600 people on Death Row. Our society does provide for a long appeals process. Contrary to Hutchinson's comments, giving Tookie Williams clemency will set a precedent.

- Don Evans

Canoga Park

Not convinced

Re ``Governor should show mercy for Tookie'' (Viewpoint, Nov. 20):

Earl Hutchinson tries to make the claim that Tookie Williams had bad legal representation or racism is the reason he is on Death Row. He says, ``Blacks are only 12 percent of the population, but they make up one-third of those on Death Row. In nearly all cases, their victims are white.'' Hutchinson seems to forget that three of Tookie's victims were Asian. He also leaves out the details of their brutal slayings.

Tookie Williams deserves neither clemency nor our mercy. He deserves nothing less that a shot in the arm and a one-way trip to God, where he will get the punishment he really deserves.

- Greg Naster

Lancaster

Firearm lawsuits

Re ``Sherman responds'' (Your Opinions, Nov. 6):

The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (SB 397) protects only licensed and law-abiding firearms and ammunition manufacturers and sellers from lawsuits that seek to hold manufacturers and sellers responsible for the crime that third-party criminals commit with their nondefective products. This bill does nothing to protect firearms or ammunition manufacturers against lawsuits involving the following situations: illegally operating firearms or ammunition manufacturers or sellers, malfunctioning products, breach of contract or warranty and negligent entrustment.

The bill explicitly states that any firearm or ammunition manufacturer or seller who has broken federal, state or local law would not be protected by this legislation.

- Roger T. Stephens Sr.

Winnetka

Gangsta life

Re ``Rapper seeking mercy for Williams'' (Nov. 19):

Such is the gang lifestyle - stepping up for one of your homies. Of course Snoop Dogg is asking the Governator to grant clemency for Tookie. After all Tookie is the founder of Snoop's beloved Crips.

- Jack Garden

Los Angeles

Class warfare

Re ``Deficit control OK'd in House'' and ``Senate OKs extending tax cuts'' (Nov. 18):

Once again we see the results of ``compassionate conservatism.'' House Republicans slash funding for Medicaid, food stamps and student loans, while extending tax cuts for the wealthiest of Americans. The GOP's compassion is only for the rich.

- Damian Carroll

Van Nuys

'In-risk' kids

Re ``Kid row'' (Editorials, Nov. 11):

All kids in the city of Los Angeles deserve equal treatment, and kids on Skid Row should be given the same opportunities that kids in Encino do. It is hard enough to be a child today, but growing up on Skid Row poses unimaginable challenges. These children are past being ``at-risk''; they are ``in-risk.''

- Julio Marcial

Woodland Hills

Handgun ban OK'd

Re ``S.F. voters approve ban on handguns'' (Nov. 9):

Measure H prohibits the manufacturing and sale of all firearms and ammunition in that city and makes it illegal for residents to keep handguns in their homes or businesses. San Francisco should look to England. After they took away guns, violent crime has only increased, and they are only surpassed by Australia, another failed gun control country.

If ``H'' survives court battles, it will face mass noncompliance. Just look to the faulty California assault weapon registration law, where approximately 27,000 out of 1 million owners complied. If the same percentage complies with ``H,'' how will S.F. enforce it? This is just another feel-good law, as the problem is criminals and not inanimate objects. The prime concern is and will always be controlling criminals.

- Rick Owen

Calabasas

Teachers underpaid

Re ``Teacher's workday'' (Your Opinions, Nov. 20):

There is a basic error in Steve Krogh's statement that ``teachers work 9/16th of a private sector work year.'' My wife is a special-education teacher with LAUSD. She arrives at school at 7:15 a.m. each day and works till 5:15 p.m. Her workday also includes an average of two hours' work at home. That totals 12 hours per day, which is 1 1/2 times a private sector workday (with a short, frequently interrupted, lunch).

In other words, teachers work 9/8ths of a private sector work year. This reduces their salary range from $35,000-$70,000, to $31,111-$62,222 (this after six years of college education). Yes, they do deserve a 3 percent raise.

- Sandy Weber

Northridge

Factors left out

Re ``Not my retirement'' (Your Opinions, Nov. 20):

Joan Olear writes that, when she retired in '94 at age 52, she received only $5,000 per year. If she depended on Social Security, she would not have received any money for at least 10 years. So she is $50,000 ahead of those people who have no pensions.

There are several other things she didn't mention: How many years did she work? Was she a full-time worker? How much would she have gotten per year if she worked until 62 and how much if she worked until she was 65? Working another 13 years should add greatly to her pension.

- Richard Stanis

Northridge

Supports regimes

Re ``Immigration issues'' (Your Opinions, Nov. 17):

I take issue with David Holland's response to my opinion concerning illegal immigration. Unfortunately, Holland takes the liberal, bleeding- heart approach and fails to see rats leaving a sinking ship.

Illegal immigration only supports the regimes currently ruling Mexico and Central America. Until Mexicans and Central Americans demand change and stop running away to El Norte, the political structure, corruption and deplorable living conditions will remain. But change would demand commitment, passion and determination found in most revolutions. Besides, it's much easier to leave the sinking ship and move north.

- Claire Magid

Reseda

Like Nixon

George W. Bush claiming not to have lied in the lead-up to Iraq is like Nixon exhorting, ``I'm not a crook,'' or Fen Phen, Enron and MCI claiming adversely affected folks ``had the same information.''

His audacity to disavow the obvious shows he is completely into Karl Rove's concept of ``no verifiable reality'' - or Rove's take from Lincoln (``You can fool some of the people all of the time'').

- Bill Pratt

Northridge

Gas price gouging

As a struggling student commuting to college, I am just one of many that is being affected by the price gouging by the ExxonMobil Corporation. With $25 billion in profits for the July-September quarter, I feel a windfall profits tax on all oil companies should be implemented immediately to compensate for the bad impact price gouging has had on small businesses, families and college students like myself.

- Kelly Palmer

Westlake Village

Which Gospel

When our family has a serious disagreement, we settle it by going to the Bible for the final word. I would like to ask every pro-life Christian who voted for Bush, in which Gospel did Jesus support a war, the death penalty, torture in prisons or tax cuts for the rich?

These people want to rationalize all this while calling themselves Christian capitalists. It would be ``easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.''

- Denis F. Cremins

Simi Valley