PUBLIC FORUM.

Stage for disaster

Re ``How much drug use is too much'' (May 21):

Some time ago, the LAPD started hiring people based not on qualifications, but on what they looked like. For the law and rules of society, the LAPD is again setting the stage for disaster by opening its doors to former drug users, claiming they can't find enough recruits to fill spots from attrition and to enlarge the department without doing this.

Lowering qualifications and standards attracts less qualified applicants while the most qualified applicants go where they find the best wages, benefits and community support. Do you want former drug users who will most likely produce another Rafael Perez or the most qualified applicants to police your city?

-- John R. Schlank

Granada Hills

Teachers' pay chart

Re ``Teachers seeking pay hike'' (May 23):

Concerning the teacher pay increase chart, two factors need to be noted: One, when United Teachers Los Angeles members received a 2.5 percent cost-of-living raise this school year, the inflation rate for 2005, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, was 3.39 percent. In 2004, teachers fell another .68 percent behind the CPI. In 2003, teachers fell 2.27 percent behind the CPI. The anticipated CPI for 2006 will exceed all single years since 1990.

Two, the chart only refers back to 1996-97, the second year teachers finally were earning the same dollar figures (not adjusted for inflation) that they were earning in 1990-91, before a series of pay cuts ensued. The cuts included 1 percent in 1991-92, 10 percent in 1992-93, the same 10 percent in 1993-94, and 2 percent in 1994-95 During this four-year period, the CPI was up 12.8 percent.

-- Ed Kaz 

Teacher, Reseda High

Material copy-cat

Re ``Madonna late to the party'' (May 22):

I had to laugh when I read your description of Madonna's Forum show as ``innovative, one of the most memorable stage entrances in memory.'' Innovative, I think not -- a copy cat is a much better description. Why wouldn't she want to copy the top-selling female tour ever?

I'm referring to Cher's Farewell Tour -- her entrance from the ceiling in a giant crystal chandelier and emerging on stage in a beautiful ringmaster outfit complete with top hat and whip (come on, Madonna!) and the Cirque du Soleil-style gymnasts, all copied from Cher's show. I guess Madonna figured no one would notice and she could take all the credit -- how sad.

-- Jonsie Ross

Santa Clarita Negative campaigning 

I haven't voted for a Republican since U.S. Sen. Tom Keuche, but I might have to reconsider. Last night while watching ``House,'' I was treated to back-to-back ads by Steve Westly and Phil Angelides. Disgusting. Not a single positive from either, only negatives about the other coupled with an unflattering black and white photo of the other. The text was almost identical from each candidate -- my opponent believes in tax breaks for murderers; my opponent believes every tree in the state should be kindling -- shades of Willy Horton.

No wonder people are turned off and the election turnout percentages are so low.

-- Richard B. Schutz

West Hills

More people to blame

Re ``Sold -- again'' (Your Opinions, May 24):

Apparently, Debbie Gordon, the woman who complained today that the drug benefit plan (Medicare Part D) contains a doughnut hole, has not been paying attention. The existence of the doughnut hole has been publicized since the drug plan was passed by Congress. That is not to say that the existence of the dollar range where Medicare pays nothing for drug expenses is a good thing.

However, it has not been hidden until May 15. We should also point out that Congress passed the bill and President George W. Bush signed it. If she doesn't like the plan, there are many more people to blame than George Bush.

-- Richard Kinsman 

Chatsworth

Room enough

Re ``Skirmish on bills looming'' (May 25):

The proposed Senate bill on immigration is a joke. One provision calls for deportation for conviction of a felony or three misdemeanors. The LAPD is not even allowed to ask for citizen status. The main highlight of the bill states that illegal immigrants in the country for at least five years will have a path to citizenship, those here from two to five years must ``go to the border'' (whatever that means) and apply to return and those here less than two years must leave.

Do the morons who came up with this idea actually think any of those groups are going to line up to meet those requirements -- especially the second and third group? We can use my kitchen for the processing of groups 2 and 3; I am sure I have more than enough room.

-- Bill Merriman

Tujunga

Breaking laws

Re ``Round 'em up'' (Your Opinions, May 21):

A letter by Gus Torres implied that I was speaking as a racist against people with brown skin or Spanish surnames. Let us get one thing straight: I believe in a nation of law. Laws are created to benefit our common people and their needs. When people break the law, they should not be rewarded. A lawbreaker is a lawbreaker and they can be black, white, brown or any color of skin. They can come from any place on this earth.

Torres, it is you who brought up the issue of the color of the skin, not me. The issue of race is not the question. The question lies with the entry and legality of those crossing into our country and abusing our system.

-- Ira Kaplan

Woodland Hills

The aging of facts

Re ``Duh! Vinci?'' (Your Opinions, May 23):

The author of this letter should check his ``facts,'' especially the scientific facts that he (no doubt) supports. Just be sure to check back for those ``facts'' in 10-15 years; they will most likely have changed. Yet after that same time has elapsed, the Bible will remain the same.

The Gospels were written down fairly soon after the events in question, by eyewitnesses. They were not agreed upon as a whole document for several centuries. It sounds to me as if Dick Denne has been reading a Dan Brown novel or something.

-- John Green

Northridge

True to the original

Re ``Duh! Vinci?'' (Your Opinions, May 23):

Maybe Dick Denne should check his facts. The Gospel writers were eyewitnesses to Jesus' life and words, or were associates of the disciples. Even the most liberal among secular and religious biblical scholars agree that the Gospels were written within 70 years of the events they describe.

It's true that the original writings don't exist, but there are many existing, ancient copies of the New Testament -- over 5,000 partial and complete. By comparing these manuscripts with one another (the science of textual criticism), we can have a 99 percent degree of certainty regarding what the original biblical documents said. Of all other ancient documents, religious or secular, the present Bible is recognized as the most true to the original than any other ancient work.

-- Warren Thompson 

West Hills

Key difficulty

Re ``Duh! Vinci?'' (Your Opinions, May 23):

Any biblical scholar will tell you that one of the key difficulties for modern skeptics with the Gospels are that all we possess are copies of the originals (or copies of copies of copies, etc.). Thus to say that there are no copies of an original Gospel is simply a lie. We may have no accurate copies of an original Gospel, but even that claim is dubious, as our copies may be perfectly accurate, for all we know.

Moreover, any first-year student of logic will tell you that that in no way leads inexorably to Denne's rather juvenile conclusion that the Gospels we do possess are fiction. Duh.

-- Jim Newland, Jr.

Santa Clarita