PUBLIC FORUM.

Time to say goodbye

Re ``U.S troops routinely attack civilians, Iraqi leader says'' (June 2):

It's official. The terrorists don't want us, the new government doesn't want us, and the majority of Americans don't want to be there. What began as an operation of liberation has become a hated occupation. Meanwhile, we put the most dedicated and honorable fighting force in the world in harm's way to defend a bunch of dilettantes who are so enraged by tribal prejudice, they refuse to defend their own homes, or their own freedom.

It's time to say goodbye to Iraq. The gift of democracy is wasted on those who refuse to defend it. Let's set a date of withdrawal, and bring our soldiers home.

-- Michael Guetzow

Woodland Hills

Bite my tongue

Re `` Public worker rights at stake'' (May 31):

I'd like to express my opinion on -- whoops -- I almost forgot. I'm a public employee, and the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that I can be retaliated against by my employer should I express a thought, feeling or opinion with which they take offense. Sieg heil, baby.

-- David Fritz

Reseda

Selling education

Re ``LAUSD's bad PR'' (Our Opinions, June 2):

In your opinion about the LAUSD hiring a public relations expert, you say that the school system ``has no product to sell.'' The LAUSD does have a product to sell -- ``education.'' The school system does need to sell the value of a good education to the young people of Los Angeles and their parents.

The best person in Los Angeles to sell the value of a good education to our young people is our mayor. Mayor Villaraigosa promoting the rewards of a good education, instead of trying to manage the schools, would do much to improve the education of our young people.

-- Raiford L. Langford

Sherman Oaks

Propaganda push

Re ``U.S. shifts policy on Iran'' (June 1):

When President George W. Bush pushes a prodigious propaganda campaign on a perceived enemy, in this case Iran, and in mid-verbal attack changes to a ``nice guy'' diplomatic policy, look out. This war president and his party's poll numbers are so low and things are going so badly in Iraq and Afghanistan, with our national elections coming up in November, bombing seems to be the only thing Bush knows how to do.

Even though the Iranians may be five to 10 years away from developing WMD, by bombing their nuclear facilities, it's likely they'll kill some French and Iranian scientists. The Bush administration probably figures we can always go back to calling french fries ``freedom fries'' again.

-- Jerold Drucker

Tarzana

Fire the lot of 'em

Re ``And a raise?'' (Your Opinions, May 25):

A little more than $56,000, plus benefits, is a good living for teachers. In fact, it is probably too much. With all of those people lined up outside the school district office trying to get jobs in the classroom, they should fire the lot of them and hire all new ``highly qualified'' teachers as required by law.

It's not as if half of the people who trained for up to six years to become teachers are quitting within the first five years. It's not as if there is any kind of shortage or anything.

-- Daniel Presburger

Thousand Oaks 

Imagine that

Why is so much money being spent in the 20th Senate District race? I just received a very expensive booklet of postcards suggesting I send a postcard to others to vote for Padilla. Each postcard claims that many ``things in the Valley are because of Padilla'' such as building new schools, new fire stations, new Metro stops, new after-school programs, etc.

I am offended by the lies. Padilla should have focused on fixing our streets and installing street lights, rather than lie in a very expensive postcard. Image that, paved streets with sidewalks and streetlights in Pacoima -- now that would be something to boast about. I was born and raised in Pacoima; the only change is the potholes have gotten bigger.

-- Steve Perez

San Fernando 

No hurry

Re ``Same old (neo)cons'' and ``Spinning too fast'' (Your Opinions, May 31):

What these Chicken Littles can't seem to get through their heads is that no one questions global warming. What we question is what is causing the warming and whether or not it is part of a natural cycle.

There is certainly no reason yet to panic and lots of time to study the problem with a cool head before we run off screaming the sky is falling. As for Al Gore and his so-called 20 years of study, he is no scientist. He is a politician and as such is responsible for a lot of hot air of his own.

-- Jeff Clarke 

Simi Valley 

Channeling politics

OK, there is a golf channel, cooking channel, sports channel, cartoon channel, etc. So why not a Political Channel? Give us a break from hearing candidates bad-mouthing each other and claiming they are not doing so. Give us a break from having to listen to actors portraying community members allegedly endorsing propositions over and over again. Give us a break from having to listen to and see the same stuff for months and months leading up to elections.

Have the Political Channel! Whenever someone wants to hear a candidate spout off his/her beliefs, or try to figure out who is right and who is wrong regarding certain measures, they can tune in to the Political Channel.

-- Dennis D. Hawthorne

Canyon Country

On immigration 

My great-grandmother was born in Bisbee, Ariz., when it was under Spanish rule. Soon after her birth, Bisbee became a territory of Mexico. It didn't become a part of the U.S. until 1848 when Mexico ceded most of Arizona to the U.S.

I wonder if my great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, in witnessing the influx of the many cultured immigrants seeking a better life, ever considered a barrier wall. My great-grandmother lost a sister to the ``Minutemen'' of that era -- the Native American Indians.

-- Albert Obregon

Sunland

Preschool, poorhouse 

Isn't it something that schools do not have enough money to take care of the children already in school, even though we keep passing school bonds and all property owners pay taxes for schools.

We've paid for 40 years without a child in school. Now some group thinks we should have preschool to kindergarten and that means carpenters have to build another room for preschoolers. We have to hire more teachers to watch 4-year-olds play. We don't have enough money to take care of the kids we already have.

-- Betty Bliley

Northridge

Scriptural record

Re ``Christian mythology'' (Your Opinions, May 31):

For almost 2,000 years it has been a matter of scriptural record that the books of the Canon were written beginning in the late 40s A.D. and culminating in the early 90s A.D. with Revelation.

Further, Matthew and John were indeed among the 12 Apostles who walked with Christ Jesus; Mark was a close friend and companion of the apostle Peter and walked with Paul as well; and Luke was a companion to Paul on his journeys to establish churches in city after city. The only mythology at issue is David Holland's ill-researched letter.

-- Jack V. Fogarty

Los Angeles

Faith is fine

Re ``True to the original'' (Your Opinions, May 26):

Warren Thompson admits the gospels were written some 70 years after the events. Even current history books get the facts wrong, or twist the events to the writers' liking of events that happened just yesterday. To get around this, the biblical scholars insert that the words were ``inspired'' by God.

It's fine that people want to have ``faith'' because they fear the unknown, or it gives them comfort in time of grief. But, why do they become upset with another work of fiction like the ``DaVinci Code''?

-- Michael Bernier

Santa Clarita