PUBLIC FORUM.

Democratic folly

Re ``Tiny clutch of voters picks state's leaders'' (June 8):

I don't know who frustrates me more, corrupt Republicans or dumb Democrats. Polls and surveys all across the state showed Steve Westly could beat Arnold and that Westly was popular among moderates and especially independents. But no, the Democrats had to promote ``Waldo'' for governor. And that's exactly what he's going to look like up there debating against Arnold.

Diane Watson and Brad Sherman were smart and courageous enough to back Westly, knowing that he was the one that could win. But unfortunately, it didn't work with large groups that threw their support and debit markers to Waldo. You just lost the election, Democrats, again.

-- Claudia Reame

Valley Glen

Great pain and moan

Re ``Road rage more than rudeness'' (June 6):

I hope I'm not the only one that is utterly disgusted with every little human activity being labeled a disorder by the all-seeing, all-knowing mental health pros. I can hardly wait to see what drug they start pitching to cure this road rage disease. It appears that no one is really personally responsible for anything. There are ``diseases'' that make people drink, ones that make kids fail math, ones that make people yell, ones that make people tired, blah, blah, blah.

There may only be two possibilities here: The mental health pros have a disease that causes them to have to label every subtle human behavior as a disease or I have a disease that causes me to be irritated about diseases. The question is, who is the kook here?

Oh, and to anyone who has ever written to this column, you have ORID -- Opinion Restraint Inability Disorder. I can only hope that it's treatable.

-- Mark S. Ditko

Sylmar

We paid how much?

Regarding ``Road rage more than rudeness'' (June 6), the study reported consisted of tabulation and labeling of people who occasionally (about once every couple years) lose their tempers and express it in a threatening or violent way. It didn't find any brain or blood chemistry correlation with this behavior; it just gave it a percentage and a label and then proceeded to declare that it could be treated with anti-depressants.

Personally, I already knew that some people blow up sometime. I also knew that psychiatrists would prescribe anti-depressants for it, because psychiatrists would prescribe anti-depressants for anything. The article didn't say how much the study cost, but funding from the National Institute of Mental Health is taxpayer money. I wonder how much we all paid for this.

-- Mari Werner

Glendale

Enabling rage

Re ``Road rage more than rudeness'' (June 6):

At annual conventions, psychiatrists actually vote new ``mental illnesses,'' like ``intermittent explosive disorder'' (IED), into existence. Thus legitimized, new conditions are billable to insurance plans and governmental health coverage. That's why the National Institute of Mental Health funded a study creating IED -- to raise members' revenue.

Reporter Brent Hopkins reveals this new disorder creates 16 million new patients who allegedly need anti-depressants. Pharmaceutical companies won't argue. Lawyers have a new defense for drive-by shooters. Hotheads, wife-beaters and most murderers will be mentally ill. Juries will release them with a sympathetic smile, hand them their pills and excuse them from all personal responsibility.

-- Jon von Gunten

Tujunga

Defining a pimp

Re ``Valley dealer to `pimp' your ride'' (June 7):

I always thought Galpin Ford had a little more class than to use a phrase like ``pimp your ride.'' A pimp is defined as ``one who finds customers for a prostitute.''

I also thought that the editors of the Daily News would show a little more class than to put something like this on the front page. Of course, Galpin buys a lot of ad space from the Daily News, so I guess the Daily News is just pimping for Galpin Ford.

-- John N. Engels

Northridge

Another example

Re ``Valley dealer to `pimp' your ride'' (June 7):

Webster's Dictionary defines ``pimp'' as a person who solicits clients for a prostitute. How unfortunate it is that society has accepted MTV's use of this disgusting profession as a synonym for customizing an automobile. And how really pathetic it is for the world's most successful Valley car dealer to become a part of it.

Just another example of how we allow our lowest class of citizens to pollute our once-proud society. Dumb, dumb and dumber, that's us.

-- Bill Hamburg

Woodland Hills

Vigilante justice

Re ``School regenerates immigrants' pride'' (Their Opinions, June 6):

Jennifer Solis claims that Principal Marcos Aguilar apologized to the radio station where one of its reporters was assaulted and almost killed by an angry parent who believed he was a child predator. Well, that's news to KABC (Channel 7), because they didn't hear any apologies.

In the three interviews that I had heard from Aguilar with KABC had not been apologies but excuses. However, if a parent had been the cause of the assault, then that information should be turned over to law enforcement for prosecution of that parent. Civilized society cannot allow this type of vigilante justice, ever.

-- Clyde Feldman

Sherman Oaks

Trash pickup days

Re ``Trash fee increase'' (Your Opinions, June 6):

Perhaps Carl Heinrich does not know that there are five holidays a year that cause trash pickup to be pushed back one day. Memorial Day is not one of those holidays. Maybe if he put his trash out as normal, it would have been picked up on Tuesday. It is his fault his trash was not picked up, but he blames the sanitation department.

When are people going to take responsibility for their own actions instead of blaming everyone else? In case Carl does not know, the five holidays that push back trash pickup are, in order, New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

-- Robert D. Hartzfeld

Van Nuys

VA data loss

As a 34-year employee of Veteran Affairs, I am truly sorry that our veterans' data was compromised by an employee. Veterans Affairs has rules and regulation regarding our veterans and their privacy. Employees know that it is against the VA policy to copy or look at any veteran's data unless you are working with that veteran, plus you can't take anything home with you. You would be fired if you did so.

I can't imagine what happened to the security regarding this data on the computer. My heart goes out to the veterans and their family regarding this situation. Thank you, veterans, for the sacrifices that you made for us to be protected and the freedom we enjoy.

-- Brynie Brackin

Pacoima

Banning gay marriage

If the word ``marriage'' was originally coined to mean a union between a man and a woman, then the same meaning would have been in the minds of the men who made the first law of the land governing marriages.

Perhaps it is just proper for our lawmakers today to use another term like a plain ``civil union'' between gay couples and not use the term ``marriage'' between them for all legal intent and purposes, to enable them to receive their due rights and privileges consistent with applicable laws.

-- Mario Surla

Culver City

Threat to marriage

Dear Congress:

The real threat to marriage between a man and a woman is divorce!

-- Emy Lenoir Blackwell

Granada Hills