PUBLIC FORUM.

Sick, callous system

Re ``Job irresponsibility'' (Our Opinions, July 10):

What an irresponsible editorial. The writer's bitter bias against animals and animal advocates is palpable. We incarcerate these animals in inhumane conditions -- fill them with antibiotics, NSAIDS and painkillers -- and refuse to release them to a sanctuary where they would receive better care without taxpayer expense. We must then accept the responsibility to monitor them if they are ailing and ease their suffering.

One employee was made the scapegoat for a sick, callous, ego-ridden system -- from the mayor and City Council to the zoo management. As we treat our animals, so we will learn compassion for all beings.

-- Malathi Ramji

Encino

Ideologue credentials

Re ``Richman frustrated by system'' (July 8):

Saturday's article about outgoing Assemblyman Keith Richman's frustrations and his claim to be one of the only ``moderates'' in Sacramento sure sounds ridiculous from my vantage point. Richman's constant campaign against state employee pensions, which provide modest benefits to modestly paid employees in a sound funding system, prove his ideologue credentials are as intact as any other legislator.

He bemoans inability to compromise, yet personally staked out goals not supported by thoughtful folks which were litmus tests for the extreme right of his party which despises government employees. Richman can cry all he wants about the polarization in Sacramento, but he sure did his own part to grab issues long settled and turn them into ideological battles.

-- H. Mattson Austin

San Francisco

Richman's right

Re ``Richman frustrated by system'' (July 8):

Keith Richman has it exactly right. Both parties have gone to their extremes and are doing a terrible job of representing us.

In California, the Democrats have eliminated competitive elections by gerrymandering away the democratic process. ``Our'' resulting state legislators and members of the federal House are therefore mostly far-leftists, accompanied by a handful of ultraconservatives, and all freed of the need to cater to the voters. No wonder the fastest growing ``party'' is the Independent!

-- Larry Walker

Woodland Hills

Bus rider protocols

I never realized there are protocols in riding a commuter bus from Palmdale. It's never posted, but it's supposed to be understood. For example, when I arrive at the Palmdale Transportation Center, I'm supposed to put my stuff down next to strangers to assure a place in a line that doesn't exist.

That is, until the bus comes. Then, the line forms in the appropriate sequence the baggage was lined up in. If you are in front of the ``first'' person, you are scolded by that person.

Can someone put these protocols in writing, submit it to the Antelope Valley Transportation Agency, and let them know about these? Can someone have these posted somewhere, or hurt egos and damaged prides will occur? We wouldn't want to upset any more ``first'' persons out there, would we?

-- John C. Weaver

Palmdale

Zine responds

Re ``Zine's parking problem'' (Our Opinion, July 6):

Action or inaction? Effective government responds to community needs with quick action and viable solutions. I have long stated that my primary goal as a city councilman is to improve the quality of life for the community. Part of making these improvements includes eradicating visual blight which has been brought to my attention by calls and letters from constituents. My office received volumes of calls regarding unhitched trailers which are used for advertisement, and due to a brief moratorium, these trailers were not impounded. However, once the moratorium was lifted, the 72-hour parking rule was reinstated and the trailers were properly and legally impounded.

Call it a snit, call it following the law -- or call it responsive and responsible government.

-- Dennis P. Zine

Los Angeles City Council

Change-agent Dowd

Re ``Training will outdo nagging'' (Their Opinions, July 7):

I got a huge kick out of Maureen Dowd taking a break from Bush-bashing to reinforce women's relationships with their men and how to change their guys. The bitingly, much unmarried Ms. Dowd preaching to anyone about husbands is as real as her trying to tell a fish how to ride a bicycle.

-- Frank Arenson

Valencia

Ignore the negative

Re ``Training will outdo nagging'' (Their Opinions, July 7):

Maureen Dowd agrees with various writers who say that to change your spouse's behavior, one should stop nagging, ignore the negative, and reward positive change. I wonder if she believes that this would apply to national leaders, and in fact all politicians?

-- Warren Thompson

West Hills

Vocational possibilities

I agree with Bob Collins, LAUSD chief instructional officer, that exposure to vocational possibilities for young students, with follow-up in high school, is a great way to keep more students involved with their education and reduce the number of dropouts. Not everyone is cut out to wear a suit or work inside.

The best advice a parent can give to a child regarding happiness in life is, ``Find out what you really love, then find a way to get people to pay you for it.'' In order to find out what one loves, one must be exposed to it. If a student wants to make/build something, they will be motivated to learn the geometry/math involved, and become better readers in order to read the instructions.

-- Prentiss Moore

Sherman Oaks

Fascist power grabs

Re ``Completely legal'' (Your Opinions, July 9):

Gregg Frazer gives us one of these ``left ... makes ... wild charges'' arguments so commonly seen from the rabid right. The constitutional rights of thousands of Americans have been violated by recent right-wing power- grabs. The war on drugs was a big one. Thousands of innocent people had money stolen by the police state without any due process, and frequently without any crime being committed.

The attack on deadbeat dads is another big power grab. Thousands of parents have lost property and other rights without due process of law through interlocking state and federal bills of attainder. Dozens of innocent people have been locked up here for months on end for being Islamic, for being Armenian Christians. We don't need any more big lies about not losing any rights. We can see the examples of this kind of fascism all around us.

-- William O. West

Reseda

Why Tom is angry

Re ``T.R.'s triumphs all smoke and mirrors?'' (Their Opinions, July 6):

Tom Sowell writes with typical ultraconservative anger. He also takes an angry picture, and works for an angry ultraconservative think tank.

Why is he angry? Because time has not seen fit to buy his delusional historical thesis that America's revered ``progressive heroes'' (like Teddy Roosevelt) were really our bad guys, while the ruthless, greedy, tyrannical ``robber baron'' monopolists were really our good guy heroes.

-- Ben Kagan

North Hollywood

Define quick?

Re ``A quick death'' (Your Opinions, July 7):

Ronald Reagan, Christopher and Dana Reeves. Howard Hughes, Dudley Moore. How about Muhammad Ali and Michael J. Fox? Richard Pryor?Are they going quick and easy?

I'm sorry it sounds as if you are suffering through a major, possibly life-threatening illness. Major diseases are not selective. While it may be true that the ``well off'' get better treatment than most, the diseases themselves are not biased.

-- John B. Miller III

Chatsworth