PUBLIC FORUM.

The American dream 

Re ``High home prices, stagnant wages put squeeze on middle class'' (Business, Sept. 3):

Finally the citizens are getting smart enough to not pay those ridiculous prices and getting nothing. I mean, a home in North Hollywood with two bedrooms for $1 million? Now those money grubbers who are fleecing people who long to get some of that so-called American dream can eat the debt themselves.

The only people who can own homes now, thanks to our government, will be the rich and the illegal aliens. Ah, the American dream is alive and well but not for us, and especially not for the vets; they can't even get good medical care. Just to add: Can Cardinal Mahony shut up and do whatever he's supposed to be doing? He reminds me of L.A.'s mayor.

-- Joan Olear

Burbank

Protecting criminals

Re ``Mahony writes to Bush, Congress'' (Sept. 5):

Apparently the law doesn't matter to Cardinal Mahony. I'm not sure which criminals he spends more time protecting -- child molesters or illegal immigrants.

Cardinal Mahony's claim that the further protection of criminals is the most important moral issue Congress has to work on is wrong; the real ``moral imperative'' is for Mahony to turn those pedophiles under his watch over to the law.

-- Roman Valdez

Lake Balboa

Live by the sword 

Re ```Crocodile Hunter' killed by stingray'' (Sept. 6):

``Live by the sword, die by the sword.'' The question was never if Steve Irwin would be killed someday, but when. I don't know if it was naivete or arrogance or a combination of both, but for years his rather reckless behavior around dangerous animals was admittedly entertaining yet also frightening.

Especially after his now infamous ``feed the croc while holding the baby stunt,'' you knew something bad would happen sooner or later. First Roy Horne, then the ``grizzly bear guy'' (Sorry, I can't remember his name) and now Steve Irwin. When will people realize that wild animals don't love or respect us as much as we do them.

-- Michael Bloodworth

Van Nuys

Ultimately failed

Re ``We say -- expert'' (Your Opinions, Sept. 3):

Just to let Michel N. Cohen of Reseda know that his neighborhood council was not present at the first N.C. Review Commission meeting, which was hosted by Commissioner Charlotte Laws on Sept. 1 but N.C. members from Valley Glen, Greater Valley Village, Van Nuys, Encino, Warner Center, Woodland Hills, Arleta and, as usual, no board members, but four stakeholders from Studio City did attend and not any of the 21 people there had anything good to say about Greg Nelson.

What the 29-person commission needs to consider is how to untie the hands of all N.C.s so that they may function (not as the City Council planned) but effectively for their individual uniqueness and this is how Nelson failed us.

-- Marilyn White-Sedel

Studio City

Thwarting terrorism

Re ``Sowell so bad'' (Your Opinions, Sept. 5):

Mike Laskavy's letter took Thomas Sowell to task for criticizing the hysteria surrounding global warming, defending Ann Coulter and implying that Democrats are soft on terrorism. I've been reading Sowell's columns resolutely and he is the only columnist who consistently provides logic, data and common sense to back up his statements -- items seriously lacking from Laskavy's letter.

I too decry the politicizing of global warming, the posturing of the New Jersey Four as whining professional victims of 9-11, and the lack of any cohesive Democratic plan to thwart terrorism.

-- Thomas J. Reilly

Thousand Oaks 

Long-term effects

Re ``Osama's pick'' (Your Opinions, Sept.1):

To those who, like Louis Richter, believe we have been protected from further al-Qaida attack by our current administration, ask yourself what the long-term effects of this administration's policies are. The hate and mistrust they have generated are not likely to ease for generations.

The Muslim world, in case you haven't noticed, has a very long memory for perceived injury. Yes, so far we've avoided being hit again since 9-11, but Bush et al. have created the conditions for unending future attempts. Do you want to wager, Louis, that every future attempt will fail?

-- Alan Pollack

Woodland Hills

Scary moves

Having already trotted out Hitler and Stalin in order to attempt to frighten the American public into voting for Republicans in November, can Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun and Vlad the Impaler be far behind?

-- Marshall Barth

Encino

Not a pipe dream

Re ``It doesn't work'' (Your Opinions, Sept. 6):

Jack Allen does not want to see how effective the Red Line subway and other rail lines have been. Neither does he want to admit that the mass-transit ridership in Los Angeles has risen significantly, and how many people indeed have switched from driving to using mass transit, including middle and upper class.

It's wrong to say that high-density housing along transit corridors is ``the same utopian pipe dream.'' It's not a pipe dream, but a great development and urbanization of the City of Angels. And it is great news that after many years of standstill, Los Angeles is finally on the rise, with new beautiful large buildings being built, streets being widened, and the mass-transit system being enhanced, a system that every large city deserves.

-- Alexander Friedman

Hollywood

Chatsworth Reservoir

As I write this letter from the comfort of my home office, I gaze out of my window to the spectacular view of the Chatsworth Reservoir below. I know that the entire area is a wildlife preserve. My question is why has this area not been opened to the public?

Why couldn't this area be developed like the Sepulveda Dam, i.e., nature trails, hiking trails, etc.? It almost seems as if the enviro types only want the area for themselves. I know for a fact that only certain people are allowed in. Why can't the general public enjoy it as well? After all, the area is still under the control of the DWP, and the outrageous fees that we pay ought to entitle us to visit the area. Does anyone know the answers?

-- Brinton Marsden

West Hills

One year after Katrina

I remember watching the images of the Katrina aftermath and reflecting that it looked more like a Third World country than the United States. Katrina opened our eyes. If there was ever proof that gross inequities and abject poverty exists in the United States, we saw it during Katrina.

One year ago, President Bush vowed to learn from Katrina and renewed a commitment to fight poverty in America. It is evident that Bush has either broken or forgotten his promise. One year later, and not only are the victims of Katrina (especially the poorest among them) struggling to rebuild, people all across the country are barely surviving, in part because of the policies of this administration which continue to punish the poor and reward the wealthiest among us.

-- Devora Rogers

Los Angeles

A good thing

To all of you letter writers ... I read every one and am in agreement with most. I just want to remind you that what you have to say should find its way to your elected officials, locally and in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

The Daily News is kind enough to give the names, addresses and e-mails of every representative we've put in office on the back page of every issue the first of every month. When you send in your comments to the Daily News, send a copy off to all of your reps. Let them all know what we are thinking.

-- Gordon Green

Encino