PUBLIC FORUM.

``No spank'' thanks

As a teacher, I want to issue my personal thanks to Assemblywoman Sally Lieber for initiating her no-spanking measure.

Those of us who teach juvenile offenders will ``benefit'' greatly from this law. These are the same children whom this new law will protect from ever learning about responsibilities and consequences.

The years between ages 1 and 5 are the most impressionable for children, when they are learning about limitations. No one can argue that children of this age should be beaten, but there is a huge difference between beating and spanking. When a child misbehaves in a store, a quick spanking lets him know that he has crossed a line.

Any intelligent person knows that Lieber is wrong. But, please, no one tell her because her measure means job security for me and my fellow Juvenile Court teachers.

-- Howard Hale

Lancaster

Illegal incentive

Re ``Mayor's cure for poverty'' (Jan. 26):

Mayor Villaraigosa wants to pick the taxpayers' pockets again and give $500 to every child for an education account. I'm sure this benefit will also apply to every child born to an illegal immigrant -- another incentive for people to come to this country illegally to give birth to their anchor babies. Again, the politicians are not representing the best interests of American citizens.

-- Gary Haskins

Eagle Rock

Universal racism

Re ``Nine teens convicted in heated assault trial'' (Jan. 26):

Surprise, surprise. The guilty verdict for nine black teens for hate crimes against three white women throws a politically incorrect wrench into what the multiculturalists have tried so hard to get us to believe: that only whites are capable of racism. Factor in the recent spate of killings among black-versus-Latino gangs, and one needs little convincing that racism isn't exclusive to just one race.

-- Joseph Martellari

Van Nuys

Protect unborn, too

Wouldn't it be great if all the people who want a law passed against spanking children under the age of 3 would carry this thought one step further and pass a law against murdering children under the age of 0?

-- Christina Wilson

Westlake Village

First man?

I'm in a quandary. There is a possibility that we will have a female president. It is the custom to call a president's wife the first lady. What shall we call the president's husband? The first man?

-- David Pine

Northridge

Give us a break

Re ``Fighting gangs may get taxing'' (Jan. 24):

The Los Angeles City Council should think about using money confiscated in drug deals to fight gangs. The war on gangs ought to financed by gangs. Where is all the confiscated money, anyway? I don't want to be taxed or pay for more bureaucracy. Give us a break.

-- Salvatore Del Gaudio Sr.

Pacoima

Gov. Antonio?

Re: ``Tipoff'' (Jan. 29):

Wow, there's already talk of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa becoming California's next governor. It makes sense to me. He has added all these new police officers to the force. The new school system we have actually teaches kids something, and he had an unbiased approach to dealing with illegal immigrants. Of course he should be promoted to governor. Heck, make him president!

On the other hand, the thought of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger replacing Sen. Barbara Boxer? How soon can I vote for that? Now there's a great idea.

-- R.J. Johnson

North Hollywood

Hope, nope

Thank you, Democrats, for providing hope -- to America's enemies. You have no Iraq plan except to give up and run away. You have assured the Islamic terrorists and our own military that America's goal is to lose this war.

-- David Hall 

Winnetka