PUBLIC FORUM.

The tough questions

Re "Muslim U.S. dream may become reality" (Their opinions, Feb. 22):

I applaud Rob Asghar's call for moderate Muslims to ostracize extremists, but his rebuke of Mark Steyn contradicts. Europe is not repopulating, and the growing Islamic element is not moderate. Far from assimilating into Western European culture, immigrants are challenging it. Look ahead 50 years to a Muslim population with a significant voting bloc and numbers too large to govern peacefully.

Europe's history is to deal with cultural and religious minorities at the point of a sword. In the Netherlands, for instance, Muslim immigrants are already disregarding civil law for sharia and fatwa. In 50 years, might frightened people be tempted, once again, to draw the sword? There is still time to do something positive, and Steyn is asking good, tough questions. We ignore them at our peril.

-- David Atkinson 

Van Nuys

Killing only natural

Re "Zookeeper dies in jaguar mauling" (Feb. 25):

I feel sorry for that lady -- and my condolences to her family. But I wonder why the jaguar had to be killed. If somebody kidnapped me and put me in a cage, for sure I would try to run away. And there is a possibility that I would kill the kidnapper in the process. Isn't that the same thing that happened with that jaguar?

-- Saul Han

Santa Clarita

Hiding drivers

Re "MTA's drivers breaking rules" (Feb. 24):

I have often waited an hour or more at the downtown Burbank Metrolink station for a 165 bus to take me home to North Hollywood. There is always a steady stream of incoming buses; some of the 165s change to 164s, and vice versa. But a lot of them just drive off or put up the "not in service" sign. I have noticed this on several occasions and at various times in the evening.

I am sure, since it is the end of the day, that some of the drivers are just hiding out somewhere until they can turn in the bus and go home.

-- Norman R. Moore

North Hollywood

A driver responds

Re "MTA's drivers breaking rules" (Feb. 24):

Sue Doyle's story on Metropolitan Transportation Authority drivers reeked of an agenda! Using hasty generalizations, she painted the drivers with a broad brush. Some drivers do break rules, but she provided no evidence of widespread negligence. She was quick to point out the driver who left her alone on the bus to use a bathroom was within MTA's policy.

As an MTA driver, I was disappointed that instead of discussing drivers' ongoing concerns about restroom facilities, she resorted to an ethnocentric stereotypical rant. What is the driver supposed to do? Soil himself?

There are good and bad people in all professions. Her story is intellectually disingenuous to all the good drivers (which most of us are) of the MTA.

-- Michael Kalustian

Granada Hills

Where's the bus?

Re "MTA's drivers breaking rules" (Feb. 24):

I can't tell you how many times I have waited on a bus that was either extremely late or never showed up at all. There have been times when the bus didn't show up at the scheduled time but showed up when it was time for the next scheduled bus.

When a bus doesn't show up, a rider has to walk several blocks to catch a bus from a less convenient route, walk the entire way, or in some instances go back home and call a cab. This has happened to me and others I know who rely on public transit. MTA officials always think they are improving the system when all they are really doing is making it worse.

-- Carolyn Purser 

Burbank

Route R, for river

The Los Angeles River is a flood-control system. It would be extremely foolish and a real waste of millions of dollars to create parks for the homeless and possible floods. This is just plain stupid.

A much-less-expensive, yet functional, use for these river segments would be to adapt them for transportation, using small hovercraft.

-- Bill Rice

Winnetka