PUBLIC FORUM.

The people's right

Re "Immigration debate heats up" (March 28): There are many issues that confront this country besides immigration (drugs, sex crimes, abuse of children, etc.). We need people dedicated to solving these issues and become a continuous part of the democratic process, not just every five or 10 years when they don't like a particular piece of legislation.

I have no problems with peaceful demonstrations. It is the people's right, almost obligation, to let our government know if they disagree with any of their proceedings. It takes a lot of time and effort to demonstrate. I wonder what percentage of the eligible voters in that crowd of 500,000 people expended the very small time and effort it took to vote in the last election.

- Leonard E. McGinnis

Granada Hills

Immigration deal

Re "Immigration debate heats up" (March 28):

Here's a possible compromise to the immigration problem that might satisfy everyone and add a step in solving the problem in the future - grant them temporary work visas, then take case by case to determine full and permanent viability for citizenship.

Meanwhile, withdraw our troops from that needless war in Iraq and position our troops where they truly belong, on our southern borders protecting our nation. Also, change our immigration laws to restrict immigration from all "Third-Worlders" and finally close the Golden Door.

- Phil D. Soinski

North Hollywood

Paying the price

I hope the Los Angeles Unified School District is happy with the results of their tireless efforts to educate our youths and to the parents of the kids in the headlines the last two days for teaching their kids that an education and being part of a civil link in society is the American way.

Illegal border crossing and cheap labor sounds great to commerce and small-business owners, not to mention the residential aspect of having our lawns mowed and houses cleaned, but there's an old saying: "Be careful what you ask for" and now we're paying the price. For those of you that voted for Antonio Villaraigosa for mayor, your lack of common sense will be your burden and now we all pay.

- Bob Mauch

North Hills

What did it prove?

Re "Immigration debate heats up" (March 28):

In spite of thousands of illegal immigrants missing work and taking to the streets to protest the proposed immigration law ... my lights still came on, water flowed from my taps, buses ran, the malls opened, McDonald's, Taco Bells and other fast-food restaurants were all open. So what did the protest prove? It just reinforced my opposition to illegal immigration.

- Ed Garfalo

Valencia

Waving the flag

Re "Immigration debate heats up" (March 28):

I just don't get it. If I were an illegal alien marching in protest to laws that would prevent me from staying in America, I certainly would not be found carrying or wrapped in the flag of another country. I would be waving the good old Stars and Stripes. If you are waving the flag of another country, you are making it clear where your allegiance lies.

It is especially disheartening to see schoolchildren, presumably citizens by birth, marching and waving the Mexican flag. Instead of marching, their time would be better spent studying American history and learning about what others have had to do to be in this country legally. A porous border is not and should not be a free ticket to citizenship.

- Eddie Johnson

Panorama City

Homeless debate

Re "Homeless plan sparks debate on county board" (March 28):

It is good to see that county Supervisor Mike Antonovich is at the front lines of trying to end the homeless problem in Los Angeles. While Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Gloria Molina advocate for solutions to the homeless crisis, Antonovich wants more money for our jail system.

Antonovich makes reference to the "liberal" supervisors that will "hijack" the county's surplus funds. I am a conservative Republican and agree with the "liberal" supervisors on this issue. We need to do something to help solve the homeless problem in the county. Yes, jail beds are needed, but not at the expense of helping the homeless. Supervisor Antonovich, either help or get out of the way.

- John Horn

Granada Hills

Green power

The new DWP Board of Commissioners expressed concern that it is unclear how the mayor's mandated goal of 20 percent renewable energy green power will be reached by the year 2010. The state has set a target date of 2017 for the utility industry to achieve this 20 percent level. The new board has been relentless in their review of DWP operations in uncovering the truth and will undoubtedly save the ratepayers of L.A. many dollars.

However, I would like to recommend that the board apply this same "honesty" standard to the definition of what is green power. The Hoover Dam has been generating electrical power for L.A. for decades, is a renewable low-cost energy source, and is projected to provide 6 percent of L.A.'s power needs in 2006. Including this contribution as green power will significantly assist the DWP in achieving the mayor's goal of 20 percent renewables for L.A. by 2010.

- Joe Vitti

Granada Hills

Nothing fanatic

Re "Fanatics should back up their rhetoric" (Viewpoint, March 26):

Columnist Mariel Garza calls law-abiding Americans "fanatics" but there's nothing fanatic about playing by the rules which treat everyone the same. Trampling on America's generous immigration laws will kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Unchecked illegal entry makes legal immigration irrelevant and the result is chaos.

Garza pretends all illegal aliens pick strawberries, clean tables or, if they're lucky, mow lawns. That's nonsense. Our service industries (and we're a "service" economy) are loaded with illegals; so is construction, manufacturing, garment trades, food processing, in fact, everything.

No nation has the right to unilaterally transfer its people to another nation. Anyone who thinks differently is the fanatic.

- Charles Sergis

Calabasas

What's missing?

We all know that catchy little phrase heard over and over - No Child Left Behind. But what does it really mean? It means that the main educational emphasis today is on language arts and mathematics.

Being extremely generous, an elementary school teacher has five hours of instructional time divided as follows: 2 1/2 hours for language arts, 1 1/4 hours for math, and 30-45 minutes for English language development. For art, science, social studies, music, P.E., health, etc., is a whopping 30-45 minutes a day. Did I miss anything? Probably.

- Mark Van Dam

West Hills

Censure

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., is right. This president and his lack of common sense in decision-making on the terrorist issue, wiretaps, the ports, FEMA, and the lives and monetary costs that go with these decisions should be enough to expose his inability to lead this United States. He should be censured, and his Cabinet along with him.

- Marcia Brooks

Woodland Hills

Too important

Re "`Unit's' military expert has fighting words for Bush" (U, March 26):

David Kronke's interview with Eric Haney (regarding his book and the new TV show, "The Unit") should be front-page news in every major newspaper in America. What Kronke's piece has to say is far too important to be buried away in the entertainment section.

The fact that it was printed at all, however, indicates more concern about a worthy story than about possible repercussions for the reporter or the newspaper. Bravo.

- Mariah Fleming

Tempe, AZ