Swallowing the hook of Iraq propaganda

John Tucke (Letters, April 15) has swallowed the hook of the Iraq propaganda machine so deeply that the line and sinker are sure to follow. Such is the fate of those who took the bait of deceit and now find themselves flailing for answers on the dry shores of truth.

Mr. Tucke laments the possibility of civil war and theocracy if we leave, but does not even comment on the reality that both are already strongly entrenched courtesy of our intervention. It may get much worse when we leave, but that is a concern for the Iraqis as they are presented with their own choices - not ones mitigated from our shores at the end of a bayonet.

Current American policy cares little for the tenets of government in any region as long as they align with American interests. Think China or Pakistan. The cause celebre of democracy was only used as one of many excuses because it was a much more palatable and shiny lure to set in the hungry mouth of American public naivete. Shamefully, the major interest was the thick, black fluid beneath Iraq's sands now being paid for with its much more free-flowing, crimson equivalent above.

Thomas Godwin

Oceanside

A sad statement on torture

John McCain suffered years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of the North Vietnamese while imprisoned at the infamous Hanoi Hilton. For Chris Pulse (Letters, April 15) to suggest the senator from Arizona should have stayed in the same prison where so many American POWs were tortured is a sad statement. …

People like Mr. Pulse live to complain about everything that makes our country great. Had Mr. Pulse ever risked his life in the service of someone or something besides himself, I doubt he would say such things.

Tyrus Moulder

Oceanside

Get involved to stop graffiti

It's a never-ending battle eradicating graffiti, especially in Escondido. Millions are spent on getting rid of it. Several ladies in Escondido suggested having the culprit [who is] caught spraying graffiti remove it and paint the whole wall - teaching him a lesson about how difficult it is to make it better.

It starts at home, teaching them to respect others' property. Let's all do what we can to eliminate the eyesore and get involved by calling [police], and, if it happens on your property, taking steps to remove it.

William Hart

Carlsbad

America is a racist society

In 1967, after so many urban riots, President Lyndon Johnson appointed the Kerner Commission to study racial problems in this country. After a seven-month study they concluded that "our racial problems stemmed largely from the racist attitude of the white people." That, no doubt, is one reason Don Imus was able to spew out his garbage with impunity for over 30 years.

The Kerner Commission identified many problems, and made some sweeping recommendations to remedy what they saw was rapidly becoming two societies, one white, one black, separate and unequal.

Unfortunately Nixon, and virtually every other white person since, ignored all the warnings and recommendations. Consequently, today we are racially even more polarized than in 1967. Evidence: 1. The unemployment rate for young black males in inner cities is 30 percent, whereas the national average, for all groups and areas, is less than 5 percent. 2. The incarceration rate for black males is four times that of apartheid South Africa.

Had Imus' bosses wanted to do something morally right they would have fired him years ago. This time they looked at the money angle for a week and decided it wasn't there any longer. Wanna bet how soon he's on Fox?

John-Erik Nilsson

Vista

Home country's driver's license all that's needed

I have news for Ms. Sonjalee Holland and Mr. Leon Smith (Letters, April 15): It doesn't matter if they're not needed here or if you want them to stay south of the border. All the Mexicans, Guatemalans, etc., need is a driver's license from their home country, a car and insurance. These three things will allow them to come into the U.S. with their families. After their original license expires, they must apply for a California one. It's the law.

Stephen Johnson

Vista

We can do our part locally

As one of the founding members of GreEncinitas, I would like to respond to some of the very derogatory remarks from the story on April 15 ("Encinitas group demands report on environmental progress"). First of all we are a group of clear-thinking concerned citizens who are devoting our own time and energy to create a more sustainable, clean and beautiful future for the coastal area of San Diego. Why people like George have a problem with that, I don't understand.

I agree with Save Encinitas as to population growth. All environmental problems really revolve around the exploding population, not just here in Encinitas but globally. No one wants to tackle that issue, apparently, as it is a sensitive one with solutions that are not popular. I am very concerned with this, as is the group. However, there are things we can do immediately to mitigate our impact on our planet; please contact our group with your ideas.

Also it was not mentioned in the article that one of our main objectives with the group is to encourage the City Council to sign on to the mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, which 400-plus cities across the nation have signed, including Del Mar, San Diego and La Mesa, to mention a few. We have a petition we will present to the City Council in the next few weeks asking them to do so. If you would like to sign this petition, please contact us at GreEncinitas@yahoogroups.com.

Deanne Sabeck

Encinitas

He'll keep the pot boiling

I've been writing letters, mostly on the subject of homosexuality, for almost 20 years. I know I've bored some and angered many. But I also like to think I may be speaking for others who, for various reasons, do not feel comfortable enough to speak out as I do.

I will not apologize for my obsessivelike persistence. It's my heartfelt conviction that understanding the naturally occurring and irreversible diversity in sexual orientation - which also has nothing to do with morality - is far too important to allow it to be simply swept under the rug as a taboo subject as it was for far too long.

The misunderstanding about sexual orientation, fully analogous to diversity in handedness, has gone on so long, and has hurt so many innocent people, that it's become a disaster of colossal proportions. I'll do my best to keep the pot boiling, as it were, until general enlightenment occurs. And it eventually will.

So I will continue with this social justice issue, perhaps until I die, because we all should know more about homosexuality, if for no other reason than someone we know and love is gay or lesbian.

Rocky Velgos

Vista

Sycamore Creek development

In response to a letter from Miriam Nichols (Letters, April 15) regarding the old mobile-home property along Sycamore Creek: She does not know what she is talking about.

I live a few yards upstream from the wooded creek (sewer) and have been constantly complaining about trash left behind by homeless people and aliens camping, drinking and doing drugs, as well as using the creek for you know what, as code enforcement and the Sheriff's Department can attest to. The few years I have lived there, I took several loads of garbage, including over 200 beer bottles, out of the creek and woods.

Using those 13 acres for anything but housing makes this problem worse because the area is shielded on the north by building and on the east by a high slope, a perfect place for the above-mentioned element, which will need constant surveillance, and who would even want to sit near the so-called creek? And for anyone who would like to see it turned into a park, we have three within a mile: Brengle, Wildwood and Townsite.

Bill Schlitz

Vista

Iraq quagmire reason for GOP defeat

"Republican legislators took a well-deserved drumming at the polls last November, committing political suicide and ending their 12-year reign in Congress by compromising many of the same conservative principles that swept them to power in the first place, particularly that of fiscal responsibility," wrote Alex Holstein ("Enjoy Bush tax cuts while they last," April 15).

No reputable survey results demonstrate that Republicans lost last November because they were fiscally irresponsible (which is not to say the Republicans were fiscally responsible - fiscal responsibility was just not among the voters' top concerns). The Republicans lost in November because of the Iraq quagmire, augmented by the party's culture of corruption. Each day since then brings further distressing revelations of the party's pervasive corruption.

The end of the Iraq quagmire is nowhere to be found. Should Republican leadership choose once again to stubbornly cling to their collective self-deception and refuse to learn the lessons of last November's defeat, they will once again commit political suicide, receiving yet another well-deserved drumming at the polls next November.

Randy Horton

Oceanside

The Muffies awards

I hereby inaugurate the MUFLR Awards, for the most unintentionally funny liberal rant. This month's Muffie - the envelope, please - goes to Mr. Milton Saier (Letters, April 15) of Encinitas, whose note to the North County Times lamented being in a country "… that refuses to support the Geneva Convention, international law, U.N. decisions, test ban treaties, the Kyoto Accord, civil rights, an independent judiciary" and that "favors unjust and unjustified warfare, torture of prisoners, illegal detentions, illegal surveillance, political and corporate corruption, dishonest federal agencies and government unaccountability," evidently without a shred of awareness that he has just perfectly described Iran, Syria and North Korea.

Dale Delmege

Escondido

Profiteering from the Iraq war

Ms. Delores Welty (Letters, April 11) named me in a recent letter to the North County Times, and I'd like to respond. She, and I'd bet many of your readers, may have missed the fact that Sen. Dianne Feinstein quietly resigned from her top position in MILCON. It turns out that MILCON, the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, doled out billions of dollars' worth of military construction to [firms in which] her husband, Richard C. Blum, invested. [He was a major investor] in Perini and URS Corp., and many of the contracts awarded for the Iraqi and Afghanistan contracts were often without competitive bidding.

Not only were these involving construction, but also medical equipment and supplies for the military. Sen. Feinstein husband's owned over a billion dollars' worth of stock in these firms. I think that I've answered my own question as to why anyone would spend $2 million to win a government job that pays $200,000 a year.

So you see, Ms. Welty, while Feinstein and Blum were not subject to hysterical outrage, Duke Cunningham rots in jail for eight years for a $2 million bribe. You do know that Sen. Feinstein is a Democrat, don't you?…

John Schueler

Oceanside

Don't you feel safer now?

The liberals promised to make America safer, support the troops, fight terrorism and check the rise in gas prices.

Well, since they took over, they've proposed raising taxes a half-a-trillion dollars, their lawyers are trying to free thousands of terrorist detainees so they can kill more U.S. soldiers, gas has gone up $1 a gallon because of Nancy Pelosi's threats, they're making trips to rogue nations to negotiate America's surrender, they've jailed Marines who've done their job too well and have gone absolutely apoplectic over the firings of a few U.S. attorneys.

You suckers fell for it and voted for them, now suffer the consequences.

Charles Bondy

Encinitas

Does he have no shame?

In his letter of April 15, Chris Pulse says that Sen. McCain should be sent back to the Hanoi Hilton. This is the same Chris Pulse who, in letters past, squealed to the rest of us how horrible the U.S. was for our so-called torture at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.

Yet, he would have no problem sending a decorated veteran who served in Vietnam off to relive the awful suffering of unspeakable torture that so many of our veterans survived at the hands of the North Vietnamese.

You see, Pulse really has no problem with torture. It just needs to be applied to those he hates. In this case, a decorated member of the U.S. military and a U.S. senator.

Chris has no business preaching morality to anyone else when it comes to the issue of torture. After all, he obviously condones it.

Mark Christopher

Oceanside

This should never have happened

I'm Ryan Goodall's brother-in-law and would first like to say that Ryan was a dear friend/brother and will be missed more than words can say by so many, especially his sister, Kendra ("Victim's family seeks answers after fatal crash," March 19)

Please know that it is my opinion (as well as many others) that the driver of the car that pulled out of the gym parking lot exited the wrong way as there is a one-way sign and arrows on the ground telling everyone who is parked in the front parking lot that they are not allowed to exit onto Highway 101.

Please go see for yourself. If anyone out there … saw this accident or was a witness, please get a hold of Kendra or Lance ASAP.

Lance Hetherington

Encinitas

Complacency is biggest threat

In response to the Community Forum by Gene Vitamanti, "Illegal Immigration is Reverse Imperialism," April 19. In most part I agree with his writing and would like to add: The American citizen has become too self-satisfying, lacking interest or concern and unaware of the actual dangers or deficiencies that uncontrolled illegal immigration presents and what is behind those who support its relentless push to accomplish their goals.

Read the manifesto that is presented in the MEChA doctrine. This is not supported by just a few fringe anarchist nuts but is supported by some mainstream Mexican-Americans. Before you label me a racist, research them and then decide who is the real racist.

I aspire to the continued sovereignty of the United States of America. Ask the people who support and push so hard for this open border amnesty what their true agenda is, and be wary of the stock answer, "They are just poor people looking for a better life."

Mexico is abundant in natural resources and, its corrupt government permitting, could support its own. Our government is intent on importing votes and supplying big business with cheap labor and along with this comes poverty and welfare.

Be careful, America or that junkyard dog named "Complacent Apathy" will jump up and bite your behind.

I used to be an immigration moderate until they showed their true colors and started marching in the streets carrying Mexican flags, chanting anti-American slogans and demanding and threatening.

Charles E. Brickell

Menifee

Intervene earlier in bullying

This starts with the bullying issue. The actual shootings that happen, including Virginia, are based on wounded people reacting. That is not saying their way of reacting is right, but in many cases it is obvious they are going to break in a major way.

It is too bad most people won't step in early on and answer the first calls for attention or help, or that in the beginning process someone drops the ball. The Santana High School shooting (Lakeside, 2001) was an issue of a bullied child who spoke, but no one listened. Adults knew of the possibility of the event and they told no one.

Worse yet, the brutalizers got away with it without repercussions. What kind of message does that send? Proactive is what I am preaching. Put some real money into this issue at our schools. Volunteering is required in Temecula high schools. Make the kids volunteer in peer outreach and suicide hot lines. Stop letting them choose where they volunteer. Make a real difference.

Michele Powell

Temecula

Enjoy Bush tax cuts while they last

"Republican legislators took a well-deserved drumming at the polls last November, committing political suicide and ending their 12-year reign in Congress by compromising many of the same conservative principles that swept them to power in the first place - particularly that of fiscal responsibility," wrote Alex Holstein ("Enjoy Bush tax cuts while they still exist," April 15).

No reputable survey results demonstrate that Republicans lost last November because they were fiscally irresponsible (which is not to say the Republicans were fiscally responsible - fiscal responsibility was just not among the voters' top concerns). The Republicans lost in November because of the Iraq quagmire, augmented by the party's culture of corruption. Each day since then brings further distressing revelations of the party's pervasive corruption.

The end of the Iraq quagmire is nowhere to be found. Should Republican leaders choose once again to stubbornly cling to their collective self-deception and refuse to learn the lessons of last November's defeat, they will once again commit political suicide, receiving yet another well-deserved drumming at the polls next November.

Randy Horton

Oceanside

Complacency is biggest threat

In response to the Community Forum by Gene Vitamanti, "Illegal Immigration is Reverse Imperialism," April 19. In most part I agree with his writing and would like to add: The American citizen has become too self-satisfying, lacking interest or concern and unaware of the actual dangers or deficiencies that uncontrolled illegal immigration presents and what is behind those who support its relentless push to accomplish their goals.

Read the manifesto that is presented in the MEChA doctrine. This is not supported by just a few fringe anarchist nuts but is supported by some mainstream Mexican-Americans. Before you label me a racist, research them and then decide who is the real racist.

I aspire to the continued sovereignty of the United States of America. Ask the people who support and push so hard for this open border amnesty what their true agenda is, and be wary of the stock answer, "They are just poor people looking for a better life."

Mexico is abundant in natural resources and, its corrupt government permitting, could support its own. Our government is intent on importing votes and supplying big business with cheap labor and along with this comes poverty and welfare.

Be careful, America or that junkyard dog named "Complacent Apathy" will jump up and bite your behind.

I used to be an immigration moderate until they showed their true colors and started marching in the streets carrying Mexican flags, chanting anti-American slogans and demanding and threatening.

Charles E. Brickell

Menifee

Intervene earlier in bullying

This starts with the bullying issue. The actual shootings that happen, including Virginia, are based on wounded people reacting. That is not saying their way of reacting is right, but in many cases it is obvious they are going to break in a major way.

It is too bad most people won't step in early on and answer the first calls for attention or help, or that in the beginning process someone drops the ball. The Santana High School shooting (Lakeside, 2001) was an issue of a bullied child who spoke, but no one listened. Adults knew of the possibility of the event and they told no one.

Worse yet, the brutalizers got away with it without repercussions. What kind of message does that send? Proactive is what I am preaching. Put some real money into this issue at our schools. Volunteering is required in Temecula high schools. Make the kids volunteer in peer outreach and suicide hot lines. Stop letting them choose where they volunteer. Make a real difference.

Michele Powell

Temecula

Enjoy Bush tax cuts while they last

"Republican legislators took a well-deserved drumming at the polls last November, committing political suicide and ending their 12-year reign in Congress by compromising many of the same conservative principles that swept them to power in the first place - particularly that of fiscal responsibility," wrote Alex Holstein ("Enjoy Bush tax cuts while they still exist," April 15).

No reputable survey results demonstrate that Republicans lost last November because they were fiscally irresponsible (which is not to say the Republicans were fiscally responsible - fiscal responsibility was just not among the voters' top concerns). The Republicans lost in November because of the Iraq quagmire, augmented by the party's culture of corruption. Each day since then brings further distressing revelations of the party's pervasive corruption.

The end of the Iraq quagmire is nowhere to be found. Should Republican leaders choose once again to stubbornly cling to their collective self-deception and refuse to learn the lessons of last November's defeat, they will once again commit political suicide, receiving yet another well-deserved drumming at the polls next November.

Randy Horton

Oceanside

Fresh from the Web:

Oceanside expects budget surplus

Readers respond to our April 20 story about Oceanside city officials saying that they will have a $1.5 million budget surplus this year to spend on projects such as building a fire station, but noted some of the extra cash comes from vacant staff positions.

Hold on

Stay calm: "The budget surplus really isn't all that much - act like this is your own money and think it through first."

Over there!

Creeksider: "Maybe some of this money can be spent on a Loma Alta Specific Plan? It is desperately needed!"

Far-reaching

Vacant Positions: "City of Oceanside management needs to look within and wonder why nobody wants to work for them. How can so many positions stay vacant and not get filled? It is not for lack of recruiting, as these jobs are constantly in the paper. Oceanside has such a bad reputation of corruption and mismanagement, nobody want to work there. Look at the fire chief they just hired. They had to find him in Arizona. He was far enough away to not hear the bad stuff. I wonder how long he will last?"

Do it now

Umm, police?: "Feller said that gang crime would be a thing of the past by 2010. How is building a fire station or a library going to do that? No, the money will probably go to Junket Jack's next golf outing with developers. Time to keep an eye on the books. Hey Jack, here's something new, make good on a promise before election day."

Gas prices climb to $3.31 on average

Readers respond to our April 20 story about a 6-cent jump in the average price of regular unleaded gas Wednesday sent it to $3.31 per gallon, the highest it's been in North County in nearly a year.

Enough already

Ask: "Seriously, what does it take for someone who represents San Diego to stand up and say enough is enough with oil? Obviously paying outrageous prices is purely not enough."

Size doesn't matter

STDAN: "SUVs really have nothing to do with the price of gas. When an oil exec retires, does he/she deserve a 400 million dollar good bye gift? That's what we are paying for - retirements for the already rich. Sad but true. Quitting your job and buying a smaller hybrid car is not the answer. If we buy small economical cars they just raise the price even more."

Social So-Cals

whaaa?!: "It's supply and demand. If these insecure So-Cals didn't have to drive Hummers and giant vehicles, the amount of gas purchased would go down and so would the price. Keep driving everywhere and definitely don't walk or ride a bike cause then you would be a loser."

Crazy economics

to STDAN: "Those economic principles are not the same which I learned in school. What are they teaching you kids these days?"

It's the way

dontthinkboutpast: "Hmm, electricity in 2001, shut down power plant, prices go up, produce as little as possible, make more money, less work. Welcome to the new American way - pay your executives obscene amounts of money and blame it on: the market, mid east, terrorism, instability, Hummers, lack of alternative ideas/fuel, even Democrats. Too bad we had a Republican oil man running the country. Where is Jimmy Carter when you need him?"

No difference

Inflation: "Under Jimmy Carter, we had double digit inflation. I think he is still in Georgia. If you need him, travel there. Under any of these clowns - Republican or Democrat - we the voters (and the taxpayers) suffer."

Hunter's military status could jeopardize congressional plans

Readers respond to our April 20 story about how Marine Capt. Duncan Duane Hunter's status as a reservist recalled to duty could jeopardize his political aspirations to run for his father's congressional seat because of a prohibition against uniformed military personnel seeking elective office.

Stayin' alive

Stealth Blogger: "Hunter should focus on staying alive in Iraq, not on 'Bomb-bomb-bomb, bomb-bomb Iran!' "

New names

Howiek: "Let's hope some serious contenders show up for this race. What the 52nd doesn't need is a Duncan dynasty - one has been more than enough!"

Debunked that one

Mark: "Jay wrote: "Funny that his deployment is of such a shorter duration than others as well." Actually, the Marine Corps has shorter and more frequent deployments than does the Army. Duncan Hunter's length of deployment is in line with other activated reservists. So much for your conspiracy theory."

Keep in the family

primogeniture: "Is it me or has politics in the last 10 years been a lot about family? It seems everyone running has had family in office preceding them, be it G.W. Bush, A.Gore, H. Clinton. What the heck is going on?"

Man kills wife, then himself in Murrieta

Readers had this to say about an article on a murder-suicide in Friday's editions:

Where were neighbors?

Rob: Hooray for the 14 year old boy and his mom who tried so hard to help. Why didn't the other neighbors go try to help when they heard the screams and such?

Guns to blame?

Jeremy: I wonder if this would have happened if we didn't sell guns to people in this country. It's a good thing the sprinkler system worked well.

More guns needed

Cheryl: Yes, Jeremy this would happen if guns were not sold to the public, because the criminal will always be able to get a gun. No, this would not have happened if all citizens were armed, then more people would be afraid to commit crimes.

Supportive family

heartbroken: Sadie has a very supportive family that has done everything in their power to help her. The boys are with their grandparents, who will give them a secure, peaceful home, and extended family who will make sure they are cared for.

Blame game

Dee Dee: Here we go with the blame game. There is only one person to blame and that was the killer. The victim did what she was supposed to do. She tried reconciling, she tried a restraining order, then filed for divorce. Unless you have been in a similar situation do not and I repeat do not blame the church, the cops or the victim. He was hell bent on killing her and that is that.

Sad situation

Andrea: This is truly a sad situation in all aspects. I am the kids' step grandma, and our daughter was a beautiful girl, a loving daughter and a wonderful mom who lived her life for her sons. We do know there are two families grieving. These children have an enormous amount to bear and have a large family to embrace them, no matter who they live with, but let's remember nobody can ever replace a Mother's love and care to a child and we will all miss Sadie and the happiness she brought to all of us. We love you Sadie and know you are finally at peace and safe at home with our Heavenly Father.