Recall will go nowhere

Councilwoman Esther Sanchez was the only council member to respond back to a request for help when we asked for it. It's obvious that she is for the best interests of our great town. Ideas like a convention center, the resort hotel, the park at El Corazon - she has been the driving force behind all of that.

And she was the only council member with guts to stamp out problems at City Hall, uncovering the Watanabe/Watson/Jepsen connection. This recall thing is not going anywhere - the people are behind Esther. It's just a waste of valuable taxpayer dollars.

Our council members and public should be focusing on what's important - raising our quality of life and land values.

JOHN TAYLOR

Oceanside

Meyer column is Swiss cheese

J. Stryker Meyer's June 23 column was right out of the RNC lie book ("Behavior toward military is out of line").

1. Combine immigration and the war into the same discussion. Nicely done.

2. When were 17 GIs beheaded? There are 300 million people who've never heard that story. Enlighten us please.

3. He quotes "high-ranking Army officer," and "Iraqi combat officer." Are these his sources? Warning: J should stay away from the blogs. They'll eat you alive for making things up.

4. We ignore the success stories. Saddam: out. WMDs: none. Government: In place. We are done there. Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL) is complete. Not. We are never leaving. That should make Meyer and Coulter happy.

5. Lastly, Meyer brings up Kosovo? We have troops in 135 countries around the world. When was the last U.S. military casualty in Kosovo?

Is this what he calls supporting the troops? By lying through his teeth?

TOM KOLT

Oceanside

Humorless cartoons on immigration

It's getting tiresome seeing political cartoons in your paper of late - cartoons belittling the efforts of Americans resisting the denigration of their cities. Those opposed to illegal immigration simply do not want America to be brought down to the level of corrupt Third World countries that are exporting their undesirables.

How about if the cartoonist depicts an illegal doing his laundry in a runoff creek bed with the caption, "Living the American Dream." You see, if the city of Vista sanctions a day labor site, there will be more crime and encampments scattered throughout the city, both just tucked away and out of sight. Are you OK with that?

With the decrease in hirings at the Escondido Avenue shopping center, Labor Ready has seen a tremendous increase in business. With a city-sanctioned hiring center, however, Labor Ready will be adversely affected and the unfair practice of paying people under the table will continue to undermine small business in Vista.

If the city of Vista was more small-business friendly they could probably generate enough revenue to get more cops on the streets, and maybe even their much-desired new City Hall. The crime in our city and condition of the City Hall building is a reflection of business as usual.

ERIC WALLACE

Vista

Global warming and meat eating

Oh boy, according to Mr. Gore, global warming is brought about by emission of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and more potent methane and nitrous oxide. According to government census stats the current world population is 6,525,486,603. If we get these people to reduce the inspirations and expirations, which is mostly carbon dioxide, we could significantly reduce the amount of CO2 in the air.

However, considering that number of people in the world, if we stopped eating meat the population of cattle and other sources of this tasty stuff would also increase, and they, through the natural system function, would naturally increase the amount of that nasty noxious methane gas.

Also, we humans require protein from which we get the necessary amino acids for metabolic and cellular renewal. We would replace the source of these foods that provide this function with oh, say beans and rice. Bingo, we've stopped eating meat and the net result is that we've increased the amounts of that methane gas we're worried about and now we've increased the greenhouse effect. Can't win for losing.

JOHN HERSH

Fallbrook

NCT misrepresented demonstration

The North County Times (June 25) misrepresented Saturday's Camp Pendleton's Eight demonstration. We arrived at the demonstration around 10 a.m. The count of demonstrators was 150 at 10:30 a.m., at noon the count was 250 and when we left around 1 p.m. the count was 350. During our stay, between 50 and 100 people left because they couldn't find parking; the school parking lot was opened late. Many hundreds entering and leaving Camp Pendleton honked their horns, waved, smiled, or gave thumbs-up favoring the demonstration.

Wars are about killing or being killed. Hesitation of one second in battle against suspected enemies is our death penalty. Not a single American was charged with combat murder in World War II.

Now the president takes the word of terrorist sympathizers reported by the traitorous press against the word of his own troops using riot-inducing scare tactics by threatening the eight with the death penalty. Generals Patton, Eisenhower and MacArthur had more brains in their little finger than today's generals and admirals combined.

We would have lost World War II with our present generals. The U.S.A. has no leaders; the terrorist-sympathizing news media are leading our politicians with propaganda and lies.

ARCHIE McPHEE

Fallbrook

A roadmap to perdition, not peace

Within Israel, the almost 20 percent of the population that is Arab have full rights, and Arabic is an official language. Israel protects Arab culture, grants equal freedom of religion and speech and guarantees equal rights to women. Arab health, literacy and living standards there are better than in other Arab states. The only "inequality" in citizenship is Arab exemption from military service, which is compulsory for Israelis until age 50.

Life is good for Israeli Arabs, unlike that of Jews in Arab countries. The return of 5 million so-called Palestinians into Israeli territory, which would destroy Israel, is simply a political ploy in which the refugees are used as pawns for Arab propaganda. Israel was founded to be a homeland for Jewish people.

The Palestinian problem remains non-negotiable because the real goal of the Arabs is the eradication of Israel, a legitimate country that is not even depicted on Arab maps.

I am not Jewish, but I can tell when something ain't kosher. Capitulation with Hamas and concession of territory are dangerous mistakes, a roadmap not to peace but to perdition.

DAVE BOUCK

Poway

Use eminent domain to expand airport

When I moved to San Diego in 1967 it seemed that people were trying to decide what to do and where to put the San Diego airport.

Tremendous amount of money built Terminal 2. Now the committee wants to move the airport to any number of places, including locations that have been declared off bounds.

It's just a thought: There are a lot of ugly gray buildings just across the street from the existing airport. Seize them by eminent domain. (The government has no problem using eminent domain when a private citizen is involved.) Put the street under the runway, which could be lengthened once the buildings are removed.

We save money by keeping the new Terminal 2 and get the longer runways that seem necessary to bring in larger airplanes. The people who live around the airport are already used to the noise. Miramar could remain a military defense base. Nobody will have to commute to the border, Oceanside or Borrego Springs.

KATHERINE VALLUZZI

Vista

Thanks for saving son's life

On June 21 my 14-year-old son, my daughter and I and friends were having a wonderful day at the beach by guard station 7 in Oceanside. The kids dug a very impressive hole with the aid of shovels, and many passers-by admired their work. I gave up on my normal worrywart mom-dom and relaxed and let them do their magic.

Unfortunately, my son endeavored to make the hole even better by tunneling. A disaster under sand and, well, it caved in while he was under it. My friend Jeff and I tried to dig him out, and those we called for help, including a young redhead surfer dude (yes, they really can be heroes) came immediately to our aid.

I would like to thank all of the heroes of the day. My son is doing OK so far, but I'm sure we'll have a lot of things to think about.

My reason for writing is to thank those wonderful people in Oceanside, as I did not get their names. Thank you for being a hero, Wednesday, June 21. You may have saved my son's life, and it was a very good life to save.

Thank you to the surfer, the man who pulled on my son's leg, the lifeguards, the paramedics, the ambulance drivers, the parents of my kids' friends. And thank you, God, for reminding me how very blessed I am.

LAURA LEMLY

Vista

Change the subject

The Republican-controlled Senate wasted time on a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages they knew had no chance of passing. Then they moved on to a trillion-dollar giveaway on tax breaks for multimillionaires and multibillionaires. Forget the real problems in this country and what we created in the world. The 2,500 dead military in Iraq - Tony Snow, the new press secretary, says is "only a number." That's a lot of comfort to the families of the dead.

Now the Republicans are giving us reasons to give amnesty to the Iraqi killers of our military. If they are so concerned to let these killers go, why are we still holding without charges all those men at Guantanamo? These people are seriously deranged. The latest distraction attempt to push up Bush's numbers is his creating the marine refuge in Hawaii. This is wonderful and the first good environmental action of this administration.

ELYSE BOOZER

Carlsbad

The erosion and degradation of the U.S.

How can one not write about the constant danger this once-great nation that was once-respected around the world is now in? Today we are vilified, hated and blamed for every problem in the world, true or not. We have lost over 2,500 of our finest young people in Iraq, two just tortured and mutilated.

We, as mandated, make sure that our prisoners of the same ilk of those that did this have three meals a day, prayer mats and baths from which to pray that we are exterminated. The invasion, yes invasion, there is no other word for it, of illegals is bringing this country to the point of being bankrupt with the drain on resources they are afforded. You name it and they get it. You as a citizen cannot get them. You just have to pay for it. Gas prices are at a level that, in all my lifetime, I never even imagined they could soar to.

All this and many more things too numerous to mention here are the product of a madman called George W. Bush. Say what you will, sadly it's true. My prayer is that we can survive the depths that he has plunged us to.

PHIL EPSTEIN

Oceanside

World will not end if we leave Iraq

We left Vietnam in political disgrace. The world did not end for us. We can leave Iraq in the same way. The troops have done all they can do. They are now only targets of opportunity.

Save our troops - bring them home.

THOMAS WILLIAM SMITH

Oceanside

Just who are the warmongers?

Did you ever wonder just who the so-called warmongers are? Well, let me tell you. They are the people who propagandized the people of the U.S.A. and the politicians who voted to start, perpetuate and fund the war. These leaders who have lied to the world and could easily be tried and convicted for war crimes are the ones who have convinced the public to sacrifice over 100,000 people because we lost 3,000 in New York. These leaders who have convinced us that they are doing the right thing are the warmongers.

Anyone who has supported the war by voting for any of the politicians who have supported the war are also warmongers. This includes the Republicans and the Democrats, for neither are safe in their defense of the war.

You may not think of yourself as a warmonger, but if you have voted for any of the officials such as Bush, Cunningham and particularly Duncan Hunter, then you are also a warmonger. And each GI who is wounded, mutilated or killed in this wrong war is a burden on your irresponsible actions of voting for these irresponsible politicians who have let this country down and turned the world against the U.S.A.

ROD GALLOWAY

Ramona

Loose libs sink ships

This is in response to Richard W. Crews' letter from June 23. Let me explain to Richard what is un-American. What's un-American is the way liberals will focus on an unrealistic timetable to pull out of Iraq. What's un-American is that liberals worry so much about the treatment of enemy insurgent terrorists when those beasts cut off American heads. What's un-American is the liberal push for a conviction of Marine and Navy heroes accused of murder when the case hasn't even been brought to court yet.

It is un-American to demonize our troops, especially while they are fighting a faceless enemy. What's un-American is removing the cross from Mount Soledad. I'll bet if the Muslims wanted to put up their symbol on public land the liberals would fight to preserve it. What's un-American is the idea of a peace plan in Israel, knowing that if Islam destroyed Israel, we would be next, as would the rest of the free world.

Liberals are good at slamming America and giving their lunch money to the bully so they don't get picked on. I say we mug the bully and take his wallet. Bullies also worry about what the world thinks. Who really cares what they think; worrying about what they think is un-American. Loose libs sink ships.

YAAKOV BEN KAHANE

Ramona

Stop this injustice

SB 1186 is discriminatory to non-Covenant kids of Rancho Santa Fe. The historic injustices to the non-Covenant kids of Rancho Santa Fe who've been deprived of the best sociocultural educational experience, the right to attend the local neighborhood school, continues.

The injustice was created by the special-interest state law, section 35756.5, placed into the Education Code in the 1970s by and solely for Rancho Santa Fe School District. This state intrusion into what should be local boundary adjustment negotiations between districts gives Rancho Santa Fe School District voters the absolute veto power over non-Covenant students, a castelike slur ingrained in Ranch vocabulary, even among children. We should unite and, once and for all, defeat this gross injustice.

RATHIN NEOGY

Hacienda Santa Fe

Property Owners

Association

Rancho Santa Fe

America does not have patience of al-Qaida

It was tragic and very sad to hear the news from Iraq last week about the mutilated killings of two very young soldiers, Pfcs. Tucker and Menchaca. As to Pfc. Menchaca's uncle who was quoted on the "Today Show," "the U.S. government had no plan in place," I could not agree more. This war was never thought through from what would happen after Saddam was eliminated from power. A power vacuum was created and al-Qaida filled that vacuum immediately with brutality against anyone who opposed them.

Don't you see you are dealing with ruthless fanatics who will do anything in the name of God's will, I mean anything. These sick people are very patient and very committed to see violence through and have no limits as to how violent they will be or what they will do. Sept. 11 was in the planning stages for several years even before it was acted out, not just a spur of the moment thing. The U.S. will be in Iraq for a very long, long time. Does the American public honestly realize just what they are really dealing with and for how long? To what extremes will this country's leaders go to fight these sick fanatics?

Is the country prepared for much more loss of life and wasted money? No, because we do not have the same will or patience as al-Qaida does.

JOHN KAUFMAN

Oceanside

Show Feinstein what we think of her

It's difficult to figure out why our senators in California, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, continue to vote for amnesty for illegal immigrants. After all, aren't they supposed to stand up for working-class Americans? At least that's what the Democratic Party used to stand for.

If you examine Boxer's and Feinstein's voting records, you will see that they stand up for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's demand for cheap labor, and for foreign nationals waving the Mexican flag on the streets of America. They also voted no to making English the official language of the United States. Why would that be? If they truly represent the working class of America, I believe most American workers speak English, and would like that tradition preserved.

Boxer and Feinstein have made it perfectly clear by their voting records that the 10 million to 12 million illegal immigrants and their extended families (another 50 million to 60 million possibly) are more important than the 14 million Americans who currently can't find full-time jobs. What about their extended families?

We have a chance this November to tell Feinstein what we think of her turning her back on the working-class American. We can vote her out of office. And when Boxer's turn comes, we can vote her out too.

KRISTA NOONAN

Carlsbad

Congress and its hypocritical protest

What a clever cartoon by Mike Smith showing Congress yelling "Cut and run!" when they find in the fictional future that their children may be drafted. I hate to confuse him and his liberal buddies with the present reality, but let me invoke facts and a question.

First, the facts. Duncan Hunter's son, Duncan Duane Hunter, a first lieutenant in the Marines Corps, was deployed to Iraq in 2003. Congressman Hunter also happened to serve in Vietnam. Congressman Hunter is a Republican.

Now, the question: Is a relative of Sen. Ted Kennedy serving in Iraq? In 1969, when folks in Ted's age group were shipped to Vietnam, he was getting trashed on Chappaquiddick and left Mary Jo Kopechne beneath the Dyke Bridge to drown. Ted is a Democrat.

So the cartoon is just that: a cartoon, having no basis in fact. Except that the hypothetical howl of protest would come from the Ted Kennedys.

WILLIAM GILLESPIE

Poway

Shame on vandals who damaged bike

I am a resident of Temecula and say that with great pride. I appreciate those who have "passed this way" and worked so diligently to make our city what it is today -- a wonderful place to live and raise our families. We are blessed with natural beauty, opportunities and community values that make our hometown very special.

A recent event, however, has caused me to question whether the temperament of our community is changing. I have met a woman who is experiencing hard times and for many months has been living in her car. Her only possession besides an old vehicle is a bicycle that she uses for transportation and for getting exercise. Unfortunately, this treasured possession was recently vandalized while locked up at Butterfield Stage Park in southeast Temecula. The tires were sliced, the spokes were broken, and the back wheel was bent out of shape.

The bicycle is no longer operable, and its struggling owner has no means to have it repaired.

To this I say, "Shame on us, Temecula!" Someone in our community committed this destructive act. Butterfield Stage Park is a neighborhood park, not one that is often used by strangers passing through. One of us, either an adult or one of our children, chose to totally destroy one of the only possessions of someone who has so little.

Needless to say, I am saddened and disappointed and hope all who read this will pause to think: "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

EMILY BOLECHOWSKI

Temecula

Petition shows opposition is no 'minority'

A grassroots group in Redhawk, working under the aegis of Save Our Southwest Hills, set out last March to prove that a supermajority of Redhawk is opposed to Liberty Quarry. Why? By proving that such a supermajority exists, it's sensible to extrapolate that if a similar survey were conducted in the other communities of the valley the results would be much the same.

After 3 1/2 months, multiple returns to the 2,969 doors of Redhawk, the Redhawk Grassroots Boots have signed in 2,100 households in "total opposition" to the quarry. The survey team feels only about 5 percent of Redhawk supports the quarry. The difference between 2,100 and the 5 percent is made up of "never at homes" and vacancies.

Our volunteers feel they have performed a service for the valley by demonstrating there is overwhelming household-to-household opposition.

This was the closest Redhawk will come to voting on the issue. They feel the five county supervisors would have to proceed against the people in approving the project. They remind the county that given the property taxes they pay, they have a right to expect the supervisors to champion their quality-of-life aspirations.

The message to Granite: Cease talking about only a few ranchers or a small vocal minority being opposed. The residents of the Temecula Valley got here first, like SDSU, and they say no! Fairness dictates: "to market, to market," Granite -- San Diego County. Poof, Temecula saved 1,400 daily truck sorties -- just for openers!

KEN JOHNSON

Temecula

Quarry will reduce dust near freeways

Those who have written about the potential dust hazard from the proposed Liberty Quarry in southern Riverside County don't seem to understand where all the dust is coming from. Rock quarries have effective methods to control dust emissions and do a very good job of it. They know they can be severely penalized if they fail to meet stringent standards.

The biggest problem with dust arises when trucks leave the quarry and hit the road. The turbulence caused by big rigs driving at freeway speeds creates a tremendous dust storm, sending micro particles into the nearby houses. Those of us who live close to a freeway know how hard it is to keep dust out of our homes. It has been estimated that the establishment of the new rock quarry will reduce the number of loads of gravel trucks driving through Lake Elsinore by about 1,200 every day.

When you factor in the return trips, this figure is roughly doubled. That doesn't even take into account the accidental spillage caused by faulty equipment, or fine particles that blow off the top. I support the proposed rock quarry as a way to reduce dust in the air and congestion on most Riverside County freeways.

FRED CROWE

Lake Elsinore

Los Alamos is ripe for horse park, arenas

My letter is in response to Ted Hoffman's suggestion for an equestrian facility in the area. (Letters, June 24). I've been spearheading a group of residents for several years in the Los Alamos Hills area pushing for some type of facility. We feel an equestrian facility on part of the 22-acre Phase 2 Los Alamos Hills Regional Park would be a perfect fit for the area. The park is located about a half-mile east of I-215 along Los Alamos Road right smack in the middle of rural-residential horse properties.

The equestrian folks and their children throughout the city of Murrieta have nowhere to safely ride at a public facility. I encourage Ted, and all folks desirous of a covered arena, dressage arena, round pen, picnic and parking areas to e-mail me (jaynlaura@verizon.net). We have a "come out and show your support event" coming up soon, so let's get it together and show the city of Murrieta how many folks want something like this.

JAY and LAURA FROBOESE

Murrieta

Ending war not 'cutting and running'

I commend The Californian for the editorial "Debating the war is not deserting," June 28. I'm sure the paper will receive many letters criticizing them for "leaning left." The reality is that discussing when to end a war is neither "left" nor "right." Nor is it "cutting and running," which is the pro-war political mantra of the day. Instead, it is an exercise in reasoned dialogue, which is what democracy demands of our legislators.

Those who accuse Democrats of cutting and running must ask themselves what is the alternative to debating the continuation of a war. Is it to stay indefinitely or to fight on until there is no one left standing, even if the majority of the people have turned against the war? Is that supporting the troops?

Every war eventually ends with negotiations and troop withdrawals. Unless those in Congress wish to stay in Iraq forever, the Iraq war will end as well. "Supporting the troops" means, among other things, bringing as many as possible safely home.

When this war was sold to Congress on the basis of Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, no one expected it to last over three years and cost over 2,500 American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. Many citizens and legislators have grave doubts about the wisdom of remaining in Iraq and keeping our troops in danger. Our soldiers and Marines will come home. It is our patriotic duty to have a sober and reasoned discussion about when they should.

ELLEN TERICH

Temecula

Fresh from the Web

An article Thursday stating that voter turnout in Riverside County for the June 6 election was a record low brought these reactions:

Machines taking over

DeVoted: Voters aren't fatigued, but they are tired of voting for shills of one party or the other. Voter confidence has been reduced because our Registrar of Voters won't allow observers access to "meaningful observation" as prescribed by law. Increasingly, voters are choosing not to participate in a system they don't believe in. Machines have taken over lots of jobs in this nation, reducing human participation. Apparently, human participation wanes when you let privatized, programmable machines decide the fate of a democracy.

A legal requirement

Barry: It's not "a practice that once allowed citizens to double-check the tally… ," it's a current legal requirement the registrar chose to ignore.

Public trust

Jim: Voters need confidence not only in the voting system, but in our public officials. As a fundraiser for schools, we understand the need for close scrutiny of our business. Should we not expect the same from those who are entrusted with our votes and in local government that touches the lives of so many citizens. It is time for our public officials to energize the voters through a campaign focused on public trust.

Readers responded as follows to an article Thursday discussing the state of the national interstate highway system on its 50th birthday:

Open up car-pool lanes

George: The car-pool lanes in general (and the reversible lanes in the center of I-15 in particular) are running at half-capacity. Removing the car-pool requirement will free up existing wasted capacity at almost zero cost and take about one week to accomplish. That's an extra 1,000 cars per hour per lane restored to normal usage, a capacity increase that promises to significantly reduce congestion on the freeway! … In addition we've been told by (the San Diego Association of Governments) there's "no right of way available" when we ask for additional regular freeway lanes and right after they convince us there's no room, SANDAG begins building more car-pool lanes where they claim there was "no space available"!