Re: your April 28 article, “More than 30 show support of filibusters”:

I noted with interest the whining about the Senate preventing filibusters of judicial nominees mentioned in the article. In my opinion, if Republican senators had filibustered Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Thurgood Marshall, you would have heard piercing screams of racism, sexism and, of course, unconstitutionalism from proponents of filibustering judicial nominations.

It is an interesting exhibition of a double standard in action.

— Gary Forsch, Port Hueneme

Based on direct testimony by John Bolton, it appears that President Bush’s nominee for Ambassador to the United Nations has lied under oath. Bolton claimed Thomas Hubbard, then ambassador to South Korea, signed off on a provocative speech about North Korea and thanked him afterward.

Hubbard, a Bush appointee, said he had not expressed gratitude for the speech and had disapproved of it. In fact, Hubbard’s request to tone down the speech was ignored by Bolton. Sounds pretty clear-cut to me.

To gain a little perspective, if I remember correctly, during President Clinton’s impeachment, the main argument was that Clinton took an oath before God to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and then failed to do so. The result: 228 congressional representatives and 45 senators voted for impeachment. To ignore Clinton’s lie under oath was to undermine the rule of law.
Given this fact, can anyone tell me why Bolton’s lie doesn’t automatically disqualify him? If Bolton is willing to lie to get confirmed, what might he do if he is steamrolled through to confirmation? In light of Bolton’s lie, why do Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and Bolton’s congressional supporters not do the right thing and withdraw his nomination? Is it possible they think loyalty to Bolton is more important than lying under oath before God?

It appears lying under oath is an impeachable offense for Democrats, but OK for Republicans. Republicans can undermine the rule of law, Democrats can’t. Republicans can lie, Democrats can’t. It almost sounds like the exercising of relative morality on the part of those who claim to have never flinched a nonmoral muscle. You can even call it a moral flip-flop. Just one more reason we need to keep the filibuster intact.

— Alan Alweiss, Camarillo

C’mon folks. When there are well-qualified judicial nominees who meet the requirements Congress and the president have deemed necessary to fill vacancies in the federal courts, a fair-minded legislature confirms the appointments. That’s its job.

What’s going on here is not about the credentials of the nominees but the litmus test of ideology. The reality is that Republican presidents appoint conservative judges and Democratic presidents appoint liberal judges. Always has been that way, nothing has changed.

What has changed is the mentality of closed-minded senators who refuse to confirm an appointment because the nominee doesn’t see it “my way.” You cannot hold the federal courts captive hoping the White House changes guard in 2008 and, therefore, a change in ideology.

Bill Frist is right as the Senate majority Leader to try and complete the job the Senate is called to do, confirm presidential appointments. If undoing a filibuster is needed (for federal judicial appointments only), so be it.

Remember, these nominees are well-qualified and forgoing the filibuster would be the doings of the Democrats who refuse to “play” when ideology is on the line.
 
— Nancy Janes, Ventura

I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank Senior Deputy District Attorney Karen Wold and the Oxnard Police Department for their fine work in convincing Judge Frederick H. Bysshe to make the gang injunction permanent. The Colonia Chiques have terrorized the residents of Oxnard for too long with very little done about it.

Dave Howard of Ojai and Jim Yarborough of Thousand Oaks along with Francisco Romero and other sympathizers would have you believe that peace, love and throwing money at useless programs will fix the problems. It won’t. The programs they whine about, that they say are so needed, are already in place.

Education? There is a system called the public schools where on a daily basis I see these kids tossing away their opportunities. They are too busy tagging the school grounds, terrorizing fellow students, defying any and all authority, and ditching class to smoke dope to get any meaningful education out of the system that is there to serve them.

Jobs? Do people think that if these kids got the education offered to them they might be able to get a decent paying job? Go to school, pay attention, learn to properly read, write and speak the English language, and they might be surprised at the opportunities afforded to them.

If they can get a clue, do what they are supposed to do, and learn to live like civilized human beings, then more power to them and welcome to the real world. If they cannot, then they should be placed behind bars for as long as possible and they can then prey on each other.

— Steve Buratti, Oxnard

Re: Wendy Dager’s April 14 commentary, “Create traffic plan to spare writer more tickets”:

What a whiner. Dager got cited pure and simple. She violated a law that has been on the books for a number of years and that has been publicized many times.

This was not a “ticket trap.” If it was, the school bus would have been planted there to catch drivers violating the law. This is a regular bus stop. When the police set up checks at pedestrians crosswalks having people cross and cite drivers who don’t stop, would she consider that a “ticket trap”?

When drivers are cited for traffic infractions, they usually never repeat that same thing since they are aware of what they did and they don’t want to get cited again and see their insurance rate go up.

“Traffic plans” would be nice. However, it seems better to stop driving every kid in an individual automobile to school and require all kids either take school buses or drop offs should not be allowed any closer than two or three blocks surrounding the schools.

How about some form of a car-pool lane system to drop off kids directly at school, whereas vehicles must have at least three students going to that school in the car to get that close?

It’s not the schools that have created this craziness, it’s the psychology of parents today who believe that, in one of the safest areas in the country, our kids are not safe to either walk to a school bus stop or take a school bus, but must be personally chauffeured.

— Howard R. Weisenfeld, Westlake Village

Regarding the Senate’s current cloture rule requiring 60 votes to end debate, Senator Barbara Boxer recently told a Moveon.org rally crowd: “So we’re saying we think you ought to get nine votes over the 51 required. That isn’t too much to ask for such a super important position. There ought to be a super vote.” (Sen. Barbara Boxer, remarks at MoveOn.org rally, Washington, D.C., March 16.)

What a difference a few years and a change in administrations makes. Here are Boxer’s thoughts on the role of senators, taken from the congressional record in May 1997:

“According to the U.S. Constitution, the president nominates, and the Senate shall provide advice and consent. It is not the role of the Senate to obstruct the process and prevent numbers of highly qualified nominees from even being given the opportunity for a vote on the Senate floor.”

Boxer’s own words expose her blatant, partisan hypocrisy and condemn her ongoing obstructionism denying “highly qualified nominees from even being given the opportunity for a vote on the Senate floor.”

One such nominee is Justice Janice Rogers Brown, whom President Bush nominated nearly two years ago, in July, 2003. Brown is the first African-American elected to the California Supreme Court. She was re-elected by California voters with a whopping 76 percent of the vote. She is a single mother, the daughter of Alabama sharecroppers who worked her way through college and law school. I would think Boxer would — and should — delight in supporting a woman, a minority, and one of California’s shining examples of excellence.

Justice Brown’s résumé is available for all to see at the U.S. Department of Justice Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/brownresume.htm.

— Ann E. Hamilton, Simi Valley

Re: William Burke’s letter, “Capable immigrants,” published April 27 in The Star:

I am amazed that the “common sense” principle is still driving political arguments.  Common sense, Burke indicates, contradicts the evidence of research that anyone can learn English and get a good job. “Common sense” also tells us the earth is flat and the sun revolves around the Earth, despite the research to the contrary.

My own experience as a student being schooled in another country, in a language not my native language, taught me a different lesson: It was a long and difficult journey, occasionally made somewhat easier by an encounter with an adult who spoke my native language (English) and provided the support I needed. I had the advantage of being literate in my own language, which allowed me to transfer many skills and to map many concepts I had already learned onto the new language.

Several decades spent teaching English to immigrant children and adults in this country confirmed to me what the research says: those students who have had some grounding in literacy in their native language will be far more successful than the children who begin school in English and never receive literacy instruction in a language they know.

Students today must be educated for a technological world; it is no longer possible to get a good job in this society without that type of education. While “common sense” may tell us that our older immigrant relatives were successful without schooling in the language they knew best, the facts indicate otherwise. How much more honest an argument against a particular group of learners would this be, rather than this anti-education bias masquerading as “common sense.”

— Mary B. Riggs, Newbury Park

Re: your article, “Los Robles Hospital plans layoffs,” published April 23 in The Star:

Los Robles Hospital & Medical Centers’s layoff plans are meant to help cut costs. This is shortsighted because the targeted people are vital to the nursing team. Registered nursing is a physically, emotionally and mentally draining job that is becoming increasingly difficult due to hospital cutbacks and federal regulations. If hospitals continue to cut back, then patients will be cheated of the skilled care they provide.

Certified nursing assistants are an integral part of the nursing team. A good CNA may determine whether the patient will have a good or bad day. The multiple things CNAs assist with include answering call lights, helping ambulatory and bedridden patients with toileting, passing meal trays, feeding patients who cannot feed themselves, keeping confused patients safe, taking vital signs they report to the register nurse, as well as changing beds, bathing patients, helping with dressing changes and running errands.

Unit secretaries are the heart of the whole unit. They are the first person the doctors and visitors turn to for information.

They are constantly answering phone calls from doctors, families and friends regarding patients. Every time a doctor sees a patient, the doctor writes orders regarding the patient’s care. It is the unit secretary who takes the orders, puts them into the computer, and informs the nurse if an order requires immediate action.

The lift team at has been a tremendous help. Who knows how many backs they have saved. The lift team helps turn bedridden patients and helps patients with balance problems into chairs. They respond to emergency calls for patients who have fallen or become combative.

What do the registered nurses do? All of the above as necessary. But, the important fact is these helpers allow the nurse to do the vital aspects of nursing, to physically see and touch each patient to assess their physical status, to read their charts, check test results, pass out medications, hear complaints, assure that doctor’s orders are being implemented and be aware if anything is amiss. It is the nurse whose knows your condition and keeps your doctor aware of your status. Making the job more difficult for RN’s and less helpful to patients will not improve either health care or the nursing shortage.

— Lucille B. Chaney, R.N., Newbury Park

Re: your article, “Los Robles Hospital plans layoffs,” published April 23 in The Star:

Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center is struggling financially and downsizing because of a $10 million unpaid bill. It doesn’t take a fifth-grader to figure out what is happening.

My hope is that the veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq realize that their fighting for this country was all in vain because right now our president is allowing foreigners to invade our country on both borders, day and night.

Perhaps, he and the American public will wake up and smell the coffee cooking.

— Ray Holm, Thousand Oaks

Re: your article, “Police corral heard of runaway bison in Baltimore suburb,” published April 27 in The Star:

I saw the picture and read the article in about buffalo running amok in Maryland. It was an outrage. It looked like people were having a great time. What were the animal-control officers thinking? Instead of trying to recapture these dangerous creatures, they should have been busy shooting them.

In the picture, we see two charging animals weighing at least a ton each and going fast enough to jump the net on a tennis court, an innocent bystander and a policeman standing by without his gun even drawn. If not fired, the officer should at least be brought up on dereliction of duty charges.

Thankfully, in Ventura County and California, our public safety officials know where their duty lies. The instant a dangerous animal shows its face in one of our neighborhoods, it is shot down like a dog in the street.
Don’t those fools in Maryland know a 2,000-pound buffalo can kill an innocent citizen much more easily than a clawless pet tiger?

—Tom Baldwin, Moorpark

Re: your April 19 editorial, “Terri was not abused,” published April 19 in The Star:

No, she was killed at the insistence of her husband. The Star would have made a good editorialist in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s.

— Ron Wilson, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Thousand Oaks

Re: Bruce Tinsley’s “Mallard Fillmore” comic, published April 27 in The Star:

I see Tinsley has been hammering a column by John Leo.

That would be the Leo whose columns appear in the right-wing TownHall.com Web site, the uExpress Web site and in the “very conservative” Jewish World Review, among others. That would be the Leo who feels tolerance is an “amazing nonsense of political correctness.” So, a right-winger quoting a right-winger isn’t the best way to convince a fence-sitter like me.

So, I look up Leo’s March 21 column wherein Leo quotes Warren Ferrell, author of a book, “Why Men Earn More.” So, I look up the book that concedes discrimination does indeed play a part as to why women earn less than men on average. As to how large a part is a subject of protracted discussion but there it is: women earn less than men on average.

My apologies to Tinsley’s “Mallard Fillmore,” which quotes Leo who misquotes Farrell. Just shows how far a little hyperbole can go in subjectively trying to reach a conclusion from somebody else’s research and consideration of facts.

— Darryl Pearce, Camarillo

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “Sparing America’s courts,” published April 26 in The Star:

Larsen once again displayed his skill in obfuscation.

Take his central point that Republicans are pushing to appoint “ideologues” to the courts. He leaves undefined the term “ideologue,” preferring to use it as a polemic device rather than be clear in its meaning. Since it is apparently only Republicans who appoint “ideologues” (neither Presidents Johnson’s nor Clinton’s nominees were branded with that term), we can only assume an ideologue is someone with whom Larsen disagrees.

He does define the term “activist judge,” but his flowery prose describing such judges bears little resemblance to what judges are supposed to be. Rather than being people who interpret the Constitution as it was originally written, Larsen sees judges as “standing up for individual rights” and “considering the whole of human experience.” If we wanted such people as judges, we could easily find them populating the English departments at local universities.

As for his defense of the filibuster, Larsen could not justify it on practical or even historical grounds, but was reduced to the sophomoric trick of pointing out alleged hypocrisy by Republicans on the subject. What was worse was that he was unable to deliver damaging quotes from sitting senators and could only pull an internet-sourced quote from former Sen. Bob Smith.

And what Larsen column would be complete without the obligatory smear against the “religious right?” Larsen takes the statement of a professor of theology and morphs it into a Republican plot to force judges to swear allegiance to the Baptist Church.

I would like to believe that Larsen is merely ill-informed, but sadly he is an “ideologue” who holds “dogmatic beliefs of what constitutes right and wrong.” Like the man says, such people have to be stopped.

— Sean Paroski, Camarillo

I have been an instructor in the water science program at Ventura College since 1989. This program provides the required education credits for individuals to qualify to take the tests for work licenses issued by the state of California in the water and wastewater industry and meets the mandates for such requirements as set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Ventura College’s water science program has been cut by the board of trustees.

Trustees and Chancellor James Meznek have repeatedly stated the cuts were based on “under attendance.”

As related to the water science program, this is not true. The water science program exceeds all attendance standards that allowed other programs to continue.

District staff used a single parameter to identity attendance without regard to how that figure is applied. The cutoff line for discontinued programs was 525 weekly student contact hours. This for a program offering 100 percent of the classes, yields full-time-equivalent-student funds of $3,500, which equates to $700 per student in a three-unit class with a minimum size of 18.

The water science program offers 40 percent of the program classes per semester. A proper application of the student contact hours should have been 40 percent of 525 or 315, a number the program exceeds.

The water science program actually runs at 60 percent to 63 percent of fully available programs, resulting in the district receiving funding exceeding the program cost and providing excess funds for the district. The program has been subsidizing other programs for years.

Cutting the program will result in a new loss, not a savings of funding.

The program cost has been listed at $27,200, yielding net positive cash flow of $51,200 this semester. These are funds the district will lose if it does not reinstate the water science program for the fall semester.

— Joseph Richardson, Ventura

Re: J.D. Thorton’s letter, “More work, less play,” published April 10 in The Star:

I agree with his rationale on the necessity of unification of Camarillo High School and the Pleasant Valley School District, and that PVSD officials “may need to get their act together” before the process begins.

But, as a teacher who retired after 26 years of teaching and has substituted in PVSD for the last six years, I am “fed up” with the same old “shtick” regarding the “40-hour work week” that “should” be required for teachers. How do people know how many hours teachers work per week? The school day is seven hours long. What about hours of preparation for weekly lesson plans and grading papers at home that many teachers do? Drive by any school at 7:30 a.m. and you’ll see the teachers’ cars. Cruise by at 4 p.m. and, lo and behold, the same cars are still there. What do people think those teachers are doing?

I read more of the same “rhetoric” about all the days teachers have “off.” Some of those days, ‘”six nonteaching days,” are used to hone teachers’ awareness and skills in areas such as how to effectively teach learning-disabled students, ways to positively relate to students and their behavior, preparing students to take the multitude of standardized tests, and methods and insights that enable us to relate and teach students of the expanding number of different cultures.

Yes, teachers get a longer summer vacation. However, many teachers take vacations to places that are not only enjoyable for them and their families, but are a resource of information used to supplement classroom curricula. Other teachers teach summer school, work on advanced degrees, or attend workshops and conferences for their professional development that are payed for, often, out of the teacher’s pocket.

— W.R. Swiontkowski, Newbury Park

As I sit in the Newbury Park library (the worst of the three local offenders), I can truly say, “remember when silence was golden and the rule in libraries was to whisper?”

What is happening today? Libraries are supposed to be the sanctuary of silence. Here is my experience of libraries today: cell phones going off (and being answered inside the library, not outdoors); loud talking (main abusers of this were the librarians themselves, and you can’t tell them to be quiet, can you?); kids drinking and twisting empty soda cans (I thought food and beverages were not allowed in libraries); babies crying. Yes, babies.
Who brings a baby to a library? Wouldn’t that be the last place to take someone who you have absolutely no control over and who doesn’t understand the concept of quiet?

What is happening America? Have we become so “everything is OK to do” that everything old has gone out the window? I yearn for a place of quiet. Silence is nowhere anymore, and if the library loses it, where is it?

I must give praise to the Westlake library as it does have a room (if available) where you can sit in and close the door and achieve what in the old days was called silence. The only problem is, you don’t want to use that room on a warm day as the air conditioner doesn’t work and how long can you keep your eyes open when it’s 87 in a room and you’re reading something beyond your understanding? Please give us back a place to go and be alone with our thoughts and not have to listen to babies and cell phones and everyone’s conversations.

— Barbara Collins, Thousand Oaks

Re: Mark Roberts’ letter, “Firefighters do have caps and limits,” published April 20 in The Star:

Roberts apparently read or understood only a small portion of my April 14 letter, “It’s taxpayers’ turn,” in defense of Sen. Tom McClintock who had been previously chastised by a writer to The Star who claimed the senator was attempting to end death benefits for firefighters. In my letter, I  strongly supported such benefits for firefighters and also generous retirement benefits too.

Both the governor and McClintock have reported that the cost of retirement benefits for public employees have increased about 1,600 percent over the last five years. If that isn’t nearly unlimited, it certainly is uncontrolled, and that is the problem.

I can retire from aerospace engineering at about 40 percent base pay after 39 years, and contribute about $1,000 a month to my healthcare. At least I get a retirement and some health benefits, something many Californians will not receive. Thank goodness for Social Security.

By contrast, I believe firefighters can retire after 20 years service at a high percentage of base pay, and contribute little or nothing to their healthcare and be relatively immune from layoffs to boot.

The actual retirement numbers are unimportant. What is important is the wide disparity between the benefits ordinary taxpayers receive and what public employees are receiving, and the ultimate costs of those benefits.

— Thomas J. Reilly, Thousand Oaks

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s commentaries, “Jane Can’t run from bitterness felt by Vietnam veterans,” April 16, and “The wrath of God and the elevation of Joseph Trazinger,” April 23:

Maybe it’s just me. Since no one else seems upset enough with his last two columns to comment, maybe I’m just overreacting. I held my peace over the column on Jane Fonda. But one on the pope really needs rebutting.

How dare he pretend to know why all the cardinals decided to elect Pope Benedict XVI? Just who does he think he is? His pretentiousness revolts me. He is about as Catholic as the Bible-thumping redneck fundamentalists are “Christian.”

Of course, he has to interweave his right-wing reactionary hatred for the American Civil Liberties Union into his piece. God knows, its positions are not exactly mainstream. But without it, the unpopular would have no voice. Some day O’Reilly, who I have real trouble believing has so much as a drop of Irish blood flowing through his veins, may need them to defend himself. What goes around comes around.

As we used to say, “Be nice to everybody, you never know who will be your boss some day.”

— Patrick S. O’Malley, Oxnard

We have now heard from James Dobson and Tony Perkins and their Republican political acolytes that we must get rid of those dangerous liberal judges who are victimizing the poor, oppressed evangelical Christian minority.

I did not know judges were forcing evangelicals to have abortions. I did not know homosexuals were causing evangelical marriages to break up. I did not know evangelicals were being forced to teach evolution in their churches or were being prevented from praying in public schools. I did not know evangelicals were being forced to listen to Howard Stern and watch obscene and pornographic movies and television programs, and read obscene books.

I did not know that such heathens as Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, the Eastern Orthodox, Jews, Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists and Democrats were imposing their offensive pagan ideas on the poor “people of faith.”

I am ashamed for being so uninformed.

— Raymond Greenberg, Thousand Oaks

The so-called “nuclear option” that the Republican Party is threatening America with is misnamed. True, they want to kill the filibuster rule so it will be easier for them to push through President Bush’s ultra-right-wing judgeship nominees and if they are allowed to get away with this, they will destroy one more tool of two-party rule. However, it will not be the total destruction that a nuclear holocaust brings.

No, their ploy is more like the unleashing of a neutron bomb on America for if they are allowed to detonate it, then only Democracy will be destroyed.

Totaltarism will be left standing

— John Darling, Ventura

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

Larsen is at it again. He says Christians want to create a faith-based government based only on their faith. He also states that, since inception, this nation has never been and should never be a faith-based government. He is wrong in both cases.

This nation was most definitely founded as a Christian nation. There are references to our Lord in the Declaration of Independence. Our currency reads, “In God We Trust.” Our Pledge of Allegiance states, “One nation under God.” Our elected officials are sworn in by placing their hand on a Bible and making an oath that ends in, “So help me God.? Witnesses in criminal court cases are also sworn in with their hand on a Bible making the same declaration. These are facts.

As for Christians trying to create a faith-based government, we are simply exercising our rights to vote for candidates who most closely align themselves with our beliefs. We have the same rights as non-Christians. We expect nothing more and will accept nothing less.

The real problem here is that Larsen doesn’t understand Christianity. It isn’t about enforcing the Ten Commandments. It isn’t about judging others from a false moral high ground. It isn’t about us at all. It’s about Jesus, pure and simple. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

By accepting Jesus, we aren’t any more moral than anyone else. But at least we have a firm foundation on which to build. In 2 Corinthians 3:17, the Bible says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” This is true freedom.

— Ken Raduechel, Ventura

Concerning the injunction recently made permanent. I’m a Colonia Chiques gang member. I have been for more than two decades. The ignorant have received their wish with constant propaganda filled with outright lies and distortions.

People either suffer from schizophrenia or are smoking crack. Only the foolish and gullible would believe the hysteria. It’s amusing but sad to see society sink to the lowest point. I may be a gang member, but I know a thing or two about communism. The Oxnard Police Department’s latest publicity stunt is exactly that. Anyone with an ounce of common sense could see that.

Who are they to deprive people of due rights and create a subclass of citizens? Who are they to foster a police state and trample on those who don’t agree with them? Who are they to rewrite the Constitution to fulfill their most malicious desires? They must be Stalinists in disguise with their repugnant theocracies.

They know Oxnard is a “Rampart” waiting to happen, so they do their best to cover tracks to avoid that day of reckoning. With systematic abuse of power, they feel free to run wild.

This society was founded most ideally. Who’s naive enough to believe it can be perfect or even close? Be a realist, stop shining and accept what can’t change unless you’re a divine power.

People with manifestos should go where they’re welcome or do something positive and productive with Oxnard’s youth. That’s where attention and every resource is needed. People can come together and create programs and jobs for our youth. Then and only then will they receive a pat on the back with a round of applause. In the end, these “injunctions” are futile with a minimal effect. Twenty years from now ask yourself what have you seriously changed?

— Arnufol Sotelo, Inmate, High Desert State Prison, Susanville

Re: your article, “Smoking deserves R rating, critic says,” published April 20 in The Star:

On a recent visit to Ventura, UCSF professor Stanton Glantz claimed, “The tobacco industry has paid off Hollywood to get smoking into movies for decades.” Philip Morris USA, the nation’s leading cigarette manufacturer, does not pay for placement of its products in entertainment programming.

Fifteen years ago, Philip Morris USA adopted a policy of not paying for product placement. This policy was reinforced by the1998 settlement agreement between the major tobacco companies and the states, which strictly prohibits participating manufacturers such as Philip Morris USA from paying for product placement in movies, television shows, music videos or video games.

Furthermore, Philip Morris USA does not condone the placement of our products in movies and television. In fact, we deny all third-party requests for permission to use, display or make reference to our cigarette brand names, products, packages or advertising in motion pictures or television shows produced for viewing by the general public.

It is our hope the motion picture industry will do what many are asking for: reduce or preferably eliminate smoking scenes in movies directed towards kids, and eliminate cigarette brand imagery in all movies.

— Howard A. Willard III, Senior vice president, Youth smoking prevention and corporate responsibility, Philip Morris USA, Richmond, Va.

Re: your article, “Proposed high-rise towers spark growth debate,” published April 19 in The Star:

Developer Doug Austin is obviously a dealer.

He’s stirred up a hornet’s nest with his Channel Island Center proposal — to build three condominium towers 31, 31 and 48 stories in the Levitz area (eventually creating a triangle with The Esplanade and Wagon Wheel Drive).

Residents are in dither. I suspect Austin will back down. Then he’ll propose half size. Residents will expel a collective sigh of relief — after all, the towers in north Oxnard are 14 and 21 stories in height. In the end, Austin will get what he wanted in the first place.

Even a project half the size of Austin’s original proposal would wreck havoc on the ingress and egress to the area. What quality of life is there when many bodies are crammed into a small space? (let alone the cars, trucks, and SUVs.)

Some cultures handle physical closeness — as a whole, Americans don’t. I realize we’re running out of elbow room, but a proposal this extreme is not a healthy viable solution.

That Austin would be “very surprised if we couldn’t handle the traffic flows with what’s available” is mind boggling. Flow means movement — of which there is little to none (depending on time of day). What alternate routes are available in this area? Vineyard Avenue is swamped, as are Gonzalez Road and Oxnard Boulevard. Wagon Wheel is pathetic. Trains pass the Vineyard Avenue/Oxnard Boulevard intersection throughout the day and night.

Those who need access to Highway 101 will use those streets.

Common sense dictates such a project would be an absolute disaster for this area. Yet, common sense has no place in the quest for greed.

Let us hope there are people in today’s various governmental agencies living in reality … so common sense prevails.
— Tana Bevan, Oxnard

It’s time to stand up for fair play and democratic values. Republicans will try to seize absolute power to appoint judges.

The filibuster is a right senators have had since 1806. The rules currently allow a group of at least 41 senators to extend debate and delay very controversial votes indefinitely. It is rarely used, but it encourages the Senate to rule in a fair, bipartisan manner because neither side can be pushed too far — and it protects the rights of the minority.

President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and many Republican senators want to change the rules. They want the filibuster to no longer apply to judicial nominations. This would include Supreme Court nominations.

Our democracy is based on a system of checks and balances. The filibuster is an important part of that system and is critical to the functioning of the two-party system that ensures our freedom.

What I would like our president to hear is that the filibuster ain’t broke, so don’t fix it.

— Kristofer Young, Ojai

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

Ten years ago, I read a book titled, “Eternal Hostility, Democracy Versus Theocracy.” The author, Frederick Clarkson, described a plan being worked out by the religious right to turn our country into a “Christian nation.” Clarkson wrote that the ultimate goal was to amend the Constitution so that only “born again” Christians would have the right to vote and only Bible-centered Christians could be elected to office.

Such a radical and fundamental change would require two-thirds of state governors and legislatures approve these changes. There would have to be a majority of like-minded Christians in the White House, both Houses of Congress.

The plan was to begin at the grass roots. Evangelical congregations would be enlisted to get local communities to elect chosen candidates to school boards, city councils, boards of supervisors, state and federal legislative offices, governors, and, of course, the White House.

This would take several years. One of the first steps was to co-opt control of the Republican Party. We have witnessed this in recent years.

Since more than 80 percent of Americans consider themselves Christian, most hesitate to reject the views of members of their religion working to eliminate our constitutionally guaranteed religious freedoms.

A majority of the electorate approve of some form of abortion. There is a gradual acceptance of Americans who are gay or lesbian. Both activities are believed to be condemned by the Christian Bible, a book written in the ancient Near East more than 2,000 years ago in a culture that knew a great deal less about human sexuality than we do in the 21st century.

Larsen is giving his readers some serious things to consider. The threat to our religious freedom and civil rights is real. Believe it.

— John P. Fuller, Retired Episcopal priest, Oxnard

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

Larsen introduces subjects and points of view that invite, welcome and induce response. He doesn’t have to be right all the time, but he manages to be reasonable all the time.

The critical responses (April 25 letters by Barbara Bronson, “Moral relativism”; Christopher J. Maguire, “Intolerable stance”; and Bill Yates, “Irrational fear”) to his essay point out the sharp line and divided sides on the issue of tolerance.

Larsen is not attacking the Christian stance, but accepting that, in the brotherhood of man concept, all views have merit. I know and respect Yates, but his letter misses the point by attacking Larsen’s view of the evangelicals’ political influence.

Evangelicals can express their views, but to unduly influence politicos to punish those with differing views is not supportive of democracy. As long as people believe their view is correct and all others false, we will continue to have senseless wars, hate crimes and a paralyzed political system.

The anger against Larsen is misguided. He seems to be saying the “minority” point of view deserves consideration in all issues of life and death, privacy of the home and bedroom, personal and civil rights, future binding laws, etc. He does not criticize belief in God or the teachings of one’s church or ethical background. These letters are correct in stating many of our country’s origins were steeped in religious tenets, but our early immigration was of many persecuted people, who gave us all a rich, diversified, ethical heritage.

I am happy those letter writers have such strong principled convictions that compelled them to write and that The Star publishes them.

That is what our country is about: allowing opposing ideas see the light of day and be considered in an intelligent and respected manner.

— David Katz, Oxnard

Re: your April 21 article, “Governor: Poor English led to border comment”:

The governor should no more apologize for his statement on stemming illegal immigration, with which many citizens concur, than Michael A. Smith should apologize for doing to Hanoi Jane Fonda what many Vietnam veterans would also do. Bravo to both.

— Bill Moak, Simi Valley

Re: your article, “Los Robles Hospital plans layoffs,” published April 23 in The Star:

It appears Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center is in trouble because it can’t collect $10 million in unpaid care. Hospitals have passed on their losses by charging paying customers. New competition may put an end to that. It would be no big deal if Los Robles were the only hospital that is having financial problems, but it is part of a trend.

Each of us is at greater risk with each hospital that closes or cuts its services. Hospitals are a public resource. No one should be refused medical care that is available to paying customers. Isn’t it time we say we are worth it? We should have first-rate medical care and nursing. If it means the governor must increase revenues to provide medical care for the working poor, than so be it.

Let’s not stop there. There needs to be more state revenues to provide public services, such as schools, libraries and safety services. Medical care and public services have been cut back so far in this state, we are approaching a crisis. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger should think of something besides borrowing, tax breaks for the rich and cutting public services.

— Margaret Wilson, Ventura

Re: your article, “City Council agrees to hire counsel,” published April 22 in The Star:

ABC has Wisteria Lane and Thousand Oaks has Dallas Drive. Not all things seem as they appear. Oh the intrigue. Oh the secrets. What will be exposed next? Will more be revealed later in our favorite newspaper?

— Julian Macdonald, Westlake Village

Re: your editorial, “Bill puts teeth in animal laws,” published April 23 in The Star:

We agree with The Star’s call to support Assembly Bill 820 introduced by Assemblywoman Audra Strickland. There is room for legislative improvement on the federal level, too.

Within weeks of the tiger shooting, chimpanzees at a state-licensed facility in California escaped their enclosure and attacked a couple, one of whom remains in a medically induced coma. The chimpanzees were killed to stop the mauling.

Unfortunately, incidents involving escaped animals are not uncommon, especially since having wild and dangerous animals as pets has become a reckless fad in America. Tiger cubs and infant chimpanzees might seem cute and controllable, but, as they grow, these animals can become highly aggressive and dangerous.

In December 2003, the federal government banned interstate commerce in tigers and other big cats for the pet trade. Now Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, and Rob Simmons, R-Conn., have introduced similar legislation regarding nonhuman primates (HR1329). Like the big cats bill, the primate bill will crack down on the exotic pet industry.

We hope Californians will support AB820 and HR1329, for the protection of both people and animals.

— Curt Ransom, Regional coordinator, West Coast regional office, Humane Society of the United States

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

He beings with a series of scenarios that don’t exist. Why create hypothetical situations and not discuss facts as they are today?

He wrote, “Moral values are neither synonymous with nor exclusive to religious beliefs.” Don’t moral beliefs represent a religion? Webster’s dictionary states that religion is any specific system of belief, worship, conduct, etc., often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy.

He wrote, “There are certain moral opinions that we can agree on.” This mutual opinion is that murder, theft and abuse is wrong. That’s a great start. Take it one step further. Has he ever considered the obvious truth that many people are victims of murder, theft and abuse as a result of liberties afforded by our society?

Has he asked the question, “What causes people to murder, steal and abuse others?” Perhaps some of the actions that seemingly do not “threaten the harmony of society” are indeed the motivator for crimes we abhor.

Most pastors will say evangelicals do not wish to impose their beliefs on others. Christians, or anyone else, do not have the power to impose beliefs. Individuals are responsible for what they believe.

Larsen wrote, “Since inception, this nation has been secular” and the Constitution is the only document that “deals with the structure of the nation’s government.” Has he studied the documents of the Constitution’s writers? I believe he will find most of them had a Christian view.

I believe he and I both want respect for our opinions. We both are free to respectfully express our opinions. Most evangelical Christians will say they want the same. The more serious issue here is not the right to express one’s opinion but what type of actions those opinions seek to produce.

— Jeanette Day, Thousand Oaks

The people who don’t want us to vote for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in the next California election are already ‘talking him out the door.’  Subtle hints, jokes, innuendo, and all of it leading up to the cutthroat finale in distant November 2006.

These shenanigans reminded me of a psychology class demonstration of unconscious learning. Class members were asked by the professor to complement any girl wearing red. Within a week the entire lunchroom was a sea of red sweaters. No one was the least bit aware of this subtle training experiment. For a while, everyone was very friendly.

Then the class reversed the experiment, and every time the professor moved to the right side of the lecture hall, the class was overly attentive and took his lighter remarks as great comedy. Within a week they had him hovering near the entrance area and almost talked that innocent professor out the lecture room door.

If the people of California are not observant and refrain from critical thinking for the next year-and-half, we might find those who oppose our voting will in power and Schwarzenegger out the door.

— Ronald L. Lyons, Thousand Oaks

Re: your article, “Los Robles Hospital plans layoffs,” published April 23 in The Star:

It appears Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center is in trouble because it can’t collect $10 million in unpaid care. Hospitals have passed on their losses by charging paying customers. New competition may put an end to that. It would be no big deal if Los Robles were the only hospital that is having financial problems, but it is part of a trend.

Each of us is at greater risk with each hospital that closes or cuts its services. Hospitals are a public resource. No one should be refused medical care that is available to paying customers. Isn’t it time we say we are worth it? We should have first-rate medical care and nursing. If it means the governor must increase revenues to provide medical care for the working poor, than so be it.

Let’s not stop there. There needs to be more state revenues to provide public services, such as schools, libraries and safety services. Medical care and public services have been cut back so far in this state, we are approaching a crisis. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger should think of something besides borrowing, tax breaks for the rich and cutting public services.

— Margaret Wilson, Ventura

Those bemoaning the new “hard-line” pope are just unhappy that another Catholic got elected.

There is no such thing as a conservative or liberal Catholic.  People are either Catholic or you're not. There’s a word for someone who doesn’t agree with certain Catholic teachings: Protestant.

Let’s get over ourselves and pray for Pope Benedict XVI; we can at least all agree the man will face some extraordinary challenges in the coming years.
 
— Ellie Peck, Port Hueneme

Re: your article, “Wal-Mart urged to cut to the chase,” published April 1 in The Star:

I have just finished reading the latest doom-and-gloom piece about Wal-Mart Supercenters. I wonder if any of these writers actually have been inside of a Supercenter? They are marvelous places to shop and parking lots are always full. Most naysayers would probably be inside of the nearest one built, as soon as it was built, with everyone else.

Why should the public be deprived of these shopping marvels because of a few socialistic gurus? Wages, benefits, etc., you say? Find out about the hundreds of employees in Camarillo Premium Outlets and see just how great they are doing in these areas. The future of employee benefits is already here. It has been decided. Hundreds of supercenter-type stores, including SuperTarget and SuperKmart, are found in the United States.

Who is able, or should be, to set limits on my and my neighbors’ shopping wants? No one I am interested in listening to.

— Larry Lehecka, Camarillo

Re: your article, “House votes for drilling in Alaska wildlife refuge,” published April 21 in The Star:

This debate just keeps getting dumber and dumber. With respect to drilling in a pristine wilderness (or not), everyone seems to miss the point. It ultimately does not matter where we drill, nor from whom we import the stuff, Alaska or Arabia, we are addicted to it. Further guzzling (and further drilling) just enables us to sustain the addiction. In fact, we allowit to keep on growing.

All real growth involves change. That is what frightens the powers that be. If the U.S. were to stop enabling this hideously costly addiction, and to more bravely face the need (and profitability) of alternative energies, there might be a chance to keep living on this planet. If not, even Christ almighty, in whose name so many decisions seem to be made lately, cannot possibly save us.

— Pete Gerard, Thousand Oaks

Re: Bonnie Erbe’s April 5 commentary, “Religious oppression against women at the drugstore”:

I realize that if someone has a problem with something due to their personal “moral” beliefs, they are entitled to those feelings. However, a pharmacist’s job is to fulfill prescriptions. If they wish to give someone personal advice based on their religious views, they should become a priest.

They should not try to force their personal beliefs on me or anyone else. If someone does not agree with them or share their religious beliefs, that does not allow them to force another person to live by their rules anyway.

While I understand each person’s right to his own opinion, these pharmacists should understand that not everyone agrees with them. A woman should not have to be turned away from basic or emergency birth control because a pharmacist refuses to fulfill her prescription, refuses to forward that prescription to another pharmacist and/or pharmacy or refuses to return her prescription. A woman also should not have to explain why she has that prescription.

Emergency contraceptives are often called the “abortion pill.” They do not abort anything. They simply prevent a fertilized egg from attaching itself to the woman’s uterus and growing. It does not abort a fertilized egg that has already attached itself.

It’s simple: As a regular person, if you do not believe in birth control, basic or otherwise, then do not use it. As a pharmacist, if you do not believe in birth control or emergency contraceptives, regardless of the patient’s need for them, then choose another line of work. It is not up to you if someone else wishes to utilize perfectly legitimate family planning tools.

One can only hope that a bill is passed punishing pharmacists for interfering with a patient’s right to their prescription.

— Sunshine R. Cheek, Ventura

Re: Jerry Pomeroy’s letter, “Wishing her ill-will,” published April 19 in The Star:

After reading the hate-filled letter by Pomeroy about Jane Fonda, I would like to give him a few facts. First, Fonda, did not start the Vietnam war. It was started by the U.S. government under the guise of saving the Vietnamese people from communism. The war cost the death of nearly 60,000 young Americans, hundreds of thousands of wounded. Death estimates of Vietnamese are in the millions. It lasted 10 years.

Fonda was not responsible for these deaths, nor were the millions of people who demonstrated against it. Let us not forget the four students who were killed by the U.S. National Guardsmen while protesting the war.

The war was lost by the inept leadership of the military and the politicians who completely underestimated the strength and resolve of the Vietnamese people.

If Pomeroy wants to hate somebody let him start with the politicians who started and prolonged this unnecessary conflict.

Pomeroy admits to not being a veteran but, as a patriotic American, his misplaced idea that anyone who protests or disagrees with government policy is a traitor shows how dangerous our national mind-set has become. Blind acceptance of our leaders and their policies and that they are always right are becoming more prevalent and dangerous to our democracy.

Personally, I have to admire Fonda for her attempt to save American lives and in so doing sacrificed her very lucrative career for what she believed was right. I, also, find it ironic that those who have never been in combat are willing to fight to the last man.

As to my patriotism, I am a veteran of World War II. I flew 31 missions and was awarded four Air Medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross and three European Battle Stars.

— David Jensen, Ventura

I was one of many Thousand Oaks residents who attended the April 5 City Council meeting in favor of appealing the Sport Chalet project. I spoke out against Sport Chalet coming into our neighborhood shopping center for the many things that will happen when the store is opened: increased traffic, increased noise, obstruction of views and removal of beautiful trees. Most important, this shopping center is not zoned for this huge building or this type of business.

When the public hearing began I held out hope that the City Council would listen to the concerns of the residents. Boy was I ever wrong.

It quickly became apparent that council members had made up their minds before the public hearing even began. Deals, apparently, were already made between the city and the property owner and Sport Chalet.

The residents never had a chance. All the council was interested in was making sure that the project went forward.

What is wrong with City Hall? Council members are voted into office by us to represent us, the taxpaying residents. They are supposed to listen to our concerns, especially when we make an effort by attending their meetings. They did not listen to anything we had to say. They never made any effort to address our many concerns with the property owner and Sport Chalet.

City Council did what was best for a large corporation and a money-hungry property owner. Is the almighty dollar more important than the welfare of the residents? Apparently City Hall thinks so.

You can be sure that I will not vote for any of these people in the next election and you can be sure that I will not be spending any of my money in Sport Chalet. I urge the residents of Thousand Oaks to do the same.

— Anita Shelley, Thousand Oaks

In regard to the construction of the Sport Chalet project in the Conejo Valley Plaza, this project is illegal, intrusive on our quiet neighborhood and a threat to our bird habitats with the removal of 30 to 40 trees.

After attending the City Council meeting April 5, I could only come to the conclusion that our council and the Building Committee had been bought and paid for by Charles Cohen, John McDonough and the Beauchamp family in the name of greed. The Conejo Valley Plaza is zoned C-1, which is single-story structures under 30,000 square feet. The Sport Chalet is a C-3 structure, with more than 40,000 square feet of space and a regulation scuba training pool, which is illegal according to our present zoning laws.

Unless the council and the Building Committee have changed our zoning laws in the last five years, the city is in violation of our zoning mandates; and it will be against the law to build this structure in a minimall.

Cohen is a developer. The Beauchamp family will make a great deal of money if this project succeeds. This magnitude of a project will open the door to rampant development such as that which ruined the San Fernando Valley.

We need to put a stop to this now. We cannot afford to hire an attorney to file an appeal on our behalf within the next 25 days, but we can ask everyone who is opposed to this project to write to our City Council, or send letters to the editors of any paper that circulates in Ventura County. Help us preserve the most beautiful little city in Ventura County.

— Miss Lynn E. Zeigler, Thousand Oaks

The Federal government’s inability to protect America’s borders has been so ineffective and incompetent that a group of concerned citizens had to volunteer to guard American sovereignty. In just a few weeks, the Minuteman Project has proved that the tide of illegal aliens can be stemmed if enough resources are in place.

The fact that illegal aliens are streaming across our borders unabated shows the unwillingness of race-pandering politicians to fix the illegal alien problem. America is literally being inundated with illegal aliens, where their first act upon stepping into the United States is a federal violation. Yet, politicians clamoring for minority voters are unwilling to address the problem.

Of more concern then the hordes of uneducated and undocumented immigrants swamping our hospitals and courts and costing hundreds of billions of dollars every year for services is the threat of terrorists breezing through the porous borders. The ease with which illegal aliens can enter America’s boundaries is a disgrace. The terrorist element knows this all too well.

The chance of terrorists getting through the illegal alien sieve is more alarming then ever. The United States government is spending billions of dollars fighting terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan and billions more on security at home. Yet, the government is allowing thousands of people to enter America illegally because pandering politicians do not want to disaffect certain ethnic voting blocs.

The Minuteman Project is doing what the administration is unwilling to do. This group of patriots is making President Bush and Republicans look foolish. The success of the Minuteman Project should not be taken lightly because law-abiding Americans do not want the United States to be turned into a Third World country. The federal government is supposed to protect its citizens, but this simple fact seems to elude the Bush administration.

— Steven Farley, Thousand Oaks

Re: your article, “City ends North Park public hearings,” published April 22 in The Star:

It’s encouraging to see that North Park Village & Nature Preserve plan might finally get on the ballot, so voters can decide and hopefully start bringing North Park’s many benefits to residents.

The sooner this plan gets on the ballot, the better, and if it means a special election in September to save us even two more months, great decision. North Park Village is the only plan existing that tries to address the terrible traffic near Moorpark College. Yet, it’s been stuck in governmental hearings for years.

Moorpark College will grow by thousands of students in coming years (see its master plan on the college Web site if you want details). Both the city and college district don’t have any solutions to deal with the additional vehicles that will come. North Park Village does — a brand new freeway interchange and access road directly into the campus, which North Park is even willing to fully fund so we don’t have to wait for the government to act. It’s a multimillion-dollar gift for Moorpark.

Without North Park, Moorpark College will suffocate under its own vehicle exhaust. That’s just one of the many great benefits North Park Village offers Moorpark. It’s a plan voters need to vote on, as soon as possible.

— David Bagwell, Moorpark

Re: your article, “City ends North Park public hearings,” published April 22 in The Star:

The applicant should be commended for proposing an outstanding land-use plan, and for enduring an extraordinary public review process.

The North Park Village plan is extremely well-done. It takes straight aim at addressing problems in Moorpark and toward meeting community needs such as reducing traffic congestion around Moorpark College and offering vast recreational opportunities for residents.

Probably more impressive is how the applicant has worked so diligently in what is probably the longest public review process in Ventura County history. Four years and a couple dozen public hearings later, North Park Village is still awaiting the city’s blessing just to be placed on the ballot.

The process has resulted in many changes to a plan that was pretty strong to begin with. Ultimately those changes improved the plan and made it even better for Moorpark and its residents, which is a good thing. It’s just too bad the applicant had to endure such a prolonged public hearing schedule, a process that has included pathetic personal attacks like the ones we witnessed Wednesday night.

The plan is ready for the ballot and for residents to make the final decision. That’s what voters demanded when they approved the Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources ordinance — let the people decide such land-use matters. And the North Park Village plan is very ready and worthy of Moorpark voters’ support.

— Lynn Shackelford, Moorpark

After Hidden Creek’s dismal failure at the polls, the developers knew they had to change and adapt to overcome Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources and Ventura County stringent growth control. Past marketing techniques had become obsolete. Hidden Creek required a new strategy, better marketing and a psychology that would work.

Hidden Creek understood if it resubmitted this development to a vote before it had successfully morphed its image into North Park, it presented the real possibility of a knee-jerk reaction by the public to vote it down.

The long drawn-out Planning Commission and City Council meetings worked to the developers benefit. It allowed the time required for Hidden Creek to remarket its image into North Park, stroke past adversaries and to keep the vote out of November’s presidential election. I am of the opinion that North Park would have been defeated in the November election.

Currently, it looks as though North Park’s (Hidden Creek) goal is to get this massive development to a low turnout special election. A special election gives an unpopular agenda the best possibility of a favorable outcome. Those who have the most to gain from this development, either acknowledged or unacknowledged, will be the ones most likely to turn out and vote.

I think it would be prudent for Moorpark citizens to keep in mind that many of Hidden Creek’s past adversaries are now on the receiving end of North Park. North Park developers have not been wining and dining us, for now they are expecting a return on their investment when it time to vote.

I would also like to thank the handful of individuals who keep showing up to oppose this massive development. They did make a difference.

— Dorothy Ventimiglia , Moorpark

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

Larsen has again demonstrated his irrational fear of people of faith. He apparently believes “evangelical Christians” are free to believe what they wish as long as they confine it behind church doors or in their own homes. But to bring one’s faith into public and to have one’s understanding and values be derived from that faith is somehow beyond the pale. Christians should just shut up about values issues because their opinions are based on religion and, therefore, invalid and have no place in the political life of the country.

What kind of faith is it that doesn’t affect one’s life and views? For me to deny my faith is to be a hypocrite and liar.

Larsen charges that urging legislators to support our views means we oppose freedom of religion, speech and thought. This is a profoundly hypocritical and corrupt analysis. What do labor leaders, ethnic groups and business interests do? Exactly the same thing. We are only exercising our constitutional rights as any other citizen is free to do.

Freedom of speech means just that. It is not prohibited because the subject may be based upon religious beliefs. Larsen is afraid some sort of theocracy will be installed that will tell everyone what to do.

The way we change laws and government in this country is by elections. And to win elections, you must persuade enough voters to support your candidate or party to win. Why is it a danger that evangelical Christians express their political views? Is it only secular points of view that have any validity?

Larsen complains about Christians wanting to impose their beliefs on the rest of the country. But he wants to do the same with his views.

Hypocritical, to say the least.

— Bill Yates, Oxnard

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

I am outraged. It is one thing to hold a different viewpoint from Christians but to actually encourage people to “confront,” “do battle,” “quarrel,” and “backlash” against Christians is intolerable.

It is understandable why he is irritated at Christians, considering his beliefs are 180 degrees out of sync and wrong.

So much of Larsen’s essay is wrong, but I want to go to the heart. He writes, “Moral values are neither synonymous with nor exclusive to religious belief.”

First, that is not a truth but his own belief.

Second, and most importantly, if morals do not come from God, then they do not exist because they become relative to the individual. To say that they evolved from society cannot be sustained. When you look at great civilizations that sprang up thousands of years ago in far flung places (middle Africa, South America, Central America, Asia, etc.) it is striking that their morals were fairly consistent and, yet, they had no contact with each other. One thing they had in common was a religious belief dictating how they were to treat one another.

Larsen’s own morals were influenced primarily by his family and I would bet lunch that they were churchgoers. And this goes for every human being that has morals.

Another issue Larsen is wrong on is his belief that this nation has been secular since its founding. I would be more than willing to sit with Larsen and read what the Founding Fathers had to say about the influence divine providence, through the Christian religion, played in the founding of this nation. That is if he doesn’t mind me spending weeks of hours reading the writings of our Founding Fathers to him.

— Christopher J. Maguire, Oxnard,

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

Larsen wrote an entirely predictable essay that revealed his fears about having anything but the most vague ideas of what is morally acceptable in our society and government. He, like most liberals, wants a climate of moral relativism, lots of gray area, so he wants to persuade readers to think people who want more decency in American life and culture are just scary religious do-gooders who want, as he puts it, to “take control of our government and enshrine evangelical morality in our Constitution.”

He claims they want to impose their beliefs on others, as if decades of relentlessly encroaching liberalism hasn't forced its beliefs on all. He really goes out on a limb and says he’s against murder, theft and abuse. I guess this doesn't apply when it comes to 40 million aborted babies and liberal judges who let child molesters and killers out of jail so they can repeat their crimes.

Where has all this lax live-and-let-live attitude gotten us? We have many young people who yearn for guidance and are acting out in violence and apathy. Larsen claims “evangelicals” are attempting to quell the right of Americans to speak and to think what we want. How ridiculous, no one is trying to do that. It’s not only people of faith who want a better society. Many Americans are watching the coarsening of our culture and the downhill slide of decent values with utter dismay. They feel a sense of helplessness.

Larsen claims there will be a backlash against “evangelicals” if they continue their “assault against this secular nation.” How about the assault going on right now against Christianity? Larsen shouldn’t hold his breath waiting for that backlash — it might just go the other way.

— Barbara Bronson, Ventura

As a long time resident of Thousand Oaks, I am appalled with the unethical, unprofessional and just plain shoddy treatment of City Manager Phil Gatch. While it is true the city manager serves at the pleasure of City Council, the city codes state that the question of dismissal be reviewed by the council, as a whole, not a part of the council using bullying and mean-spirited techniques to achieve an “end justifies the means” result.

My expectation, as a voting citizen, is that Gatch receives a fair and just resolution to all facets of this problem. No amount of beautifying the city will cover up for the apparent blight within the City Council.

— Jean Poppen, Thousand Oaks

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

I thank Larsen for his well-crafted essay. It was a pointed and truthful piece on our personal freedoms’ history and future. Since our president desires to spread democracy around the world, it’s good that we remind ourselves exactly what a democracy is and why it can be as fragile as it can be strong.

We must remember that democracy is “rule by the people,” not a church, not a moneyed few. We may not always agree with our fellow citizens, including Larsen, but we all have the right to say we don’t — for now, at least.

Tuesday’s Opinion page (including the commentary by Bob Herbert on President Rooselvel ideals and the Terri Schaivo editorial) should have been required reading for all high school political systems classes on Wednesday. What a wonderful discussion on democracy all these pieces inspire.

Keep up the good work.

— Kathy Kenton, Moorpark

Re: Jim Sherman’s commentary, “Seeking to make emergency rooms flow better,” published April 18 in The Star:

The solution to the problems encountered by a growing number of healthcare consumers at the Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center emergency room can be summed up in two words: nurse practitioners.

Nurse practitioners are cost-effective, skilled providers of healthcare in a variety of settings, including hospital emergency rooms. In fact, the Journal of Trauma noted in 1990 that “nurse practitioners improve the quality of care.” St. Johns Regional Medical Center in Oxnard has effectively employed nurse practitioners in the emergency room setting for more than a decade as have many hospitals throughout the country.

Sherman cites several reasons for the problems in the Los Robles Regional Medical Center Emergency Room:

— The consumer. Patients often go to the emergency room for nonlife-threatening conditions. It is precisely these types of “emergencies” that nurse practitioners can handle the best. Not only can nurse practitioners skillfully and efficiently manage these problems but they can also educate patients in how to better care for themselves and their family in order to avoid subsequent emergency room visits.

— The nurses. Nurse staffing ratios are not the problem; provider staffing is. Currently, one or two physicians are available to see every patient who comes in. If patients had quicker and more efficient access to the appropriate provider, waiting time would be reduced. Nurse practitioners can reduce waiting time significantly.

Sherman promises to “take a look at” negative experiences in the hospital’s ER. Next time, after having waited for six or seven hours, ask him to “take a look at” nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners are the solution to the current problem in the hospital’s ER.

— Priscilla Lee, Westlake Village

(The writer is a family practice and geriatrics nurse practitioner. — Editor)

Re: Will Thompson’s April 20 letter, “Why grow at all?”:

On Earth Day, thoughts of the planet that sustains us should be uppermost in the mind of man.

In reading Thompson’s letter, I gave a big sigh of gratitude for a voice of reason in the fog of self-interests, developer madness and legal mumbo jumbo. I agree with Thompson, who wrote, “We do not have a responsibility to satisfy an external housing demand.”

We, in Santa Paula, are facing a tragic and ill-thought out land grab, the overbuilding of Fagan Canyon, that will result in changes too numerous to mention, but which include a future of increased traffic jams, taxes, crime and pollution. This will affect not only Santa Paula residents, it will affect the entire county. Think about more traffic on the freeway and surface streets.

I implore Santa Paula residents to stop and think other things to build, other ways to increase our tax base. Why do we have to “satisfy an external housing demand”? We already have plans for other growth areas, such as housing in east area one (by the new Mercantile), recently sold Hospital Hill and a new apartment complex under way on Harvard. The general plan calls for 450 homes in Fagan Canyon. Isn’t this a good enough start?

There is a petition being presented by Citizens Advocating Responsible Expansion, a team of more than 12 caring people without special-interest backing, who are trying to bring some sanity back to our community by allowing the people to vote on the issue of growth within our boundaries; a right we presently do not have. Please sign it.

Let Santa Paula be known for it’s vision and well-thought-out plan, not as just another housing tract adding to the overcrowding of Ventura County.

— Dee Johnston, Santa Paula

Re: your article, “Assisted-suicide bill passes Assembly panel on a 5-3 vote,” published April 13 in The Star:

I am writing in support of the Compassionate Choices Act (AB634). As someone who firmly believes every person has the right to direct their own medical care, I believe in the act because it grants to the individual the right to chose how we die.

As an attorney, an elder-care advocate, the daughter of a cancer patient and someone who has personally held the hand of two grandparents while dying, I have seen firsthand the suffering and indignity that often accompanies the dying process. It is the lucky, and rare, person who dies peacefully of old age in his own bed at night.

I have also discussed with my family, friends and clients their wishes regarding end-of-life care. They all say that they do not want to suffer. Some deaths can be peaceful. But others can be protracted and rife with medical complications, pain and indignity.

Those of us who are young and healthy do not know which fate will be ours. The Compassionate Choices Act gives us the peace of mind of knowing that if our path leads to the prospect of a horrifying, painful, prolonged death, we have the power to ease our suffering.

— Jody C. Moore, Oxnard

Re: your article, “Assisted-suicide bill passes Assembly panel on a 5-3 vote,” published April 13 in The Star:

Why is it that I wake up one morning to discover that doctor-assisted suicide is on the verge of being legalized? Why haven’t I heard about this beforehand?

When the common man doesn’t hear about an issue, he can’t protest it.

Keeping the issue a secret until it is almost too late for anyone to intervene is not how a democracy works.

Our country has few morals, and I believe the Founding Fathers would be disgusted at our disrespect for life. We treat it as practically worthless, when a life is truly priceless.

Doctor-assisted suicide, which is defined by many as euthanasia (though I don’t believe they are the same thing), is hardly the right path for our nation to take.

It only leads to Amsterdam.

— Michael Blank, Oxnard

Re: your article, “Governor backs off pension overhaul,” published April 8 in The Star:

I want to thank Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for taking the pension initiative off the special election ballot. I think it was a flawed initiative, and it unfairly targeted our public employees, including police officers and firefighters who put their lives on the line for us.

But I’m afraid this issue will return in 2006. And it cannot. The new proposal will not include the death and disability cuts, but will most likely pursue changing the system from one of defined benefits to one of defined contributions. This is a risky gamble.

The average 401(k) investment lost 40 percent in the recent stock market downturn. This plan would force public employees to roll the dice and gamble their retirement on the ups and downs of the stock market. If the stock market crashes, then the taxpayers will end up picking up the cost. What would happen to the family of a teacher if she or he loses her pension in a stock market crash?

Public employees need to feel secure about their retirement and future. Firefighters and police take enough risks as it is; their pension plans should not become another.

I hope the governor and Legislature will be able to negotiate a good and fair deal on the pension issue, and that we will not see this issue on the ballot in 2006.

— Catherine M. Strauch,
Camarillo

(The writer is president of California State University, Employees Union, Chapter 324, at CSU Channel Islands. — Editor)

Re: Ronald Peterson’s letter, “From another planet,” published April 13 in The Star:

Petersen is wrong when he writes, “Our dependency on Southern California Gas Co. will be alleviated by having LNG as a second source." The two liquefied natural gas companies that propose to locate off the Oxnard coast will each be constructing new high pressure pipelines through Oxnard to connect to the gas company distribution center near Camarillo.

From there, the gas company will distribute the natural gas through its pipeline system just like they do now. The only difference is that the natural gas derived from LNG will arrive on foreign tanker ships from foreign countries instead of from domestic sources.

He is also wrong (or misinformed) when he writes, “Does he not see that LNG and natural gas are the same thing? And that our dependency on Southern California Gas Co. will be alleviated.” There is no need to alleviate the gas company for any reason. The Department of Energy information administration, the agency within the federal government tasked with protecting natural gas supply, estimates that domestic natural gas production will increase approximately 20 percent over the next 20 years in response to the predicted increase in domestic gas demand

I suspect Petersen is ignorant about the reasons thousands of Ventura County citizens are fighting to keep LNG off our shores. If Petersen would really like to hear both sides of the story he can e-mail me at edmarellis@dslextreme.com. The planet we live on is Earth and we are trying to save it. Come join us.

— Ed Ellis, Oxnard

The Simi Valley City Council has been proactive in protecting our community’s quality of life. It is important to point out the facts regarding how hard the council works to promote a clean environment dedicated to balancing growth with sound quality of life concerns.

— Recently, City Council defended the integrity of the voter-approved hillside performance standard by denying the Unocal project’s intention to dig into our hillsides.

— Each year, City Council honors the hard-working neighborhood councils for their efforts to clean and beautify the arroyo. This has resulted in tons of garbage being removed, creating an area where plant and animal species thrive.

— City Council has fought vigorously to improve the quality of our local water supply by implementing policies to create a state of the art source control system, which reduces the opportunity for chemicals to damage our environment.

— A year ago, City Council renewed a managed-growth plan to strike a balance between development and our quality of life by limiting new development permits. This is the keystone to protecting our natural environment for our children and I applaud the voters and the council for a strong growth control plan, which passed last November.

— City Council works very closely with the Ventura County Air Pollution District to reduce smog. According to county statistics, Simi citizens should be proud that we, as a county, have seen significant drops in smog and that Simi Valley saw one of its best winters in years with regard to smog emissions.

From protecting our water and air to prudent land use management, City Council has worked vigorously to improve our local environment and the future of our city. We should never be prouder of our council’s effort to balance our economic growth with our quality of life.

— Scott Blough, Simi Valley

One of the most malicious things I encountered during my formation to be a Catholic priest was “A Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons,” published in October 1986 by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith.
Now he is pope.

This letter was famous (or infamous) for referring to gays and lesbians as “intrinsically disordered” people.

I write as a gay man who left active priestly ministry in the Catholic church eight years ago. I write also because I am fearful an institution that has values of justice, mercy and charity at its core will see less of these exhibited toward lesbian and gay Catholics under Pope Benedict XVI.

In the 10 years I served as a priest, many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Catholics I worked with wanted to abandon their faith and religious practices out of anger toward words of intolerance from Pope John Paul II or a Vatican official.

Ratzinger’s letter did nothing to make my brothers and sisters feel welcome and included. They were, instead, made to feel alienated.

I’d try to remind them that, no matter how hurtful homilies, speeches or Vatican documents might seem, our own faith has to be stronger. In order to truly participate in our faith and live out the comforts and challenges life holds for us, we need to feel welcome at the front door. How can we begin our journey toward wholeness if our leaders won’t let us walk on the path?

I hope the pope will show greatness by working to bridge the separation felt by my Catholic lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters, and make everyone aware of the comforts and challenges of the Catholic faith.

— Martin Perrier, Ventura

(The writer is co-director of mental health and social services for the Ventura County Rainbow Alliance. — Editor)

In regard to the apparent coercion of City Manager Phil Gatch to leave office, some 20 people spoke at Tuesday’s Thousand Oaks City Council meeting with glowing respect of Gatch and raked the council over the coals for what it was doing. They asked/demanded the council reverse any such action on their part.

At about 7:30 p.m., the council went into closed session to discuss this matter, as well as an additional item to discuss the appointment of acting/interim city manager. There also were three other nonrelated-agenda items that may have been discussed in closed session.

Many people waited two hours for the council to come back to the public session to hear what the decision was regarding the city manager.  The mayor stated, “According to the city attorney we have nothing to report.” Wow. Isn’t that hard to believe?

I had spoken to the council and referred them to provisions of California Government Code section 54957 which refers to closed sessions of legislative bodies. Section 54957.1.(a) states: “The legislative body of any local agency shall publicly report any action taken in closed session and the vote or abstention of every member present thereon, as follows,” and following paragraph (5) states: “Action taken to … dismiss, accept the resignation of, or otherwise affect the employment status of a public employee in closed session pursuant to this section shall be reported at the public meeting during which the closed session is held.”

Was this code requirement followed at this meeting? Is there something I am missing in this code? It seems plain enough to me. What is going on? We will be watching.

— Don Volz, Thousand Oaks

Is there any further doubt as to the direction that Republicans wish to take us?

They threaten the “nuclear option” against Senate Democrats, forcing an end to filibusters over conservative judicial appointees. The filibuster has long been a valuable tool used by minority parties to voice dissent, but apparently dissent is no longer valid in this country. It’s fine in Russia and China and the Ukraine, but not here.

House Majority Leader Tom Delay blames Democrats for his own ethical violations and attempts to change the rules to save himself. Delay and other Republicans have threatened wayward judges over the controversial Terri Schiavo case, saying that judges should fear impeachment and even violence if they continue to make decisions that Republicans do not like. If a Democrat did this, he would be reviled as a hate-monger by the right.

The vast majority of Americans did not support the Republicans, but they ignored the voice of the people, claiming their “culture of life” is more important than the truth.

Delay himself pulled the plug on his own father years ago and President Bush passed a law while governor allowing hospitals to pull the plug on poor patients. How about “culture of hypocrasy”?

They claim that they do not want a theocracy, but there is a group called the Dominionists with close ties to the Bush White house. They want a return to Old Testament biblical law, i.e., stoning of adulterers and gays.

Is this truly the country we want, a Talibanized America, where science and progress and rational discussion are no longer possible, where lies are truth and words are twisted beyond meaning?

— John Strubbe, Simi Valley

Thanks be to God for our new pope. As a faithful Catholic, I am called upon to be obedient to our supreme pontiff. I can choose to work for change within the Church, but I have to keep in mind that it is God’s hand at work, not man’s.

To those who are publicly bemoaning the choice, is it not possible that God knows better than us? Could we not all come together in obedience and fidelity, leaving our wills out of the process?

— Claudia Satori & Totus Tuus, Newbury Park

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

I fully agree with the opinion stated by Larsen in his essay. I always read his essays and often find myself agreeing with him and admiring the straightforward way he is able to go to the heart of the issue.

I expect Larsen will get many angry e-mails, but I, for one, think he hits the nail on the head.
 
— Stuart Kingsley, Oxnard

Re: Richard Larsen’s April 19 essay, “A war for our freedoms”:

Enough of Larsen’s tirade against the “right” and Christians, in particular. Christians are not meeting with the purpose of removing freedoms and restricting the Constitution. We have opinions and are concerned with what we see as a moral decline of this nation. Someone’s opinions and standards will guide society, the question is whose.

A free nation has to know what to restrict in order to remain free. Society can not function if everyone does what ever they want. We should have a society that presents the best and highest standards possible. Morality cannot be legislated, but that does not mean anything goes.

I should respect other opinions, but I don’t have to accept them. I want to be able to turn on my TV at any time and not have to worry about what is presented. Will more people watch “Saving Private Ryan” because it has the F-word? Will more people watch “Schindler’s List” because there is nudity? The answer is no. It’s not about creative freedom; it’s about pushing the limit. Yes, there is an off button on the TV but why must I be the one to use it? Those who want to watch trash should search for it.

As a society, we should take the high ground, immoral and illegal activity should have to function in secret not be brought into my living room, presented as normal in the media or promoted by government.

— Paul Taylor, Simi Valley

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “A war for our freedoms,” published April 19 in The Star:

Larsen hit the proverbial nail on the head. Fundamental American values are under attack by the conservative religous right. Larsen correctly notes the propensity of the right to “twist the truth” in claiming to restore nonexistent religous underpinnings of this nation. The lie goes far beyond historical revisionism.

Ralph Reed and others representing the right-wing, conservative religous movement falsely claim people of faith are being victimized by those who take a strict view of the First Amendment. They argue religious freedom is being restricted by the wall of separation. That argument, if given even a moment’s scrutiny, proves not merely false, but visciously so.

The conservatives say their rights are trampled by keeping prayer out of schools, out of tax-supported buildings and out of courts. What absolute nonsense. They remain free to worship and pray with their families when they wake up, when they take their children to school, when they come home, when they dine, when they go to their place of worship. The only restriction is on their right to impose their religous moral views on others.

What the religous right wants to do is mandate its version of morality as the only acceptable version.

There is a simple way to test this. How would the religous right respond to the invocation of a Santaria prayer or Wicca prayer by a student at a school event? Or, an invocation by an adherent of Satanism? I think we all know there would be uproar.

Individual and collective salvation is not a government concern. It is not a legitimate concern of the religous right. If the religious right believes others cannot achieve personal salvation except through their version of religous theology, their values are neither moral nor American.

— Ira Cohen, Thousand Oaks

Re: your April 16 article, “Disproportionate loss”:

Two items caught my eye.  First, was the quote by Simi Valley Police Sgt. Tony Anzilotti: “That's four too many...” referring to the deaths of Simi Valley soldiers and sailors: “That's four too many.” This made me stop and wonder.

I hope everyone thinks every serviceman’s or woman’s life lost in this war is “too many,” not just the ones close to home. Remember, we are all Americans and the loss of one person serving this country is too many despite the reality that people will die.

Second, as I read about the recruiter Sgt. Tim Waud, looking at his E-7 stripes and hearing of his duty position listed as Canoga Park, Culver City, Venice, Santa Monica and Thousand Oaks, I had to take notice of one item from the picture on The Star’s front page. Although I am sure he has served in other duty areas, probably even overseas, he does not have a combat patch on his right shoulder.

So, to all the recruits who may run into Waud, keep in mind that he cannot tell you what being in Iraq is really like. If you want to know what the war is really like, ask someone who has actually been there: a combat veteran.

What are my qualifications for writing this? I served in the military for more than 21 years, six active duty and over 15 with the National Guard. I served in Iraq. Ask me. I’ll tell you what to expect.

— Joseph Berlin, Ventura

Just what will it take monetarily for the Ventura County Community College District chancellor to reinstate the journalism departments? Would he be willing to reconsider if the program costs were paid? Would E.W. Scripps Co. (parent company of The Star) be willing to step up to the plate and fund the program?

In addition, would The Star employees be willing to pass the hat and add to that fund? Would other news outlets be willing to help — radio, TV, cable — who all use the talent sources created by the journalism departments? What can we do? Is it negotiable?

Don’t let them close the doors to knowledge.

— Janet LaMacchia, Oxnard

As a 1953 graduate of the Ventura College journalism program, I am deeply concerned about plans to cancel the Ventura and Oxnard colleges journalism programs as well as the Ventura College Press and the Oxnard College Observer.

After graduating from Ventura College in 1953 and obtaining my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, I returned in 1967 to serve as the first Public Information Office for the Ventura County Community College District, serving the district office and all three colleges, and helping with the openings of Moorpark and Oxnard colleges.
 
The foundations I received at Ventura College were invaluable and helped me to become a productive community member and a good journalist.

I hope the Ventura and Oxnard colleges’ journalism programs will be reinstated.

— Gerald E. “Gerry” Olsen, Camarillo

Re: your article, “Oxnard leaders seek to curtail growth,” published April 17 in The Star:

How refreshing that some of our City Council members are realizing that there are too many developments planned for Oxnard. I just hope that they are serious and stop the building and sprawl.
 
— Cindy Meschke, Oxnard

Re: your editorial, “Latest state of the estate tax,” published April 16 in The Star:

The “death tax” is wrong, period. It is completely un-American to tax anyone at a 55 percent clip at anytime.

The fact that there is a very small percentage of “rich” people who fall under this category is completely irrelevant.

I’m not a rich person by any mean,s but that doesn’t mean I should root for my government to seize other citizen’s property so they can turn around and give me a handout o,r even worse, completely waste it.

We are supposed to be protected from property seizure by an overbearing government. If you believe this is the right thing to do, you need to move to Moscow or Havana.

At the very least, the tax rate should be cut in half. The Democrats seem to have erred on the side of socialism on this issue, so I guess socialism is alive and well in America.

— Darren Muller, Camarillo

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s commentary, “Jane can’t run from bitterness felt by Vietnam veterans,” published April 16 in The Star:

I’m not a Vietnam veteran, but I hate her guts anyway. Like everyone who graduated from high school in the mid-1960s, more than one of my friends came home from Vietnam in a body bag. Learning that Jane Fonda is having an unhappy life brings me great joy. She deserves to be executed for her treasonous activities.

However, since we don’t have the political will to do that, I’ll just continue to pray that she experiences every possible unhappiness in this life, and burn in hell for eternity.

I’d tell you how I really feel, but I know the Star is a family paper.

— Jerry Pomeroy, Camarillo

Re: Dan Walters commentary, “Media’s coverage of gasoline prices takes a wrong turn,” published April 14 in The Star:

Who among us will change the attitude of Americans that “cheap” gasoline is a birthright? Surely not politicians who are as likely to propose exploiting one of the most pristine environments on Earth for a few barrels of oil as they are to promote hydrogen, which at best is decades away, over hybrid cars that are on the road today. The press will always be in the middle with stories appealing to pampered Americans while offering concerned citizens and columnists an opportunity to persuade by publishing their opinions.

The real tragedy of higher gasoline prices is the destination of so many hard-earned American dollars — the bank accounts of Middle Eastern nations. We are selling out our nation, one tankful at a time. Each dollar in the hand of a foreign government is going to come back someday for something valuable. We do not manufacture anything that they want so what’s left? Our land, our homes, our jobs. This is as serious as it gets and the best response we can get out of Sacramento is a shell-game with peanuts.

Imagine gas prices a dollar or two higher but with all of the money staying in California. Instead of gilding a sheik’s toilet, we could fix our bridges, pave over potholes, improve our public transportation, develop alternative sources of energy, increase efficiencies and create jobs while we’re at it. Given the current state of the American mind our leaders would be advised to suggest we learn Farsi so that we can understand the new landlord instead of seriously addressing our dependence on oil.

— Steve Kane, Thousand Oaks

Re: your articles, “Patrolling the border” and “Travelers urged to prepare for upcoming passport rules,” published April 12 in The Star:

I found the dichotomy these front-page stories interesting. The government will require in the future that all U.S. citizens have passports to get back in the country but they refuse to control the borders. The heightened screening at border crossings will simply drive illegal immigrants and terrorists to cross illegally reducing the chance of intercepting them.

Why then does the government with all its hysteria and color-coded security alerts neglect the illegal border crossing. I think the answer lies in the triple looming deficits of the federal budget, Social Security and Medicare. In order to keep these looming deficits at bay, they need economic growth and a younger work force that will work for minimum wage. If it weren’t for these looming massive deficits out borders would be secure.

If illegal immigration was halted tomorrow wages would rise, inflation would also rise but our lower-income population would become more self sufficient, reducing social services costs as well as crime. Inflation due to rising wages, I contend, is the most favorable type of inflation because it has some very positive effects. Our standard of living based on economics would take a hit, as taxes would have to rise and budget cuts would have to be made but our quality of life would go up — less crime and congestion and a large boost to the economic well being of our working class.

Neither political party wants to address this issue because those illegal immigrants are the driving force behind cheap labor and economic growth that is the easy way out of their deficit spending orgy.

— Tom Ion, Moorpark

Re: Terry Paulson’s essay, “No pity party for seniors,” published April 11 in The Star:

Which AARP Bulletin was Paulson reading that led him to conclude AARP’s relationship with retirees was a “pity party”? Are we reading the same publication?

He doesn’t cite any specific evidence supporting his view of AARP, so I assume he is parroting the the Republican Party’s line. Paulson is an activist for the Republican Party. He describes himself as “committed to providing inspiration and enlightenment on Republican issues and principles that unite us as a party” on his Web site “United We Can Win!” (http://www.unitedwecanwin.com/).

Compared with the recent ad campaign by USA Next, Paulson’s column is a kinder, gentler hatchet job. USA Next ads attempted to characterize AARP as a leftist cabal intent on undermining traditional family values. I don’t find the silent, obedient and dependent seniors Paulson alludes to in either the AARP Bulletin or the Magazine.

Paulson misuses life expectancy data. He states that average life expectancy was 58 years when Social Security was established and that “you pay into a plan for years and die seven years before you ever get to benefit.” This oft-cited statistic by critics of Social Security trivializes the importance of the program to seniors. A major factor in the shorter life expectancy during the 1930s was a high infant-mortality rate. Life expectancy at the age of retirement is a more relevant statistic. Even in 1940 “life expectancy at age 65 was an additional 12 years for men and 13 years for women,” according the White House’s own blueprint for Social Security reform.

AARP’s views on Social Security and reform can be found on its extensive web site, http://www.aarp.org/money/social_security/. I encourage readers to educate themselves on the issue.

— Ken Long, Newbury Park

This is the last straw. The Republicans are going for the ultimate power grab by trying to silence the voice of Democrats in the United States Senate. The religious right is growing stronger by the minute. They have already hijacked the Republican party and now will only be happy when they have transformed our great pluralistic society into a theocracy.

An end to the time-honored filibuster will only help to speed this process along by eliminating debate and dissent in Congress, giving President Bush a blank check to push the most radical agenda and extreme judges. Does our country really support an end to separation of powers as well as separation of church and state?

I certainly don’t think so. The majority of the United States population does not support the religious right.

I urge our Senators to stand up and protect our democracy by opposing the GOP power grab.

— Patricia McGovern, Ventura

Re: your March 31 article, “Population threat to Earth, U.N. says”:

Thomas Robert Malthus was right on, albeit somewhat premature. The dire predictions of the end of our civilization by reason of overpopulation and the shortages or food, water, air and living space were just confirmed by the U.N. 2004 population report. “Let future generations worry about it. It doesn't effect me now.”

Think again.
We are currently feeling the effects of uncontrolled growth. Competition for necessities breeds conflicts, violence and war right now. And, we are witnessing this throughout the world: nation against nation, sect against sect, gender against gender. The utter insanity of restricting abortion rights is only exacerbating the problem. What we really don’t need is millions of unwanted children each year further stressing our limited resources.

Think it doesn’t effect you? You may lose your home and be reduced to poverty because of it. Why? Competition means higher prices for all commodities. Also, we must hire more police and build more prisons to control increasing violent and unlawful competition for these resources. More police and prisons equals higher taxes. Get it?

— Bernard Lehrer, Ventura

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “Fact-finding or flimflam,” published April 12 in The Star, and Dion Anderson’s letter, “Military force and democracy,” published April 14 in The Star:

Larsen, in his essay, wrote, “Democracy is the one political system that cannot be militarily imposed.” Andersen takes issues with this, listing countries that he sees as having had democracy imposed by military might.

Anderson does not see that there is a distinction between imposing a democracy by force and defending a country by force that happens to be a democracy. We did not go into Israel, guns blazing, insisting that they establish a democracy – or else. They established their government and the U.S. gave them military aid to defend their country. Germany and Japan, were occupied countries. The shooting was over and diplomacy and economic aid were the engines driving fledgling governments toward democracy. India secured freedom from Britain by peaceful means. I don't remember their even having a civil war to establish their democracy. Afghanistan and Iraq are occupied countries and far from democracies.

Anderson should know there are many more ways that are much more efficient ways to spread democracy than by war. No one ever really wins a war.

— Gracia Marks, Camarillo

Today, when the cardinals begin their deliberations to choose a new pope, let us hope they will consider leadership that: is willing to listen, is open to the lived experience of faithful Catholics, respects different ways of worshiping God, effectively preaches peace, acknowledges the harm done by sexual abuse, collaborates with women and promotes justice for the poor.

Now that would be a pope.

— Gerald McGuire, Ventura

As a constant driver of the roadways around Ventura County (highways 101 and 118, and the Pacific Coast Highway) on my commute to Los Angeles, I notice the road rage and driving speeds have gotten worse.

I don’t want to blame the CHP, but it must do something more than what it is doing. I do not see or very few, if any, patrolling the highways during the midday where speeders are doing in excess of 80 mph, tail-gaiting, passing on the right side or exiting the off-ramps at 75 mph.

Believe me. As someone who has been driving since 1969, it is at its worse. In addition, autos are not being aware of motorcyclists using are roads. They are a vehicle as well and extra precaution must be taken while driving being one.

The CHP must combat this and pull out all resources to stop this vicious obstruction of justice to area roads before we are all out of control. The driver’s education courses must teach our children that these kind of actions while driving will cost them the privilege to drive. No ifs or buts or probation.

There are too may of us using the roads and we must turn this around. Can’t we all slow down!

— Ron Halpern, Ventura

How sad is it that former President and Mrs. Carter were told by our country’s leaders that there was no more room to pay respects to our pope’s passing, but there was plenty of room for the Bush clan and the Kennedys, and former President Clinton and President Bush’s dad, as well as Sen. John Kerry and his clan.

How sad we couldn’t find room for the Carters. I am slowly losing respect for our leaders .
 
— Clarence Potter Sr, Ojai

Re: your April 9 article, “Pink-slipped faculty shows anger via art”:

James Meznek, Ventura County Community College District chancellor, referred to the ceramics program as inefficient; I cannot help but disagree.

A few years back, while taking a biology class, we took a field survey of a biome that included an analysis of the soil. While I had experience in geology, my partner only had experience in ceramics. However, she was quick to observe obvious signs of past biome destruction by fire because she recognized the effects of heat on feldspar — an important observation for our project.

Yes, ceramic students learn a great deal while creating beauty. It should be taken to heart that most scientists are artists as well. We should reflect upon this as America slips further and further behind in attracting students to science.

— Ellita Pearce, Camarillo

Re: The Star’s series on Amgen’s 25th anniversary in Ventura County:

Ventura County is indeed fortunate to have such a world class bio-tech company as Amgen in our midst. The Star lauds the Amgen Foundation for its contributions to local causes. This year, the Foundation has chosen not to continue its support of our wonderful New West Symphony. (They were a major sponsor.)

As a minor Amgen  stockholder and a major symphony lover, I was very proud of their past support. I can only hope that in the future, it will resume its generous sponsorship.
— Dot Levy, Oxnard

Re: your April 12 article, “Patrolling the border”:

The question posed by Camarillo’s contribution to the “Minuteman” contingent as to why the government “does not protect our borders?” is actually easily answered. The administration sees no “threat.”

These workers are here because big business wants and needs them. And President Bush is more than happy to accommodate them in exchange for big bucks contributions.

All one need do is drive along Highway 101 to see there are hundreds, if not thousands of fieldworkers in the fields of Ventura County’s big agri-businesses. The same scene is true all across the Southwest United States. Those businesses and their management are amongst the largest contributors to the Republicans and the current administration.

Does anyone seriously believe Wal-Mart didn’t actually know it was employing undocumented workers to clean its stores? Does anyone seriously believe the owners of the fields in Camarillo between the airport and Spanish Hills are not aware of the probable immigration status of the vast majority of the workers they employ?

Any serious effort to stop the influx of labor from across the border would of necessity involve the incarceration of big money supporters of the current administration because fines cannot work. They are merely part of the price of doing business.

This nation is being raked over the coals by related big money and big oil business interests. The administration does not want people actually paying attention to that or the myriad real problems facing each of us. The administration is one without answers or solutions or even the will to address real problems.

Just as the Roman Caesar’s needed their circuses as a diversion, this administration needs a dog-and-pony show to divert the attention of the public. And the “Minutemen” movement fills that bill nicely.

— Ira Cohen, Thousand Oaks

Re: Arleigh Kidd’s April 12 letter, “Teachers know fixes”:

California being 44th in per-student funding and second in large-class size puts our children at a competitive disadvantage. Kidd, president of the Simi Educators Association, is most likely correct when he says teachers know fixes.

However, before I can support Kidd’s position regarding school funding, two questions about California schools must be answered: How do we measure success? And, what are the consequences of failure?

On the surface, it appears teachers unions want a blank check from the taxpayers while not being held accountable for results. If true, that certainly is not a fair deal for the taxpayers or the children of California.

My wife and I send our child to a private school. We know that is a luxury many cannot afford even if they are willing to make financial sacrifices in other areas. It is a choice we have made. Each month, when we write a check to the school, we ask, is the school delivering on its promise to our child?

As a taxpayer in California, I ask a similar question: Are the public schools delivering on their promise to the children of California? The answer is mostly yes, but, far too frequently, the answer is no or in some cases the promise being kept is below what should be acceptable. When we find the answer is no, unfortunately, we cannot find anyone to hold accountable.

Everyone involved in the education bureaucracy from the governor to parents points to someone else while the children suffer the consequences.

It seems the lack of accountability is the root problem with our schools. More money will not solve that problem. MKidd should tell us how he and the teachers would answer the two questions begging to be answered.

— Curtis Carson, Simi Valley

Re: your April 6 article, “Legislation would cut state sales tax on gas”:

The headline refers to exempting gasoline from the sales tax, reverting back to 1971 when it was first applied to gasoline. At the same time, the sales tax would increase on everything else by one-quarter percentage point and the California gasoline excise tax would gradually increase from 18 cents to 22 cents per gallon.

Democrat Fabien Nuñez said, “On the average, consumers will pay less. On a $40 purchase of gasoline, they will pay $2 less. On a $40 pair of tennis shoes, they will pay 10 cents more.” That conclusion and the comparison of purchases are ridiculous. Is he stupid or does he think I am? People spend far less on gasoline than they do on everything else that is subject to the sales tax.

The legislation also includes placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot to guarantee that the sales tax increase will be spent exclusively on transportation projects. When have I heard that before?

In 2002, 69 percent of the voters approved a constitutional amendment dedicating the spending of gasoline taxes to transportation projects. It only took one year for former Gov. Gray Davis and Democratic legislators to divert most of the “dedicated” tax revenue from transportation projects to the general fund so they could spend it based on their desires instead of the voters’. Arnold Schwarzenenegger continued the raid when he was elected.

If Nuñez genuinely wants to support transportation projects, he should stop ignoring the 69 percent vote in 2002.

— Bill Stanley, Westlake Village

California, like Texas and the federal government before it, is under political assault by a moneyed elite with a fanatical right-wing agenda. Adeptly utilizing a massive campaign war chest and the limited scrutiny of the recall process, the radical right capitalized on celebrity status, crafting Arnold as a “Man of the People.”

Since then, this muscular snake oil salesman has spent 20 percent of his time in office traversing the globe in search of a bigger campaign war chest, erstwhile pursuing a right-wing agenda that finds him siding with wealthy corporate donors, such as the pharmaceutical industry, insurance and hospitals, while having the temerity to designate as “special interests” those who have been adversely affected — nurses, injured workers, teachers, firefighters, police officers.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s turn to the special election arises not from a reverence for democracy but, instead, from the cynical belief that the public at large is far more likely to succumb to the coming propaganda blitz (aka ad campaign) than the knowledgeable members of the opposition party in the state legislature.

— Ernest A. Canning, Thousand Oaks

I don't know about other people, but I have had enough of these big gas companies raping California. They are making record profits while the rest of us have to watch every dime we spend just to put a couple of dollars in our tanks.

When you see the gas prices go up two to three times a day, it makes you kind of wonder. They use the excuse that it’s the summer blend of fuel that’s needed and in the winter it’s heating fuel. All I can say is that the gas companies are making monkeys out of every Californian.

What does our beloved governor, who says its time to give California back to the Californians, do ? Nothing. Oh sure, let’s cut the gas tax by 11 cents. Who cares? It will double before the day is over anyway.

I guess the joke is on us for putting someone in office with muscles between his ears instead of brains. He’s for California? Right.

— Brad E. Ring, Ventura

The cost of gasoline includes the Environmental Protection Agency’s requirement that an oxygenating agent be added (10 percent) to promote the clean combustion of carburetor engine designs.

The additive now used is ethanol, typically derived from fermenting corn. This additive must be imported to California and adds 10 percent or more to the price of a gallon of gasoline. As ethanol has a lower Btu energy value, there is also a measurable — 10 percent reduction in automobile mileage — you must use more gasoline.

Therefore, the ethanol additive requirement costs you 60 cents a gallon of gas (at $3 a gallon).

Ask the question: “When was the last time car manufactures built a carburetor engine?”

Fuel-injected engine designs have been sold for more than 30 years. Special oxygen sensors (in the exhaust) adjust the fuel injected to assure complete combustion —regardless of the additive in the gas.

Ethanol doesn’t do anything for fuel-injected engines, and is now an obsolete clean-air requirement. However, ethanol is a big political favor to the Midwest agricultural interest.

If you want to reduce your cost of gasoline, ask Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to get rid of ethanol.

— Keith Moore, Oxnard

I followed the horrors of the Catholic church’s sex abuse scandal with sorrow and anger. It was amazing to see that someone as high ranking as Cardinal Bernard Law could have knowingly allowed such conduct to continue. We all were pleased to see that the good cardinal was relieved of his duties as archbishop of Boston in 2002.

You can imagine my shock to see that Law has re-emerged and presided at one of the funeral Masses for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. This man remains a cardinal eligible to vote for the new pope, has cost the church millions of dollars, and his role in the Mass made light of the thousands of people nationwide who suffered at the hands of their local priests.

What in God’s name is going on?

— Richard S. Diamond, Camarillo 
 

I’m writing this letter in hopes some of the new folks in town will read it.

I shop and/or dine at the shopping center located at Victoria Avenue and Telegraph Road in Ventura once a week, on average. I’ve noticed an increasing problem. The second exit east of McDonalds lets out on to Telegraph. It is an exit only. It’s been this way for as long as I can remember. There are “Do Not Enter” signs on both sides of the exit, facing Telegraph, so drivers know not to turn in there. But they still try.

Likewise, there are people exiting the parking lot that will often make a left hand turn from the right hand lane. This wouldn’t be an issue, except that I, and others, exit the parking lot properly, turning left from the left lane, which often ends up irking the person who was trying to turn left from the right lane.

I’m only there once a week and this happens just about every time.

It’s really not that big a deal to me because I know I’m driving correctly. But based on the profanity I occasionally hear or angry glances I see, while waiting for the light at Victoria to change, it seems to be a big deal to others.

That particular exit has been designed this way (exit only) for years, so I’ve got to presume that the people who don’t seem to get it must be new in town. Hopefully, they read the letters to the editor.

— Chris Bower, Ventura

I am a resident of a retirement apartment complex in Ventura. I recently clipped an article from the newspaper regarding the harmful effects of leaf blowers on seniors, in particular.

I posted this information on the bulletin board in the clubhouse. It was immediately removed by the onsite manager.

When I questioned her about this, she said negative notices are not permitted.

As far as I know this is still the United States and freedom of speech is one of the four freedoms that we are blessed with in this country.

I was ordered out of the office and admonished for the posting.

It is a sad commentary in this day and age that such behavior is directed toward people who are citizens of this country and believe in its principles.

— John Gilbert, Ventura

What do all the beach cities from San Diego to Santa Barbara, even Oxnard, have in common with Ventura?

As far as their beaches go, absolutely nothing. Their beaches are clean and attractive; ours are not. Over the past 40 years, I’ve written numerous letters ranting about our dirty beaches.

Currently, with quite an interest in Ventura as a tourist destination vacation, we need to show off our prime attraction. This year, after the storms have deposited tons of debris, the beaches are unsightly and inaccessible.

There may be some ecological or environmental reason for the mayor’s idea to let the beach clean itself in certain areas, but I like the tractors and sweepers that every other beach community uses.

Are Venturans with me on this one?

— Jack Weber, Oxnard

I was driving southbound on Ventura Road a few weeks ago on my home for lunch when, from nowhere, came another vehicle and squeezed me out of lane and into the center traffic light and kept going.

I lost my automobile and almost my life. As I squeezed out, two women were running toward me asking if I was OK. I was fine, just a little shaken up, I told them. They stayed with me until help in the form of police and firefighters arrived and gave statements of what little they saw or knew when another woman approached waving a piece of paper in her hand, stating she saw everything and chased the other driver and managed a description plus partial license plate number.

I pray God returns to these women tenfold because the accident report states no witnesses and me for disobeying a traffic signal.

I paid for this report that is incomplete and wrong. It is no wonder insurance is so high. To protect and serve, yeah, right.

— Emilio Ortega, Oxnard

Re: your April 10 article, “Earth week”:

I always enjoy reading this. Sunday, along with short articles describing nanobacteria in rain clouds, a Pacific volcano eruption, a drought threatening elephants in Thailand, there was “Nuclear bomb redesign.”

My first thought was, “Whoa. What’s that doing there?” Upon reading the article, my second thought was, “what a diplomatic faux pas that was.” How stupid must our government be to release to the press that we are developing new bombs but with “more environmentally benign materials.” I was shocked.

If that isn’t saber-rattling, I don’t know what is. The rest of the world sees us as bullies anyway, and to publicly announce we are developing new atomic weapons, weapons of mass destruction that can kill thousands of people with one shot, but are “environmentally benign” is an incredible international relations blunder.

Fifty years ago, I was an MP in the Army stationed at Eniwetok as part of the security force for the atomic and H-bomb tests in 1955. I saw those “gadgets” (as the scientists called them) go off. The awesome destructive power of these terrible weapons is almost above description.

What on earth were they thinking to make such an announcement?

— Saylor S. Milton, Ventura

Re: your April 13 article, “Wisconsin residents supportive of proposal to hunt free-roaming cats”:

If this isn’t the most lamebrained proposal to come down the pike. Identifying the man who proposed the idea as a firefighter is disservice to a highly valued profession.

“Don’t worry, junior, the nice man will rescue your kitty, if he doesn’t pop him off first.”

Controversial? Wholesale slaughter of feral pigs to protect endangered species. That’s controversial. This is plain nuts. One might more easily outlaw breathing. Cats roam by nature. The loss of animal companions is anguish enough without the added threat of government-sponsored assassination.

Harry Truman called the tune on lies and statistics. There is no unassailable system for determining the number of songbirds that fall prey to feline forays. If one can only estimate the cat population, how do we arrive at the reported casualty count for birds? Apparently, there’s a lot to divine from a scattering of feathers. Destruction of habitat, the use of pesticides, and other human activity kills more appreciably.

This marks a coarsening of culture that flies in the face of family values.

My dander is up. I propose open season on proposals. Since when do 6,830 voters tell a majority of state residents, anywhere, what to do about anything?

— Jim O’Dell, Camarillo

I always thought it was tthe goverment of the people, by the people and for the people.” Apparently that isn’t the case in Simi Valley where it is “The City Council of the council for the council and by the council”  or who has whom in who’s pocket.

Will the council members who voted for the Larwin project be willing to insure by bond or otherways to secure that the condos will stand up in an earthquake? Down 3 feet from the old 30 feet is a bunch of dirt. Now I ask, who does Larwin have in his pocket? Why should I, as a citizen of Simi Valley, be responsible for the sins of our City Council if the walls come tumbling down.

I think that a recall of the council should take place. Of course, they have the money and we don’t.

— Joseph G. Herzer, Simi Valley

It’s time for constructive engagement on the subject of Social Security: Not just “No” or “Medicare is in worse trouble” or “We can’t afford to fix it now.”

The president has identified a real problem: At a future point there will be too few people working to support the retirees at the current levels. He has proposed a solution. It is not enough to deny the problem — I won’t be around when it hits, but my kids will be — we can think beyond the next election cycle, can’t we?

I have some concerns about private accounts, but these are fixable issues. Responsible opposition should propose alternatives, either modified private accounts or another practical approach. We have the time to do this right, so let’s try to work this one.

I’m disappointed in AARP’s “over our dead body” attitude — it needs to be more constructive than it has been. And yes, Medicare is in more immediate trouble, but that is a different problem with a different range of solutions.

Right now, we few Depression babies are drawing much less in Social Security than the baby boomers and X-gens are contributing. Congress is happy to spend the difference and, further, is quite concerned that private accounts would divert some of that “excess” from the government’s spendable income. Well, the boys and girls in Washington will grow up to face this dilemma some time. Will we insist they do it now as responsible adults, or will we let them continue to hope it will go away?

We don’t have to be partisan over this one, just sincerely concerned enough to get our representatives’ attention: Will Rep. Elton. Gallegly, and Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara. Boxer act?

— James Hoagland, Thousand Oaks

The spirit of Chicken Little is alive and well today. I refer to the controversy over President Bush’s plan to establish private accounts. Instead of shouting at each other, let’s just calm down.

There are those who see any change in the Social Security as bad. They would have you believe several false notions about private Social Security accounts:

— False notion No. 1: Everyone must sign up.

Only those who choose to, will sign up for a private account. The rest can just sit back, rest easy and get paid what’s been promised at the required age. It is estimated that about 15 percent would choose a private account.

— False notion No. 2: When you establish a private account, 100 percent of your payment is converted into private accounts.

For those who choose to join, only 5 percent of their account may be converted. With 95 percent under control of the government, it most definitely has not been privatized.

— False notion No. 3: Those who choose to have a private account can invest in anything.

Limits would be placed on types of investments.

Budget numbers are based on these false assumptions so we hear about trillions of dollars being diverted from the Social Security fund. If 15 percent of the people invest at a rate of 5 percent, the total value of investments is 0.75 percent or less than 1 percent — far less than trillions.

I am concerned Social Security does have a problem: fewer than three workers are supporting each Social Security recipient. The only way this can continue is to raise the payment going into Social Security, reduce benefits, extend the age at which workers can receive benefits, or all three.

Regardless of whom you would like to believe, Social Security has a looming problem. Consider alternatives before the train crashes.

— Lorin Wainwood, Newbury Park

Re: Bonnie Erbe’s commentary, “Religious oppression against women at the drugstore,” published April 5 in The Star:

No authority should impose its religious beliefs on a woman trying to manage the potentialities of her body. (Taliban, anyone? Iran? Saudi Arabia?)

If a woman experiences an unplanned pregnancy as a result of being denied birth control, it is likely she will look to her abortion options. In denying women birth control, “religious” pharmacists will help to propagate a practice they find even more heinous. While many equate birth control and the morning-after pill with abortion anyway, surely pharmacists can agree that the decision to abort is far more devastating to humans than the use of pills and patches.

Also, many, many women are prescribed birth control methods in order to treat horrendous cramps, mood swings and other menstrual cycle irregularities. No pharmacist has any business denying a woman her only effective remedies for such pains.

As Erbe writes, it is indeed ironic (although not surprising) that “moral” pharmacists feel free to offer condoms to men while denying birth control options specific to women. Such an ancient double standard.

Pharmacists should leave people’s private parts alone. They should do their job, give the necessary medicines to whoever is in need of them or work somewhere that won’t allow them to hurt people on behalf of your individual interpretation of the Scriptures. Too often nowadays, I become incredibly frightened at what the word “moral” entails for the treatment of fellow human beings. What these pharmacists are doing, in denying certain patients treatment, is quite disgusting.

— Laurel Fantauzzo, Thousand Oaks

Oil prices have soared. Oil company profits are at an all-time high and government debt is at an all-time high. When this happened in the past, congress passed a windfall tax and later stopped it when circumstances changed. Why is nobody talking about the windfall tax today? Has out government simply become too corrupt?

— Leo Bowman, Ventura

Over the years there have been various proposals from politicians on tax law reform. Here is another idea. Lower federal and state payroll income taxes in a manner that partially shifts the government burden to increase fuel tax revenues. The more fuel you use, the more you pay, that is fair. Has this ever been proposed? Probably not, due to most U.S. citizens’ irrational perception of fuel and its cost.

The price of fuel in the U.S. should at least be somewhat similar to the rate everyone else is paying around the world. In sum, it should be more heavily taxed. Most people in the U.S. have no clue that people elsewhere are paying at least twice what U.S. citizens pay for fuel. From recent limited travel to Europe and Mexico, I would put gasoline prices somewhere in the range of $4 to $5 per gallon. The amount paid for fuel is higher due to the fact that most countries tax it far more heavily than the U.S.

Allowing cheap fuel to persist is just plain irresponsible and foolish.

— Michael Ferguson, Agronomist, Moorpark

Re: your April 6 article, “Legislation would cut state sales tax on gas”:

Pathetic. Truly pathetic. What else can one say about the current proposal to cut California’s gas tax by 11 cents per gallon?

Over the last several years, the price of gasoline has risen by nearly a dollar a gallon and, if the last few years are any indication, Californians will pay whatever the oil companies demand. What choice do we have? We have literally built our communities and our culture upon the almighty automobile.

Meanwhile, the politicians continue to build more roads, reject fuel efficiency standards and cut funding for alternatives. One has to wonder if they work for us or for the oil companies. Global warming be damned. We will fight more wars, breathe more polluted air and destroy the planet in order to sit in our stalled cars on 16-lane freeways and increase profits for Exxon.

An enlightened leadership would propose increasing the gas tax by a modest amount and earmark the money to fund alternatives like regional light rail, transit and bike lanes. Whatever minor benefit an 11-cent per gallon decrease might convey in the short term will be lost when gasoline inevitably reaches three or four (or more) dollars per gallon.

But an 11-cent per gallon tax increase today would generate millions of dollars that could provide real relief from traffic and air pollution and build alternatives for the coming day when folks at the low end of the pay scale can no longer afford to drive to work each day.

Unfortunately, the politicians are short on leadership and strong on pleasing their corporate masters. What a pathetic mess.

— Pat Veesart, Ventura

Re: your April 8 article, “Suit seeks to let kids take tests in native languages”:

After reading this article, I have to say that I couldn't agree more with the headline. Children should be taking tests in the native language. The native language in America is English and by all means the children should be taking their tests in English.

If they are going to live in America and cannot pass a test in English then they obviously have not been properly educated. The tests are supposed to be an indicator to the schools where they have problems, trying to change the rules to hide the problem does not solve it.

— Matt Doyle, Camarillo

Re: your April 1 article, “Leisure Village fee hike takes effect”:

The article on Leisure Village was very enlightening to this Leisure Village resident. Being that Mike Shapiro is a current board member and cognizant of the complete budget, I expected some detailed and astute remarks from him and former board members Ethel Ann Pemberton and Donna Duke. Instead, their remarks were general and negative in nature, some of which referred to corporations, tents and tuna fish sandwiches.

Shapiro, Pemberton and Duke served a combined total of 12 years on past boards. Can they explain why our village maintenance was neglected in the past? The current board is taking the heat by acting responsibly and doing what wasn’t done in the past.

— Ken Lorraine, Camarillo

Re: Richard Larsen’s April 12 essay, “Fact-finding or flimflam?”:

It is a hard truth in the news business that, “Opinion is cheap, facts are expensive.” Larsen’s essay is my nomination for the cheapest column inch in The Star. Not as cheap as this letter, but he’s on salary after all.

While it is true that J-School attendance, spell check and a cursory mining of Democratic Web sites for talking points qualifies for punditry these days, perhaps a brush-up on World History 101 might better serve The Star readers.

Larsen wrote, “Democracy is the one political system that cannot be militarily imposed.” Really?

The only democracy in the Middle East (Israel) was imposed by military force; as were Germany, Japan, Italy, France, Panama, Granada, the Philippines, Afghanistan, India, and countless others . Even, heavens forbid, these United States.

Democracy around the world is rooted in the graves of soldiers. In fact, I can’t think off-hand of any country where ruling despots said, “ We’ll give up our power and ya’ll just vote.” It’s a bloody business this democracy.

Having a liberal opinion is just fine. Don’t tell anybody, but I have a few myself. However, it does not give one license to spread nonsense as truth. Get a grip.

— Dion Anderson, Santa Paula (The writer is a retired Foreign Service officer, State, USIA, A.I.D., MACV, service in Middle East, Vietnam, London, South and Central America. — Editor)

Re: your April 12 article, “Patrolling the border”:

We were outraged that the Ventura County Star would print an article loaded with hatred and racism toward Mexicans crossing the U.S.-Arizona border. The title of the article “Patrolling the border” should have been called “Hunting the border.”

These self-proclaimed “Minutemen” mask their racism through the guise of patriotism, perceiving their cause as helpful for the U.S. against the “invasion” of immigrants. The photograph of the woman waving the American flag is a contradiction, especially since our country’s flag has been a symbol of freedom, peace and prosperity for all who wish to live the American dream. Instead, their flag-waving is used to promote exclusion and oppression.

In order to gain notoriety and strengthen their cause, these individuals are attempting to instill fear in others by describing immigrants as “the enemy” and comparing them to “terrorists.”

We find this comparison ironic, considering that these Minutemen are armed like lynchmen, similar to slave-catchers who were hired out during and before the Civil War to catch runaway slaves; there isn’t much of a difference here.

Rather than focusing their time and energies on other causes, these Minutemen are spending hours and days at a time hunting immigrants, the majority of whom pose very little threat. Most immigrants crossing the border are in desperate search for work, coming unarmed and fearful for their lives. Yet, these Minutemen utilize racist, crass humor to depict Mexicans as “Jose or Maria or their nine children.”

That The Star would print this pejorative statement is facilitating and strengthening the so-called positive image of these Minutemen “protecting” their country. What a sad way to occupy front-page space.

— Elena and Cristina Herrera, Oxnard

Re: your article, “Mandating home affordability can be controversial,” published April 10 in The Star:

Here are the facts about the city of Port Hueneme’s performance relative to inclusionary housing. Port Hueneme’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance is much broader than the redevelopment project areas. It applies to all land within the coastal zone, which is the coastal half of the city where new residential development/redevelopment potential is greatest stretching from Wheelhouse Avenue through the Navy Base, down to Pleasant Valley Road, to Ann Avenue and Hueneme Road at J Street.

Turning to The Star’s article, it is interesting to note that while Oxnard’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance requires 10 percent to be affordable (moderate income) or payment of an in-lieu fee totaling $3,675 for rental and $4,432 for owner occupied units, Port Hueneme’s Ordinance requires 25 percent to be affordable or payment of an in-lieu fee of $13,670. Port Hueneme’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance was adopted in 1999 (a year before Oxnard’s).

Port Hueneme has seen 94 homes sold at a price affordable to moderate incomes families out of a total of 152 units during this housing cycle (62 percent affordable). According to The Star article, Oxnard has built 900 affordable homes and rentals out of a total construction of 5,000 units or (18 percent affordable).

The relative population of Oxnard and Port Hueneme is about 10 to 1. We do our work without the benefit of the economy of scale that Oxnard enjoys and we do it well. Our performance has been excellent and we are not done yet.

— Murray Rosenbluth, Mayor, City of Port Hueneme

Pope John Paul II has been buried. He lays cradled in the cool earth of the grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. Nearby are the remains of the Basilica’s namesake, to whom Christ declared, “Upon this rock I shall build my church”, also rest.

It is only the body of John Paul entombed at the Vatican. For the faithful, his soul is at home with God. The greatness he demonstrated while he was among the living promises to expand in eternity, through God’s grace, beyond mortal bounds.

For those faithless and the restless in faith who recognized in John Paul a man of extraordinary moral certitude and compassion, his message of love and hope still resonates with each remembrance and with each reflection.

The body of John Paul has been buried, but his spirit, whether literally or figuratively experienced, continues to move powerfully among us.

It is truly unfortunate for both the churched and unchurched of this world that the machinations of the Roman Curia are notoriously glacial. Like the force of gravity, the Curia can be counted upon to try to keep the upwelling of adoration of John Paul from climbing too high too fast.

It is unfortunate, because the world it seems eager to bear the weight of one more saint in a weighty litany, particularly a saint as potentially universal in the appeal of his example as John Paul.

It is unfortunate, because during the length of his increasing infirmity, John Paul’s — and therefore the Church’s — message and its reach began to wane.

The body of John Paul has been buried. It has been joined to the very foundations of the Church — a new rock resting near the first, a rock that, if the Church would act deftly, could be hewn into a cornerstone of inspired renewal.

— Roxanne Vettese, Oxnard

Intoxicated with power, Republicans are now ready to go “nuclear” and turn the Senate confirmation process into a revolving door for Bush’s ultraconservative judicial nominations. “Now they’re after the courts, and I think it goes back to this arrogance of power.” Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid, D-Nev., said. “If they don’t like the rules, they break them. If they don’t like someone in their way, they attack them.”

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Tex., and his gang of cronies have repeatedly threatened to impeach judges or dramatically limit the court’s influence, in retaliation for their decisions on the Terry Schiavo case. But DeLay’s comments — and remarks by other conservatives — are really part of their despicable campaign to prevent Senate Democrats from free expression by changing filibuster rules.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. said, “The Schiavo case cast a bright light on the dark forces behind the … campaign” to change Senate rules and bar judicial filibusters.
Senate Democrats cite such facts to depict Republican activists as extremists who will stop at nothing to turn the federal judiciary into a conservative bastion.

Only Senate Democrats stand between President Bush his seizure of total governmental power. And the filibuster is the only weapon at the disposal of a minority party to keep zealots and neoconservative opportunists from gutting our independent judiciary, thus, subverting the Constitution and its established checks and balances that are the basis of our free society.

We all need to sign petitions to oppose Frist’s campaign to change the filibuster rules for judicial nominees Here is one of them: http://pfaw.kintera.org/savethefilibuster/.
— Christopher Robson,
Camarillo

On the subject of English education: Perhaps we could focus a little attention on teaching English to the people who really seem to need it — native English speakers.

Ask any university professor about the writing skills of California high school graduates, and the debate over bilingual education suddenly seems rather sterile. While native English speakers perform better on essays than non-native speakers, that modifier — “better” — is ducking underneath a fairly low bar. All California high-school graduates need better English instruction, bilingual or not.

Before we start assuming that monolingual instruction by definition produces superior outcomes, we should look at the performance of those whose instruction has, presumably, been English-only — students whose first and only language is English.

As an undergraduate’s essay put it to me recently, “The data show results that isn’t very pretty, results-wise.”

— Russell Burgos, Thousand Oaks

I had an opportunity to view the replay of the April 5 City Council meeting public comments session and read the newspaper articles on Phil Gatch’s removal.

Like all of the speakers, I am upset about council’s supposed action. By now perhaps it has taken action. But what is most disturbing is the apparent way this was handled. It is true that Gatch is an “at will” employee and can be terminated by the council with perhaps no real reason. It is also true that we, the public, have only heard one version of the story. If there is even a scintilla of truth in what was alleged, it is a dark day in the history of Thousand Oaks.

Gatch is, possibly, too much of a gentlemen to file a law suit but he would have a good chance to succeed against this outrageous action.

As a bare minimum, the council owes it to the residents a full explanation of the action taken, including the “why” and “how.” The law may not require this, but common decency does and council will be held accountable for its action.

— Jerry Lewi, Thousand Oaks

Re: your article, “Fight over safety funding ends,” published April 7 in The Star:

The public safety lawsuit is finally over, yet, one major issue goes quietly unaddressed. Articles about the settlement describe four public safety agencies that receive Proposition 172 funds but do not mention the fifth, the Fire Department, which has been left out.

Despite being part of public safety under Ordinance 4088, the Fire Department continues to receive nothing. This has limited the restoration of previously cut positions, and hampers needed growth in safety and services.

A recent public opinion poll shows that Ventura County voters overwhelmingly support giving the Fire Department a fair share of Proposition 172 funds. I hope the Board of Supervisors will take this into consideration and correct this serious inequity.

— Chris Mahon, President, Ventura County Professional Firefighters

Re: Jason Hodge’s letter, “Pain for firefighters,” published April 6 in The Star:

Hodge took Sen. Tom McClintock to task for purportedly supporting a plan to deprive death benefits to the families of firefighters. From everyone I have talked to, there is universal respect and admiration for the dedication and great works of firefighters throughout the country, and not one person would support a plan to deprive the families of firefighters death benefits. Not one.

However, the political power of unions has parlayed this well-deserved public support into nearly unlimited health and retirement benefits, essentially political pay for play, and that’s a major reason why former Gov. Gray Davis is gone. It’s impossible to pay someone enough to risk their lives, and I have the honor of working with many military folks whose incredible dedication far surpasses their pay.

Firefighters deserve generous benefits, but not unlimited benefits. The unions have had a great run at taxpayer expense, and it’s soon to be over, just like low home and gas prices. McClintock has proved himself over and over again to be a fair and reasonable person. The unions have had their unreasonable run. Now, it’s the taxpayers’ turn for a reasonable deal.

— Tom Reilly, Thousand Oaks

What kind of thinking were people doing? Terri Schiavo had been under doctor’s care and treatment not for one day, one week, one month or even one year, but 15 years of trying to bring her back.

What did people do? Not help her surely. I feel badly because it would have been torture to keep her alive any longer.

There has to be a limit as to how long treatment can continue. Doctors can only do so much. I don’t believe her parents were as concerned about their daughter as they were about their “image.”

— Celia Tobey, Camarillo

As the cardinals convene at the Vatican next week to select a replacement for Pope John Paul II, I hope some consideration is given to the fact that history, on may occasions, does actually repeat itself.

This pontiff, born in a country behind the Iron Curtain of communism, paired up with an American president whom many regarded as an amiable dunce, and brought down the final curtain on the then-leading behemoth of world communism, the Soviet Union.

So why not a pope this time from behind the Bamboo Curtain, i.e., a Chinese Pope?

Liberals for years have been heaping on George W. Bush dunce-like epithets just as they did Ronald Reagan. Who’s to say the same partnership won’t work again to bring down the Red Dragon that is Chinese communism? Bring on those cardinals, and may the white smoke rise for China.

— John Gentry, Ventura

As a user of the city of Ventura libraries, I have asked the City Council to fully fund the city libraries, making up a county shortfall, before new programs are funded.

If you sit in the library for a few hours, you will hear the most varied requests for services, for help with jobs, social services, self-employment, health concerns, and Internet questions for those without home computers. Cutting the hours makes it more difficult for the hard-pressed family of limited means to use the library.

Friends of the library use their funds for new books (it is essential to keep the stock of books current). Five years ago, Friends raised a good deal of money for a renovation. Money was raised with the promise by the city that the city would make sure the libraries would always be there, fully there, not partially closed. Five years ago, the library was seen as the cultural jewel of the development of downtown.

As newcomers, we are eager to live in the downtown and join in its revitalization, but a fully-operational library is essential and this means a full library schedule. As voters, we must insist that the City Council preserve our libraries and the services the libraries provide.

— Gail Taback,
Ventura

Re: Richard Larsen’s essay, “Why hide affordability?,” published March 29 in The Star:

It has become painfully evident there is a lack of affordable housing in Ventura County and something needs to be done, but Larsen’s suggestion that “cities begin demanding that 50 percent or 70 percent of new developments be devoted to housing that middle-income people can afford” will only exacerbate the problem.

Current price increases in Ventura County are the result of the supply of housing not keeping pace with demand. Current growth-limiting measures have worsened the situation by severely limiting the supply of developable land, causing the price of land to rise and fiscal competition for land to intensify. Adding such an extreme mandatory affordable component would further increase the costs of building by creating additional false constraints on the market. These price increases, in turn, are passed on to the consumer, pricing much of the work force Larsen aims to help out of the market.

The solutions lies in increasing the supply of housing at all levels, and it is something that homebuilders, government officials, community leaders, nonprofit housing providers, advocates, the business community and citizens need to work together to address.

Providing incentives for affordable housing allows the creation of housing for middle-income families, while spreading the costs equitably. Incentives may include adding height to multifamily developments along commercial and traffic corridors, allowing increased density for housing developments that include affordable housing, and ensuring density isn’t stripped away during the approval process.

Let us ensure that the discussion regarding affordable housing actually produces more housing. Merely creating a policy that makes us feel good but gets no real results would be a failure.

— Terra Donlon, Interim chapter director/ director of government affairs, Greater Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California

Paratroopers of the 187th Airborne Airborne Regimental Combat Team, Condor Chapter, have landed once again. The veterans organization has declared war on creditors who take advantage of families of members of the National Guard and Reserves who have been called up for active duty by the Pentagon and serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The paratroopers are offering protection to those families who are facing eviction or foreclosure or who are in danger of having their checking or savings accounts attached or wages garnished on account of debt. The debt occurs when the reserve pay of the soldier or sailor is less than what they were earning before being activated.

The paratroopers have set up a task force that will educate the families of their rights under the Service Members Civil Relief Act, which may enable them to defer or reduce payments on outstanding financial obligations. In many instances, even the creditor is not aware of the protections afforded under the act and often a letter sent on behalf of the family member is sufficient to resolve the issues. However, in the event education is not satisfactory, the task force has the capability of seeking judicial relief through the courts and asking for injunctive relief, cease and resist orders, and damages if necessary.

The Star recently reported on a family member who was in danger of foreclosure and did not receive satisfaction from the creditor until a congressman and state senator intervened on her behalf and made all parties aware of the legal requirements of the act.

All interested parties should send a copy of the soldier’s or sailor’s duty orders and the name and address and other pertinent information regarding the creditor involved to: 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, Ventura County Chapter, P.O. Box 51032, Oxnard, CA. 93030.

— Herb Stout, Secretary, 187 Airborne Regimental Combat Team, Condor Chapter, Oxnard

Yet another oak in Ojai at Aliso and Montgomery streets has been removed.

Oaks interacting with humans have special needs. Ignoring them can be unsafe. The good news is that root fungus is preventable.

For anyone who has magnificent valley or coast live oaks near their dwelling or on their property and wishes to inform themselves on keeping them healthy and safe, there is literature available in English and Spanish at the bulletin board in the Ojai Community Demonstration Garden. Behind City Hall. On South Ventura Street.

— Sasha Wolfe, Ojai

Re: your article, “Legislation would cut state sales tax on gas,” published April 6 in The Star:

Nuñez’s plan to cut sales tax on gas is poor policy. This is one tax that should increase until it comes close to the actual cost to the people of California of using this toxic substance. Costs should cover environmental damage and also California’s share of the billions going to secure Iraq's oil (and any future wars to obtain the remainder of the Earth’s supply of oil).

The poor no doubt will continue to find increased gas prices a hardship, but people of limited means can and do use public transportation, or bicycles or share rides. Indeed, many come from backgrounds where sharing is a way of surviving. Moreover the proposed compensatory increase in other sales tax will be equally hard on poor people but will lack the beneficial encouragement to conservation.

It’s time for the rest of us to return to an ethos of sharing — be it rides or other things people need. We are on the downward slope of petroleum supply and an upward slope of demand, and our economy faces grave disruption because of our overwhelming reliance on a finite resource — petroleum.

In recent years, many people chose gas-guzzling vehicles, ignoring the environmental and public policy costs. Accommodating their irresponsible choices at the public’s expense is not a way to promote their making better choices.

Gas tax should increase not decrease.

— Kendra Gonzales, Ventura

Re: your article, “Legislation would cut state sales tax on gas,” published April 6 in The Star:

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez propose a plan to replace the gasoline sales tax with an increased sales tax on “all other goods.” This is a classic example of the fuzzy, myopic thinking of politicians today.

Obviously, proposing a cut on state sales tax on gas garners for Nuñez front page publicity in The Star. But the proposed change in tax policy is nuts. It is a “revenue neutral” proposal, which means that the people of the state of California will not be paying any less tax. It does not shift the tax burden from the poor to the rich because everyone buys, “all other goods.” What’s the point in making the change?

The proposal would be laughable, except for its unintended consequences if it becomes law. Economics 101 tells us that when government taxes an activity, it discourages that activity. Reducing a tax encourages that activity. In the case of Nuñez’s proposal, instead of letting the current high price of gas act as an incentive for motorists to conserve, he seeks to mitigate the price increase, which will reduce the incentive to conserve.

Perhaps a better proposal would be the opposite of that proposed: Increase the sales tax on gasoline, with a corresponding decrease in sales tax on all other goods. This will cause people to buy less gas, while allowing them to buy more “all other goods” and, thus, boost the general economy of California.

— Robert Chatenever, Oxnard

Re: your article, “Council OKs town home development,” published April 6 in The Star:

The recent Simi Valley City Council approval of Larwin Homes’ town home development near the juncture of Kuehner Drive and Highway 118 underscores a growing frustration of Simi Valley citizens: The playing field on which we’re asked to compete with land developers for City Council attention is no more level than the hillsides onto which those developers are increasingly gouging.

Isolating a single skirmish in this competition would take us back to development of Marr Ranch, just north of our Summit Avenue residences.

Initial plans called for closure of a particular street accessing Summit. A Planning Commission decision called for it being opened. A City Council vote sealed that decision.

Concerned about speeding cars from the development using Summit as a shortcut to eastbound Highway 118, I made two appeals: The first to City Manager Mike Sedell, who told me a council vote was irrevocable. I then appealed to council at a public meeting.

We were not only not accorded a rehearing, there was no indication council even considered our appeal.

Enter Larwin, whose first pitch missed over concern about an outdated environmental impact report. Armed with an updated EIR, Larwin’s second pitch also missed when council rejected the project 3-2 Jan. 10.

Within a week, two of the “nay” voters changed their minds, giving Larwin one more opportunity to appeal for approval. So much for City Council irrevocability.

City Council also changed the basic rules: calling citizens “out” after two strikes, while allowing Larwin a third pitch, which it knocked right out of the park April 4.

Simi Valley residents are not asking for the special treatment city government seems to reserve for out-of-town developers and business interests.

We’d just be happy to see our loyalty rewarded by the most basic of considerations.

— Bob Jackson, Simi Valley

Re: Barry Branagan’s April 6 letter, “Repair bill no surprise”:

I applaud Branagan, for his letter and for letting Ventura County know the facts behind City Hall history. Every city hall that has been used by the city, new or used, has been a boondoggle. I can’t believe a city as beautiful as ours has leaders cannot even provide a center for people to do city business. If the roofs didn’t leak, then the elevators didn’t work. But it seemed like something was always wrong with our city halls.

I am originally from the Midwest, but even other cities in California don’t have the problems we do. I’ve lived here for 22 years and they have had four city halls. Cities back East have city halls that last generations and don’t have leaky roofs. And as far as finding your way around the “new” City Hall, you better get a map.

After it moved a second time to a temporary city hall, I came to believe that either the city was hiring cheap labor or the city leaders weren’t listening to the voice of experience and pretending to be sidewalk engineering architects. It’s too bad they couldn’t have let Branagan do his job and then they could have done theirs.

I’ve been waiting a long time to read a letter such as Branagan’s.

— Gerald Kiliszewski, Thousand Oaks

We have had ample examples of corporate misconduct and ongoing trials, fines and continuing problems for corporations for not keeping e-mails and all kinds of other refusal to comply with our laws of the land.

We even have heard of CPA firms selling tax shelters to wealthy clients and getting them into trouble while they collected fees for selling these schemes. Martha Stewart, who was a trained stockbroker, served time in Camp Cupcake. We are hearing of the huge payouts to executives in salaries, bonuses, stock options and other gifts and perks while they have failed to work, as an example, on the gasoline situation.

I believe those same executives do not have to be upset about affording gasoline to get to work. There are a lot of privileges. It would take to long to list those they have been enjoying. These executives would be in charge of Social Security investments?

Until corporate governance is enforced and there is compliance, I plan to vote against it and urge everyone to vote against it. Actually it is very disappointing that government has not handled the Social Security fund right to begin with. So as we go to the gas pump and get mugged again, it would be nice if we all can take the time to write, e-mail or call our representatives.

— Maria M. Hagman, Moorpark

As a faithful practitioner of a minority religion in the United States, I was deeply disturbed to see flags flying at half-staff in commemoration of Pope John Paul II. This was especially offensive at public school sites, where teachers were inappropriately and awkwardly expected to interpret it’s significance to young people.

Worship belongs in the home. While I respect the humanitarian works of this pope, my theological beliefs and social values are far different from those he represents. The pope is not my leader.

As a loyal American, I emphatically believe that true leadership by elected officials mandates their adherence to our country’s greatest principles: separation of church and state, respect for pluralism, and tolerance of diversity.

I revile the executive order of the president of the United States that led to the flags being lowered.

— Nancy Kay Elkin, Agoura Hills

Re: your April 7 article, “Cardiac patients react to ‘for sale’ sign”:

We have just learned Los Robles Regional Medical Center may be closing its Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Center located in its west campus. This news has caused great consternation to all of us who use the unit.

This rehabilitation facility has been a literal life-saver by providing a hospital-managed site that emphasizes the value of post-operative cardiac care. Some of us, indeed, have had more than one surgery and been able to be rehabilitated after each. Others have used the facility for many years for ongoing cardiovascular maintenance with the support of the nursing staff.

We note that the medical center proudly touts its record as a “Heart Center,” yet, seems willing to close such a vital part of this program. We understand Los Robles may need to vacate and sell its west campus facility and only ask that medical center management make every effort to relocate this important unit to other quarters. The patients who use this facility are ready to work with the medical center to accomplish these goals.

Is this just another case of a large corporation trimming small ancillary departments in order to enhance their profits?  Are the gray-headed seniors of this area now considered just write-offs?

Please, say it isn’t so. This community needs this facility!
— MaryEllen Kircher, Thousand Oaks

I understand that our current governor is transferring money from the funds earmarked for repairing highways to the state fund as a result of the shortfalls in our state budget. In my opinion, that’s wrong. It will only add to our personal costs in maintaining our vehicles. It seems like everyday the price for gas jumps up.

Is this ever going to stop?

— Randy Weaver, Oak View

I was so excited when my sister called and said they had found an imperial mammoth in Moorpark. I told her I was so excited.

She said, “Sis, you know it’s dead?”

I replied, “Oh, my God, was Fish and Game already there.”

— Dorann LaPerch, Moorpark

I received a mass-mailed petition today from “Californians for Affordable Prescriptions”. Did anyone else notice that this initiative measure is sponsored by the “Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America California Initiative Fund? Major funding provided by Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck & Company Inc.”?

Maybe I’m overly suspicious but I’d rather not have three huge pharmaceutical companies writing an initiative that will cut their profits. Its Wizard of Oz time and we all need to look behind the curtains.

— Virginia Stiles Hambro, Camarillo

I was walking down the sidewalk at the corner of Simon Way and Citrus Avenue in El Riowhen I was attacked by a chicken. The chicken had been under a car out in the street and I didn’t see it until it came out and pecked me on the leg.

The wound was bleeding and I was concerned about disease. We have all heard about bird flu and thousands of chickens being put to sleep. I called animal control to inquire, and much to my surprise learned that there are no controls on chickens.

It’s perfectly OK to let your chickens roam the streets and attack people. Imagine that? Let’s hope someone changes this before it’s a child being attacked.

— Jeanette Andrews, Oxnard

The proposed closure of ceramics classes at Ventura College makes no sense. This is true because the department is more than self-sufficient financially, it brings in a profit of well more than $100 000 annually. The values of the courses, and the expertise of teachers like Deanna Pini, from whom we have taken classes, are legendary.

Does the further proposal to rent the ceramics facilities to Foothill High have something to do with this poor decision?

— Charles & Geraldine Fletcher, Ventura

Re: your article, “Crews gathering to clean up debris at beaches,” published April 2 in The Star:

For the past 10 years, since I have lived in Ventura, I have been ashamed of the condition of our beaches. Instead of having pristine inviting beaches, the beaches are grubby, unclean, nasty and contaminated. (At Mandalay Beach, to the benefit of Oxnard residents and those who make the drive to that area, they are almost totally the opposite.)

On many occasions, when visitors have asked me to take them to the ocean, we have made the attempt to walk to the seashore via Ventura beaches. Usually, we are met by foul odors, gray-black cluttered sand and lots of canine fecal material.

The owners of these dogs take their pets to the beach and allow them free rein to roam. They love their animals and want their dogs to enjoy the experience of running on the beach. Residents of Ventura who wish to do the same cannot do so because of uncaring owners of these pets.

I see the owners, but I do not see any pooper-scoopers or any park/beach employees making attempts to curb the freedom of these dogs to “dump” where they please. These dog-lovers are oblivious to the fact that they are despoiling our beaches. Placing a blanket on the sand to sun-bathe or to picnic is totally out of the question.

Until something is done about this, our beaches will continue to be uninviting and downright foul. The term “debris” must include animal waste that continues to accumulate (and aggravate) on our sandy shores.

A possible solution is to put aside certain areas for dogs and their owners to cavort in their own filth. Perhaps then, dog owners will begin to clean up after their pets.

— Keith Bogost, Ventura

Re: your article, “Workers’ comp still hot issue,” published March 31 in The Star:

A vibrant furniture manufacturing industry is gone. Garment making is on its way out. Heavy manufacturing? Aircraft manufacturing companies have vowed never to build another aircraft in California.

If any member of the Legislature or even a concerned citizen wants to witness the gaming of the California workers’ compensation system, I suggest they visit the system’s appeal board (read “court”) to observe first hand this travesty in action, The board sits at 320 W. Fourth St., Los Angeles; 2701 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica; and 6150 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys.

People will not enjoy watching this siphoning of the California economy. If they take this field trip, they will be especially appalled by the applicant attorney who only advertises. He takes the workers who have responded to his televised entreaties and parcels them out to the other applicant attorneys for a piece of the action.

The judges at this farce are equally pathetic. These are the same judges who some years ago petitioned the state to allow them to wear robes. They regularly go on trips as guests of the applicant attorneys. These soirees are billed as educational seminars.

If our state Legislators could adopt the Arizona workers’ compensation system, the jobs increase in California would be magical.

I recently testified before Sen. Richard Alarcon’s Labor Committee. He has authored a bill to fix workers’ comp rates by legislative fiat. I opposed that premise and argued that if insurance companies can make a reasonable profit in workers’ comp, then more companies will be attracted to the market and rates will decrease by market force.

I opined to Alarcon that, if the California Legislature was in charge of the Mojave Desert, in three years we would have a shortage of sand.
— Raymond G. Boyd, Somis

Re: James Meznek’s March 17 commentary, “Working to make colleges better,” and Joe Howry’s March 27 essay, “Crafting county’s future”:

After reading these pieces, I just have to believe we are living in an age of media misconceptions. Everything is presented to be palatable. The headline on Meznek’s commentary is far from true. The new chancellor, hired to do the dirty work, is destroying the dreams of the poor and less gifted in our town. You can’t go far without a dream.

Those students deprived of an education should sue the district. I wish I knew of a lawyer with enough heart to help them.

What isn’t known is that people have gotten together donating money to save, for instance, the horticulture program. The community college district plans to return it. Why? We can only guess that they want to bulldoze the garden to put up a parking lot for future management training. And this fiscal mismanagement is allowed to continue. While teachers and students go without jobs and future careers.

As for Howry’s estimation of our county, he can’t have lived here too long. The cow is gone and we are trying to lock the gate. This town is not diverse, only the rich can live here. Very few people who used to live here still do, they moved years ago or are planning to. The downtown is ruined with Santa Barbara-like businesses, etc. The only people who will be living here in the next ten years are the rich and the poor who work for them.

It is almost like that already. The traffic is almost like Los Angeles It would be refreshing for people to be honest, that would be news.

— Maryanne deGoede, Ventura

A letter of mine published in The Star — “Keep VC successful,” March 24 — pointed out the many cuts inflicted on Ventura College. I pointed out the trustees who were responsible as Cheryl Heitmann, Art Hernandez and Mary Anne Rooney. I could not have been any more wrong in my accusations when it came to Rooney.

I wish to apologize, as she actually stood up in support of Ventura College. She defended the college by voting with trustee Larry Miller against the cuts. As a librarian who has spent his life searching out the facts, I have no excuse. I attacked a person who had the courage, integrity and plain guts to vote in the exact manner as her predecessor, John Tallman.

For that courage, I salute her and again apologize.

— David A. Breslin, Librarian/coach, Ventura College

Re: David Undis’ letter, “Direct organ donations,” published April 5 in The Star:

The decision by Dionne Brown’s donor family to share the gift of life through organ donation was a wonderful and altruistic gesture that saved her life. If everyone followed that lead and pledged to donate life, we could greatly impact the need for life-saving transplants in the United States.

The current allocation system of the United Network for Organ Sharing is designed to be equitable, efficient and ensure those with the most critical need get the transplants that save their lives. What Undis failed to discuss is that there is a low probability of someone in the Lifesharers group actually receiving a transplant. To receive an organ, the recipient needs to be on the UNOS list so their medical criteria can be run against the donor to find the right match. OneLegacy works closely with families to help them carry out the donation wishes of their loved one.

Undis’ claim that 70 percent of organs transplanted go to people who have not agreed to donate their own organs is unsubstantiated. No national group tracks the donor designation of recipients. His claim that people who do not have donor designation documented are “lazy” and “selfish” is an insult to all. Over the course of more than two decades, OneLegacy has worked with many families who extend the gift of life despite the lack of documentation of the donor’s wishes.

Lastly, given Undis’s address in Tennessee, he seems to be unaware that California has transitioned from simply signing donor cards — which may or may not be presented to healthcare professionals at the time of death – to signing up on the secure, confidential Donate Life California Registry (http://www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org). We encourage all Californians to go online and sign up today.

OneLegacy is the nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization serving the seven-county Greater Los Angeles area.

— Bryan Stewart, Director of Communications, OneLegacy Los Angeles

Re: your editorial, “Poison rule saves cougars,” published March 25 in The Star:

I had a rat problem in the yard last year and looked at many poisons. Eventually, I settled on the anti-coagulant type that seemed effective and humane. I had limited success and went hunting for other remedies. I found the solution in the Rat Zapper, a wonderful local product that leaves no poisons in or on the ground and doesn’t harm other wildlife. It kills by means of an electrical charge that, in its speed, can be nothing less than humane. My yard is now safe for every other living thing in it.

Folks use more than just rat poisons in their yards. The house and garden variety can be very toxic as well (look at the fine print on ant poisons) and besides killing weeds, herbicides also kill insects and poison the seeds birds feed on. (The best ant poison is any window cleaner with ammonia.)

This being nesting time, the impact of using a variety of herbicides and pesticides could have an extended impact on bird life here — parent birds passing along poisoned food to their chicks and, perhaps, even killing the parent birds.

A recent report by the Audubon Society indicates 28 percent of American bird species are in decline nationally and Southern California has shown its own decline in the bird population. If we are concerned with nature, it shouldn’t be just cougars or raptors but all wildlife should be important. When they’re gone, that’s it.

If poisons and wars were the answer we’d only need them once. If we are not careful, the average garden is going to be as toxic as the ocean. I can live with eating tuna once a week, but I can’t possibly imagine spending only one day a week in my garden.

— David Lyons, Ventura

The government has no divine powers, it can only give what it first takes away. As far as Social Security is concerned, the government takes money from employees and employers via Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes (a payroll tax) and gives the money to those people who are qualified for Social Security benefits.

Due to changes in demographics caused by longer life spans, lower birth rates and the baby boomers; soon there will be many Social Security beneficiaries to be supported by few employees. The present Social Security system will not be able to survive without decreasing benefits or greatly increasing FICA taxes.

The government has been aware of this problem for some time and, to ease this problem, they raised FICA taxes to build a surplus so that FICA taxes will not have to be raised drastically. This so called surplus consists of $1.7 trillion of government bonds. The government redeems government bonds by raising the money via taxes. This means that FICA taxes will not have to be raised but payroll taxes (or other taxes) will have to be raised to redeem the bonds held by Social Security.

In other words, the tax burden of the few employees supporting the many Social Security beneficiaries has not been eased, just the name of the tax has been changed.

To make Social Security less dependent on taxing the few to support the many, the government should give the surplus to the future retirees in the form of private accounts containing the government bonds. These private accounts would be like IRAs. Then the future retirees could sell the government bonds and replace them with stock or other investments which do not rely on taxes for their value.

— David J. Ameling, Newbury Park

Re: “The writing on the 101 bridge,” published in The Star on April 5:

We have seen the Santa Clara River Bridge covered with graffiti for years and wondered why.

I thank The Star for exposing Caltrans, the cowards who refuse to stand up to the criminal element controlling the bridge. Maybe the governor will clean out that bureaucracy, too.

— Ray Holm, Thousand Oaks

In this suburban area where automotive transportation is a general “necessity” for everyday functions, I am now feeling dread whenever I hop into my car. Every short trip I make is just dollar bills slipping from my pockets. My heart sinks each day I see new numbers posted at my gas station. We are all losing money into our gas tanks, and there doesn’t seem to be a thing we can do about it. Authorities have admitted there is no shortage of crude oil.

This situation is not about supply and demand.

It actually seems to be about citizens being robbed blind. I am a working student and I wish I could say I won’t stand for this. But I will. In fact, I will sit, cozy and content (if not financially challenged) in my plush driver’s seat. I need my car; love my car even.

However, we have a government in place to look out for the people — to look out for the good of this nation and uphold our rights. A government of elected officials whom we voted for with our own well-being in mind. And yet, for some reason, there is this tiny nagging voice I cannot quiet telling me that some of those same elected officials are the exact reason I am scraping change out of my center console. I suppose we have to deal with it, but that doesn’t mean we have to do it silently.

— Jesse Kuznkowski, Thousand Oaks

School board members are elected to be advocates for all the schoolchildren in this county. At a recent Conejo Valley Unified School District board meeting a resolution, in support of Proposition 98 and in opposition to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget, was placed on the agenda for a vote by the board.

When the vote was called to either support or reject the resolution, four board members voted for and one member abstained. What I find disappointing is that the board member who abstained, Mike Dunn, prior to the vote, gave a lengthy speech on why the board should not support the resolution. Here you have a public official who apparently felt strongly that the resolution was not in the best interests of the CVUSD and publicly voiced that opinion.

Dunn is certainly entitled to his opinion, but some might wonder why he would not want to support more funding for this district. Last year, the governor made a promise to California’s students to ensure adequate school funding and to support the voter-approved Proposition 98. Unfortunately the governor’s 2005-06 budget breaks his promise and undermines the education-funding protections California’s voters supported. In the last several years, California schools have had more than $9.8 billion in budget cuts, and CVUSD has suffered more than $20 million in budget reductions.

California is currently 46th in the nation in per-pupil funding and eliminating Proposition 98 would create further erosion in the quality of education in this state.

— Gordon P. Hadley, Westlake Village

Re: Lotar Ziesing’s letter, “Bad planning at Fagan Canyon,” published March 21 in The Star:

The writer is absolutely correct in calling for an initiative to be placed on the November ballot to allow the people of Santa Paula to vote on the proposed 2,000 plus development in Fagan Canyon. Voters of Santa Paula passed measure “I” in 2000 that extended the city’s urban restriction boundary line into Fagan Canyon with the general plan calling for 450 homes. We also turned down a very large development in Adams Canyon. We thought we had spoken.

Now, the Fagan Canyon development has grown even larger. Reasonable people could see a small increase in a development to offset rising costs, etc., but a large percentage increase reeks of dishonesty by the developer and evidently condoned by the city government. This much change has to be voted on by the people it will affect: the citizens and taxpayers of Santa Paula.

Long after the developer has collected its profits and moved on to “greener pastures” up the coast, Santa Paulans will be living with increased traffic and loss of small-town atmosphere. It was done to Los Angeles and Orange counties and is threatening Ventura County. Don’t let it happen.

Call for a vote. You can’t appreciate what you have until you lose it. I know, I lived in Orange County and Los Angeles from the 1954 through 1979. I’ve been a homeowner in Santa Paula since 1980.

— Don Vance, Santa Paula

Re: “Authorities plan review of police car chase policy,” published April 5 in The Star:

Police need to review the high-speed tactics of pursuing a car not bent on stopping for anyone. It was obvious the car being chased had no concern for the safety of pedestrians or other cars.

The speedster ran several red lights at extremely high speeds. Why not follow with an emergency helicopter? Budget accordingly. Don’t let a budget cut become your excuse.

— Michael Luna, Oxnard

Feb. 11, our governor stated: “There will be the unions and the special interests fighting us. Now we are going to the source, right there where all the evil is, and we are going to fix this problem once and for all.”

As dedicated teachers for more than 25 years who have served our children tirelessly, we are deeply troubled that the leader of our state has chosen to demonize our union and us. When we first became teachers, we were driven by ideals to nurture and educate our youth and we had no illusions about earning big bucks.

Now, as we approach retirement, our pensions and well-being as senior citizens are threatened by a governor who hypocritically derides us as a special interest while accepting huge campaign contributions from the automotive industry, real-estate interests and other corporate entities. 

Referring to hard-working, middle-class citizens like nurses, firefighters, and educators as “evil” is not only insulting, it is a dangerous slur.  California voters erred when they elected “The Terminator” and now is the time to make amends.

Please contact your elected representatives to register your concern with this alarming trend in gubernatorial politics.

— Annette Halpern, Ventura, and John Merrill, Somis, teachers at Santa Paula High School

Re: “Berger pleads guilty to taking documents,” published April 2 in The Star:

Arthur Andersen partners went to jail for allegedly destroying papers that could have been destroyed under usual policy. I don’t recall anyone using scissors.

Sandy Berger gets probation, a small fine and revocation of his security clearance. We’ll never know how significant the papers he destroyed might be.

The moral of the story; have a political background and the standards of behavior can never be judged the same as required by honest people.

Who expects integrity?

— James M. Crosser, Ventura

Re: Bill Winter’s letter, “Get involved in neighborhood,” published March 14 in The Star:

As one of the residents Winter is referring to in his letter, I feel I must reply. I do not consider my decision to leave Oxnard as “running away” or “picking up my tent and hot -tailing it out of town” as he suggests I am doing.

I would like to inform Winter I have been at many neighborhood watch meetings in the 32 years I have lived here and been involved in neighborhood patrols. I do my part in watching over things in my neighborhood. Ask the police dispatchers, code enforcement, trash inspectors, most of them probably know me by name. At times, my efforts seem futile and I am confident Oxnard Mayor Tom Holden will turn things around. I voted for him.

It will take time, but I do not have that time to wait. I am 64 years old and figure, with some luck, I might live 15 more years. I would rather spend that remaining 15 years playing golf in Arizona than going to neighborhood meetings to improve a neighborhood no one else other than me seems to care about. If Winter would like to contact me, I am in the phone book, I would be happy to share my concerns with him.

— Scotty Bonnar, Oxnard

I have been a downtown Ventura business (and property) owner located near the fairgrounds since 1993. The transient population and related problems in this area are currently at an all-time high. I routinely find syringes, trash, condoms, human waste, etc., on my property.

These problems recently escalated to a new level. I was with my 12-year-old son when I received a death threat from a transient who had set up his camp on a freeway slope adjacent to my business property. Without warning he came onto my property, came within inches of my face and screamed repeatedly “I’m going to blow your head off!” (Expletives deleted.)

I called 911 for help, but after waiting 15 to 20 minutes, there was no police response. I made a second call to 911 and waited another 35 minutes, still no police. I gave up waiting and went home.

The following day I called Ventura police department and they sent two officers to investigate this transient. They did not arrest him but instead asked him to leave his illegal freeway encampment. The transient ignored the police warning and two days later he still had not moved. So I called the police again. They again asked him to leave, but they declined to arrest him despite his threat to kill me. Ventura police inform me that their hands are tied by Ventura city policy when it comes to dealing effectively with transient problems.

Ventura city government needs to wake up and start placing the safety of the taxpaying community ahead of any perceived benefit they derive by attracting and accommodating large numbers of potentially violent transients to our city.

— Steve Storz, Ventura

Think about pristine Alaska. Shame on us, We now have a black list displaying the names of 51 of our U.S. senators.

— William L. Hammaker, Camarillo

Re: “Population threat to Earth, U.N. says,”published in The Star on March 31:

The Star’s priorities never cease to amaze me. The lead front-page story Thursday was all about butterflies, alongside an article about older worker’s rights and, buried on Page 16, an extremely truncated version of the Millennium Assessment Report about nothing less than the death of our planet.

I have news for The Star. At the current rate of environmental degradation due to human overpopulation and resource extraction there will be no butterflies, or older workers either, in 50 years. But if The Star and the rest of the captive media actually informed the populace of the dire straits humanity is in, I imagine that sales of those gas guzzlers The Star advertise on the same page would dry up, and then where would The Star be?

Planet be damned. Let’s keep those advertising revenues rolling in. Sic transit gloria gaia.

— George Vye, Ventura

Re: Dalius Stropus’ April 1 letter, “Wage statistic flawed”:

After a long sigh, all I could think was, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I’ve been reading stuff like this for way too many years.

He writes that the 76 cents, on the dollar earned, by women, as compared to men, is flawed reasoning because, “Men … have higher degrees, work longer hours and higher-paying jobs and they do not take as much time off to have children or raise a family.”

There was a very large law firm in New York City that had always hired the top four graduates for its firm. That is, until the top four students were female. Then it simply skipped the women and hired the top four men. Why? Because …

No woman ever became pregnant alone. Each child has two parents. Why don’t men stay home with their children in numbers equal to woman? Because …

Why don’t corporations hire as many equally competent women as men? Because …

The real question has nothing to do with feminist ‘women’s rights advocates.’ There are a lot of us.
The question is: why is it, that everyone reading this letter can finish each “Because”?

— Miriam Albert, Thousand Oaks

The High Street Theater still has a “for sale” sign hanging on it, even as more than 1,800 Moorpark residents and guests filled this beautiful historic building over four weekends to experience the return of the Moorpark Melodrama. The popular show even extended its performances an extra weekend to accommodate the crowds who welcomed back this local tradition and the opportunity to experience a wonderful historic venue.

If you value community or history or the arts or even an economically viable downtown area, you should embrace this theater and all the possibilities it represents and encourage the city to purchase it and retain it as a community resource.

The city has already invested redevelopment money in the form of a low-interest loan to defray the cost of renovation. The city should act now to purchase the theater and make it a cornerstone of Moorpark’s redevelopment and beautification efforts in the Historic Downtown District.

The Melodrama, produced entirely by The High Street Theater Foundation, is a good example of how a public-private partnership could work to operate a city-owned venue. Creating an inclusive and efficient organizational structure, such as a Moorpark arts and historical commission, would help to coordinate efforts among local groups and the activities of our growing community. It would also make a strong statement of city support toward such efforts.

By supporting the arts and the vitality of High Street, we also support an important economic base and a possible center for tourism. If you’ve recently traveled to Ojai, San Luis Obispo or even Old Town Camarillo, then you’ve caught a glimpse of the future economic possibilities of High Street.

Let’s start with putting a “sold” sign on the theater and make an important investment for the future of Moorpark. That would be a beautiful sight.

— Bruce Thomas, Moorpark

Several years ago, the California Department of Transportation wisely placed concrete barriers in the center divider of Highway 118 between Kuehner Drive (Simi Valley) and Princeton Avenue (Moorpark) to create a physical separation between eastbound and westbound traffic. This inexpensive, proactive strategy has proven to be a sound safety measure and will undoubtedly save lives in the event of a major accident.

As Douglas Failing, District 7 director of the California Department of Transportation knows, improvements to Highway 23 in the cities of Moorpark and Thousand Oaks have been deferred until such time as an appropriate funding source can be identified. In addition to enhancing traffic capacity and efficiency, the improvements would have presumably included similar concrete barriers erected in the center median. Those safety barriers are critical to public safety and welfare in that the center median in many sections of this highway are little more than 40 feet wide.

The extraordinary weight and high volume of commercial truck traffic now using Highway 23 make the addition of concrete safety barriers a prudent, proactive safety measure. The proposed expansion of the Port of Hueneme will increase the number of commercial vehicles sharing the road with local traffic and inter-regional commuters.

I have made a formal request for CalTrans to install temporary concrete safety barriers in the center median of Highway 23 between Highway 101 (Thousand Oaks) and New Los Angeles Avenue (Moorpark) until such time as permanent improvements to this heavily traveled highway can be constructed.

— Patrick Hunter, Mayor, City of Moorpark

I would like to share one significant happening that my wife and I were witness to on May 13, 1981, and was brought vividly to mind as we watched the news about Pope John Paul II dying Saturday.

We were present in St. Peter’s Square, awaiting the arrival of the pope as he began his journey through the waiting crowd. While we waited, I gazed around at the crowd gathered there in the square, and I noticed a young man, standing by himself in the crowd. His clothing was rather rather wrinkled and his appearance was somewhat unkempt. The thought crossed my mind that this man was quite out of place in this crowd, totally alone, and I mentioned it to my wife. Her response at that moment was “there doesn’t seem to be much security around the Pope.”

We went back to to join our tour group to watch the Pope pass by in his car. Moments later I heard “popping” sounds and saw the pigeons on the sculptures atop the Vatican fly from their perches. My first thought was fireworks but then the screams started about 6O feet from where we were standing and people began to run in all directions and some yelled, “The pope has been shot.”

The situation then became very confused and our tour guide got us back to our bus and we were able to leave. I never saw the young man again until I picked up an Italian language newspaper at our Rome hotel the next morning and saw the picture of the same man; the same man who shot the pope: Mehmet Ali Agca.

We prayed for the pope then, as we did again Saturday.

— Dave and Ginny Wallace, Westlake Village

Re: Katie Ion’s letter, “Autonomy attacked,” publish March 29 in The Star.

Ion’s argument supporting Terry Schiavo’s so-called “right to die” is filled with more holes than the Los Angeles Lakers’ team defense. She claims Schiavo’s “rightful wish to die” was being negated by the government. Yet, there is no written proof Terry had chosen death over life. It was all based on her husband’s testimony.

Ion goes on to say that “if he (Michael Schiavo) says that she would not want to be kept alive artificially, then there is no dispute.” Actually, there is a dispute because Mr. Schiavo saying that Terri “would not want to be kept alive” and that Terri “does not want be kept alive” are two different things: the former based on speculation and the latter based on fact.

The truth of the matter is that Mr. Schiavo is to blame for Terri’s current condition because he petitioned to have her feeding tube removed in the first place without a will or other evidence to support his claim.

Instead of believing heresy like Ion and immediately placing the blame on Congress and “limited-government Republicans,” I recommend doing some research and analysis of the facts.

— Trevor Connor, Westlake Village

While the corporate media obsessed about Terry Schiavo, a woman effectively dead since 1990, the following stories were lost in back pages:

— A U.N. report that population growth threatens everyone on the planet.

Regardless of how people feel about Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube being removed, I don’t see how anyone can side with Michael Schiavo and his decision to keep her family away from her in her final moments. This is a man without honor.

How dare he deprive her family of having a chance to hold her, kiss her and tell her goodbye.

My son Gary passed away five years ago from muscular dystrophy and his final four years were very difficult. He also was in need of a feeding tube (which I would have never agreed to remove). At the moment he passed from this life to the next, we were able to hold him and let him know how much we loved him and let him know that it was OK for him to die now.

We needed this time. Gary needed this moment as well. What is our country coming to? God help us.

– Len Newcomb, Ventura

If you like toe-tapping music, you’ll like what you hear this Sunday, April 3, at the Ventura High School auditorium at the corner of Poli and Catalina streets.

The Ventura County Concert Band plans some Tartarian Dances, Highlights from Camelot, some snatches of classical music, a few favorite marches, and an intriguing conglomerate called “People Who Live in Glass Houses” by John Philip Sousa.

As usual, familiar faces of musicians from Ventura County and Ojai Valley will be seen on stage.

Remember, Daylight Saving Time starts at midnight April 3, so remember to turn your clocks ahead an hour Saturday night or you’ll miss the first hour of toe-tapping music.

What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon? Please join us.

— LaVonne Theriault, Percussionist, Ventura County Concert Band, Ojai

Re: “High-density housing reshapes street,” published March 28 in The Star.

The article quotes Councilwoman Barbra Williamson as stating “unlike in other parts of Simi Valley, where people protest the building of apartment complexes, there has been nary a complaint on Patricia.

I wrote to L. Ryan Broddrick, director of the Department of Fish and Game.

I would like to thank him for his generic letter being hot off the printing press about the killing of an endangered species, it is too inconclusive to resolve the questions asked of him.