Letters

Peter Garrison's overview of instrument flying ["Rush to Judgment," August 6­12], its risks, and how they pertain to the recent accident involving John Kennedy Jr. and his passengers provided the most informative and well-balanced piece of media output I have read on the subject of that unfortunate event.

As a pilot (instrument-rated), I am constantly amazed at the level of ignorance that is evident in the writing after a high-profile aviation accident, and the sensationalist and ambiguous reporting style that it consequently generates. Mr. Garrison's article neither lays blame nor absolves anyone or anything from guilt; instead, he draws a picture of the real world of operations within the aviation environment, putting the facts on the table for consideration of their merits or lack thereof.

Thanks for publishing Peter Garrison, an informed and reasoning voice.

--Simon Miles

Glendale

GUN-SHY

DEAR EDITOR:

Re: "On Granada Hills" [August 13­19]. I don't know what kind of a sheltered life Harold Meyerson's parents or grandparents lived, but guns were more available and easier to obtain then than now, certainly in the South, Midwest, Southwest and Northwest. There were nowhere near the laws or restrictions. Just think, all of us horrible, ignorant, gun-toting, toothless morons were actually driving around with loaded high-
powered hunting rifles in racks in the back windows of our pickup trucks. We also had more freedom to carry around sidearms without permits.

No, the problem is not guns; it is a total lack of morals and respect, caused by a bunch of liberal elitists, a gutless public school system run by socialist educators, soft judges, self-serving lawyers, mostly left-wing news media and a federal goverment led by the most amoral president in history.

Gun haters always deliver twisted information to suit their own agenda. Not even the total confiscation of every gun in the U.S. will stop lunatics from committing terrible crimes with guns obtained elsewhere, or by other means.

--Jordan Max

Lincoln City, Oregon

DEAR EDITOR:

Harold Meyerson's take on the "Old Country," where "anti-Semitism was ubiquitous and guns were scarce," failed to take into consideration that guns were particularly "scarce" for the Jewish populace. They were disarmed by the orders of Adolf Hitler with the supposed intent of "making Germany a safer place without individual ownership of guns." If the people hadn't bought the lie about giving up their rights to protect themselves under the guise of "safety," and guns had been more common, perhaps more of the victims of the Holocaust would be alive today to champion our right to "keep and bear arms."

--Michael Gregory

Los Angeles

IMPROBABLE CAUSE

DEAR EDITOR:

Re: Danny Feingold's news piece on the new parking restrictions on Sandpiper Street in Playa del Rey ["It's Lonely at the Top," August 13­19]. This sort of law enforcement is becoming an all-too-common practice. It's called criminalizing reasonable behavior. Why do so? Because it's easy for law enforcement to look like they are working hard, by creating "instant crime." They can simply write everyone a ticket -- with "probable cause" to harass people who, for the most part, simply want to enjoy a nice view on a pleasant day or evening. Despite the Pacific Division's assertions that this street is a hotbed of illegal activity, they could make only nine arrests? Stake out any block in L.A. County for four months, and I'm sure you could make at least nine arrests. Were one to apply this logic and these arrest statistics to other areas of the city, we'd have to make parking illegal 24 hours a day on every street in Hollywood.

Basically, this sort of approach has more to do with laziness on the part of law enforcement than any real concern for public safety. What better way to up the crime stats and generate some revenue (while looking busy doing nothing) than to make reasonable behavior a crime? Is the public interest served by this? Aren't there any unsolved crimes of a serious nature that the police could better expend their energies on?

--Lee Daponte

Los Angeles

VANSTERDAM

DEAR EDITOR:

Thanks for Miriam Jacobson's enlightening Real Gone article concerning Vancouver and the civilized methods it is employing to overcome the cancer that is the "Drug War" ["Reefer Madness," August 13­19]. It proves once again that the war isn't about drugs, but about the individuals and acronyms who are making a financial killing by promoting this terrible war.

--Mike Plylar

Kremmling, Colorado

LOS OLVIDADOS

DEAR EDITOR:

Why is the L.A. Weekly so hard to find in Boyle Heights? Is Boyle Heights not part of Los Angeles? Do you think that there would be low readership? If there is low readership in Boyle Heights, it's because the Weekly has very limited, if any, drop-off points. It's easier to find a Weekly in Pasadena than it is in Boyle Heights. Growing up in Boyle Heights, I was not aware that there was such a thing as the Weekly until I got out of L.A.!

In the past six months or so, many of your articles have focused heavily on the City Council elections for the 14th District seat, which includes Boyle Heights. Unfortunately, your articles have not reached the people most desperate for information on the candidates. Your endorsement regarding the candidates seeking the 14th District seat has been in vain, because most people here don't know you exist.