Hospital Ills

Your reporter paints Dr. Garthwaite as a helpless victim of the Board of Supervisors [“Impossible Cure,” Dec. 2–8] and turned what should have been a news article into more of a running commentary.

The board was tough on him, without a doubt, but Garthwaite rarely if ever provided any information of value at the board meetings.

Garthwaite’s failing was not to lead, and the department suffered for it. As for leaving King/Drew Medical Center in the “hands of the well-regarded hospital administrator,” as so quaintly put by Mr. Bellman (spokesman for Supervisor Yaroslavsky), the question that begs to be asked is “well-respected by whom?”

Genevieve M. Clavreul, R.N., Ph.D.
Hermosa Beach


Activist Tracking

You may wonder why FBI counterterrorism agents have spent years following staff and interns for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to street-theater protests even while acknowledging that we aren’t terrorists or violent [“Earth to ELF: Come In, Please,” Dec. 23–29]. Going nude to protest fur and handing out Vegetarian Starter Kits aren’t against the law, so why is the FBI wasting money, time and energy monitoring our peaceful, legal activities?

The only good news to come out of the investigation exposing the FBI’s bizarre actions is that agents downloaded much information from our Web site (PETA.org). We hope they learned something useful about the real violence we oppose: the maiming and killing of animals by the food, clothing, experimentation and entertainment industries.

Kathy Guillermo
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Norfolk, Virginia

School Boss

Contrary to the opinion of Bob Hertzberg [“School Takedown,” Dec. 9–15], the people do care about which government there is. And yes, they want the government to work effectively on behalf of students.

The frustrations so evident in the recall election and the subsequent special election reflect a deep sense that Hertzberg and his government colleagues have neglected the role they must play in relation to those educations.

Hertzberg, Villaraigosa and Schwarzenegger need to work together because the people do care about which government there is and that it does what it is legally obligated to do: provide a quality public education.

John Brierley
Hermosa Beach


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