Letters

Free-Market Airwaves

In Brendan Bernhard’s interview with author Charles McCarry
[“The Great
American Spy Novel,” April 1–7], it was revealed that in his 1995 novel
Shelley’s Heart he predicted the stealing of a presidential
election by the use of rigged e-vote machines.



And . . . and . . . and?



Just that statement of fact with no question asked?



In light of recent events, what were you thinking by not asking a question?

—R.E. Maxson

Los Angeles

For the Record

We would like to set the record straight regarding Southwest
College and Middle College High School [“Back
to Square One,” April 8–14]. Southwest College has given Middle College
High School (MCHS) and the Los Angeles Unified School District free use of
campus property for nearly 20 years. Until a few years ago, LAUSD didn’t even
reimburse Southwest for basic out-of-pocket costs. More than three years ago,
however, Southwest informed MCHS that the current arrangement needed to end.
Why?



First, several of MCHS’s bungalows sit on earthquake faults and need to be
removed for safety reasons. Furthermore, in response to burgeoning enrollment,
Southwest College is building new facilities. Because of construction, Southwest
lost more than 300 student parking spaces. In the short term, the space where
the bungalows sit will become temporary student parking, and later the site
of a new student activities center.



In addition, MCHS has not had the close programmatic relationship with Southwest
that would have made the high school’s location on the college campus necessary
— a key component of the national model on which MCHS was based. Of the 44
MCHS graduates in 2004, only three attended Southwest College. Not one of
the graduates listed Southwest as first choice.



We have told LAUSD that MCHS can stay at Southwest for one more year. Southwest
College fully understands why the parents of MCHS students want to safeguard
the high school. The college is willing to support MCHS in every way it can,
but it can no longer dedicate land and facilities under the existing arrangement.
To do so would limit the college’s ability to carry out its central mission
of serving students who wish to pursue a postsecondary education. We hope
everyone will come together for the benefit of all of our students
— the students of MCHS and the students of Southwest College.

Peter J. Landsberger, Chancellor

Kelly G. Candaele

President, Board of Trustees

Los Angeles Community College District

Correction

Our April 8 story “Badge
of Anger,” about LAPD Officer Peter Torres and a run-in he had at New
Image Emergency Shelter for the Homeless, incorrectly stated that the shelter
received a $3.2 million federal grant. The grant was received by the Housing
Authority of the City of Los Angeles and the L.A. Workforce Investment Board,
which launched a pilot project at New Image. In addition, New Image was not
forced to close its Long Beach facility due to financial problems. Executive
director Brenda Wilson said the shelter left Long Beach because of difficulty
in finding a suitable building, and it plans to open a shelter there next
winter. Finally, Councilwoman Jan Perry won re-election with 63 percent of
the vote, not 68 percent, as reported.

Lawn and Order

In response to Marc Cooper’s article “Lawn-Chair
Militias” [April 8–14]: Well, after all the media’s take and yours, the
Minutemen were effective. No matter the slants — and yes, the media tend to
try to co-opt anything — the Minutemen did pretty much what they set out to
do. The illegals stopped coming.



You should know that the general public, the citizenry, are fed up with Bush,
the Border Patrol, the media — which all tilt favoring the lack of enforcement,
while they, the citizens, pay for that failure in taxes subsidizing the retinue
of illegals and anchor babies, etc.; they feel betrayed. So if it makes any
of you uncomfortable, well, T.S. Way to go, Minutemen!

Burley L. Morris

Houston