L.A. WeeklySend letters to the editor to: L.A. Weekly, P.O. Box 4315, L.A., CA 90078. Or fax us at (323) 465-3220. Or e-mail us at letters@laweekly.com. Letters, which must be typewritten and include a daytime telephone number for verification, may be edited for purposes of space or clarity.
CRASH
DEAR EDITOR:
Re: Charles Rappleye’s “Rampart 2” [cover story, February 2–8]. Here we go again, another left-wing, liberal “I hate the police” story. The reporter went out and interviewed the poor street criminals who were arrested and convicted in the area of the 77th Division. And of course, all the criminals blamed the police for their arrests. All thought they were innocent and claimed the police beat them and then framed them. The leftist so-called civil rights attorneys, of course, came out and attacked the police. It happens all the time. When was the last time Rice, Zinzun and the rest of the police-haters actually stood up for the victims of crimes instead of those who commit them?
—Thomas Marchetti
Glendora
DEAR EDITOR:
What a scathing indictment of the LAPD CRASH units. Unquestionably, police officers have a difficult, dangerous job; however, that doesn’t begin to justify them becoming exactly like the gang members from whom they are trying to protect society. Unfortunately, there are no simple solutions; more training, community policing and monitoring by an independent agency would be an encouraging start.
—Barbara Miksulin
Long Beach
DEAR EDITOR:
I just finished reading the “Rampart 2” story. My impression: well-written, well-researched, well-presented. It’s a long time since I left L.A., 13 years, to no small extent because of the police and civil attitudes you’ve touched upon. It was scary then for me, a white boy from Malibu.
I’ve never returned to the U.S. Despite all the hype, it’s a place where people no longer know what freedom is, where you are terrorized by an alienated constabulary, where lying and fear are the most common concomitants of law. If Thai cops are corrupt, at least they aren’t yet insane — probably because they don’t think of themselves as targets. It’s the fear, I think, that L.A. cops have of being victims of senseless violence that makes them so frequently the perpetrators thereof. The most basic freedom, after all, is freedom from fear. By that definition, the people of L.A., of whatever stripe — rich, poor, white, black, young, old, cop or not — are all prisoners. It’s pitiful, especially because there doesn’t seem to be any way out.
—Marque A. Rome
Phuket, Thailand
BURN
DEAR EDITOR:
Re: Harold Meyerson’s “Power to (and From) the People” [February 2–8]. First, deregulation is a myth. There never was any deregulation, only re-regulation.
Second, intent is irrelevant. There is only reality. In reality, California has not built any new power plants in 10 years due to the extremist enviros and a bureaucratic quagmire. In Pennsylvania, where there was deregulation and it is successful, a new power plant can be online in less than a year. In California, it takes five years just for the permit process. Ridiculous.
—Will Foster
Austin, Texas
DEAR EDITOR:
If folks in Turlock go to bed earlier than folks in Los Angeles, it certainly isn’t for lack of power. The Turlock Irrigation District (clean, cheap and public for 75 years) has, after all, kept the juice flowing, and the rates steady, since the “crisis” began.
—Russell Inman
Turlock
SPIT, SHINE
DEAR EDITOR:
Re: Harold Meyerson’s “The Natural” [January 26–February 1]. Don’t kid yourself. Bill Clinton has been a total disgrace and embarrassment to our country. His last days in office show just how trashy, underhanded and pathetic he and his spouse are.
—Tom Wells
Fort Worth, Texas
DEAR EDITOR:
In “The Natural,” Harold Meyerson poses the question as to whether what he calls “the [Democrat] move to the center” is attributable to “the times” or to Clinton. I find it astounding that he can even ask that question. Clinton came in at the end of a 12-year hardcore, right-wing, socially conservative movement that was able to maintain power because of its ability to divide the nation into black and white, both figuratively and literally. Clinton’s presidency helped close that great divide, and moved the country back to the left. Clinton was inclusive in his words and his actions. He believed in one America, and he achieved it, along with an economic boom that we’ve not seen the like of ever. More than anything else, this will shine like a beacon when his legacy is remembered.
—Renee Rice
Southfield, Michigan
SMIRK
DEAR EDITOR:
Re: “President Jackass” [February 2–8]. I want to applaud John Seeley and the Weekly for continuing to bring us coverage of the vote tabulation being conducted by various news agencies in Florida. Almost every other news outlet, local and national, has been silent on the issue. There seems to be a resignation on the left that Bush will remain in office no matter how damning the evidence coming out of Florida — a self-fulfilling prophecy. I don’t understand the pessimism. Concession speeches aren’t legally binding. If the final vote tally in Florida shows a clear Gore
victory, even the Supreme Court will have to re-examine its decision. If and when those numbers from Florida become known, I hope the Weekly will shift from simply reporting the election’s outcome to working to change it.
—Jason Ginsburg
North Hollywood
DEAR EDITOR:
I’m sure John Seeley has his grievances against President Bush, but to label him “Stupid George” and “President Jackass” seriously undermines his credibility as a journalist. If he could replace his juvenile name calling with some original thought and insight, then maybe he could regain some journalistic integrity.
—Shawn Walker
Venice
DEAR EDITOR:
All the votes were counted, whatever Jesse Jackass says about it. Why don’t you check into all the Democratic vote fraud, e.g., manufactured votes, rigged chads, illegal immigrants, deceased votes, etc.? Afraid of the truth?
—Mark Jansen
Miami, Florida
DEAR EDITOR:
The American people need to serve Bush with an eviction notice. Anybody else would be convicted of receiving stolen property.
—Valderine Zudell
Old Town, Florida
DEAR EDITOR:
First of all, Bush won the election. Gore tried to steal it with 200 trial lawyers. Bush has accomplished more in his first week than Clinton did in eight years. Say goodbye to scorched-earth politics. If you libs didn’t keep racism alive, you would lose your base.
—Laura Noel
Oakville, Connecticut
DEAR EDITOR:
Actually, Bush won the popular vote:
• 2,000,000 national absentee ballots were never counted;
• 14,000 Democrats registered and voted in both Florida and New York City;
• 2,000 military absentee ballots were never counted in Florida;
• plus, if you take away all the dead Democrats who voted, that gives Bush about a 5,000,000-vote lead.
Nice try, you dopes.
—Tom Adkins
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
DEIRDRE R.I.P.
DEAR EDITOR:
Props to Robert Lloyd and his “Deirdre O’Donoghue, 1946–2001” [obituary, February 2–8]. I remember listening to her in Boston and was happy to know that she was in my new city of Los Angeles when I moved here in 1986. Mr. Lloyd summed up how I felt when I would hear her voice across my radio. There was a lot of love and respect in her tone, and it was a privilege to be a part of her experience.
—Steve O’Brien
Venice
STAR-CROSSED
DEAR EDITOR:
Rockie Gardiner has mentioned several times in her astrology column about the 20-year presidential-assassination cycle. Many are aware of this cycle. You are doing no one favors by broadcasting this, as many crazies have access to the Web and your site. Please do the president and the United States a favor by not mentioning this further. I’ve heard that when the year 01 is in question, the cycle is not a sure thing anyway. I thank you.
—Dorothy Carter
Lenox, Massachusetts
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