Letters to the editor

I enjoyed Tim Rutten's "keep it simple, stupid" logic that disrobes Atty. Gen. Michael B. Mukasey's attempt to dress his words in some sort of distorted rationale and acceptable response to the simple question of whether or not waterboarding is torture. Mukasey is only a cut above former Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales, as he doesn't try to use the excuse that he cannot remember or recall whether waterboarding is torture. At least Mukasey is willing to admit that if he were a victim of waterboarding, it would be torture and therefore illegal. Congratulations, Mr. Mukasey, for placing yourself above any and all detainees who have been waterboarded, whether they deserved it or not.

The only thing Mukasey left out is whether or not he could be tortured if his interrogators believed that he harbored information on the location of a ticking nuclear weapon. I wish Sen. Ted Kennedy had asked that question.

Norman Franz

San Clemente



Rutten presents his argument as though the Bush administration was sponsoring waterboarding for political dissidents. What is missing from his partisan view is the obvious scenario in which an imminent attack could be prevented by using severe interrogation techniques. One can only imagine the screech from the left if such an attack occurred while the Bush administration fumbled over the proper interview methods.

Rutten takes Mukasey to task for his honest answer that he would consider waterboarding torture if it were personally applied to him. So one question for Rutten: If, heaven forbid, you had friends and family in the path of a terrorist attack and the government held someone with knowledge of that attack, would a cross-examination with loud rock music suffice?

John Fisher

Torrance



Re "It's torture; it's illegal," editorial, Feb. 2

Mukasey is trying to single-handedly change U.S. law when he suggests a "shocks-the-conscience" test to measure torture. The United States has ratified the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which makes it part of the supreme law of the land under the Constitution's supremacy clause. That convention says that torture is never allowed, even in time of war. Mukasey refuses to admit that fact in order to shield his superiors from prosecution under the War Crimes Act, which defines torture as a war crime.

Commanders, not just the interrogators themselves, can be liable for torture if they should've known it would happen. As Lawrence Wilkerson, Colin Powell's former chief of staff, said on National Public Radio, the policies that led to the torture and abuse of prisoners emanated from Dick Cheney's office.

Marjorie Cohn

President

National Lawyers Guild

San Diego

Cut politicians' health coverage

Re "Health plan's death shows system works," column, Jan. 31

I read George Skelton's negative position on California's universal healthcare legislation. I wonder how the outcome and the story might have changed if our senators and Skelton didn't have and could not afford healthcare coverage? Every developed country except the United States has universal health insurance. I am tired of hearing the refrain that we are the richest country in the world, and yet we keep hearing from politicians and pundits that we need to cut more government services, including the safety net for the less fortunate. If Skelton really thinks the approach is for government to continue to cut costs, cutting the healthcare benefits of those who receive a check from the government (and corporations) would provide a huge savings.

Gary G. Scheppke

Novato, Calif.

The bottom line on capitalism

Re "A gentler capitalism," Opinion, Jan. 31

"Gentler capitalism" is the best oxymoron I've heard since "compassionate conservatism."

It's unclear to me how David Callahan thinks he'll prove his theory that "corporate leaders are looking beyond the bottom line" by speculating that fear of "losing market share" may have prompted Wal-Mart's pledge to clean up its act, or quoting Bill Gates as touting "work that eases the world's inequities" as a creative new way to turn a profit.

Upper-class philanthropy notwithstanding, capitalism is all about the bottom line and always will be.

Corporations have no conscience, and they will never engage in social justice or environmental responsibility unless they can make a buck doing it -- or unless they are forced to.

Kathy Barreto

Culver City





Callahan said that a gentler capitalism may begin. That is not going to happen.

Corporations are established for one basic purpose: to make money by converting nature and labor into profit and more capital.

The corporation was invented to limit liability and maximize profit.

Corporate managers are required to maximize profit, although they often arrange to give themselves enormous salaries. They, the president and Congress will not place the interests of workers, the community or the environment ahead of corporate profit interests.

John M. Lambase

San Pedro

Regarding Broadway

Re "L.A. plans Broadway face-lift," Jan. 28, and "L.A.'s 'Blade Runner' plans," Opinion, Jan. 30

The Times characterizes the "Bringing Back Broadway" initiative as a plan to "obliterate Broadway's essentially Latino character."

That conveniently omits the numerous benefits this widely supported initiative will bring about.

The revitalization of the Broadway district will encourage economic development and an appreciation for Los Angeles' vibrant history, be an attraction for tourists and enhance the unique culture of our city.

A renewed Broadway will offer benefits for all Angelenos and add a safe and pleasant entertainment destination to the city.

Broadway is the last remaining link in the renaissance of downtown and is a critical piece of the city's past and future.

It must be preserved and enjoyed.

Gary Toebben

President, Chief Executive

Los Angeles Area

Chamber of Commerce



Tim Rutten states, "It isn't ethnic cleansing that's being proposed but the replacement of working-class families with affluent loft and condo dwellers."

This statement, although subtle, leads readers to draw the comparison between our "Bringing Back Broadway" plan and the violent events that stain world history, such as the Holocaust and genocides in Armenia and Rwanda. This completely sensationalizes the issue.

Areas of our city should be open and provide opportunities for all types of retail to thrive and all types of people to enjoy. No one is being pushed out.

Besides, there is no activity at night, and there are more retail vacancies right now on Broadway than the corridor has seen in a long time. This will change with this initiative.

And to your question on where the working-class Latino shoppers and merchants will go, Broadway is already facing competition for its shoppers from other communities, including Huntington Park.

Broadway is one of Los Angeles' most remarkable historic resources. Is it better to let it decay in favor of an inaccurate and ridiculous perception of Broadway as the only shopping refuge for downtown's working-class Latinos?

There is room for all on Broadway.

José Huizar

Los Angeles

City Councilman

District 14

Giuliani's policies did him in

Re "Where Rudy went wrong," Opinion, Feb. 3

Frank Luntz claims that there was nothing wrong with Rudy Giuliani's campaign message; his failure all had to do with style. I disagree. Giuliani's message was ripped from the George Bush playbook: "Vote for me or die in a terrorist attack."

I think even die-hard Republicans are sick of this tactic.

Giuliani may see it as appealing to those who want a strong leader, but most of the country has realized it means exactly the opposite.

Bush's policies were irrational and have made this country weaker by degrading our military capabilities, strengthening Iran, providing a forum for terrorists to learn our military weaknesses and driving allies away. He won reelection, however, by equating the act of disagreeing with his thoughtless policies with treason.

Giuliani held himself out as the candidate who was willing to start wars with less forethought than Bush. There may be a sector of the GOP base that appreciates this sentiment, but even many Republicans realize we are going to be cleaning up the mess in Iraq for decades to come, and we need to be sure that war is necessary if we are going to start another one.

Branden Frankel

Los Angeles