Toyotas for Fords--Not for Land

Mr. Toyama’s dream of building a golf course in Ojai must never be realized. There are many reasons for this.

First, let’s look at the situation in Hawaii. Japanese corporations have built or are planning to build some 30 golf courses in the land-starved Hawaiian islands. Many farmers and other groups of people are being pushed off the land in order to build these golf courses. This in itself is bad enough, but the really sad part is that membership will not be sold in the United States; “Japanese only” will be the terms of membership.

Second, do we want to start development in this rural, pristine area of Ventura County, and perhaps encourage more where it’s really not necessary--especially by foreign interests?

Third, Toyama feels members would be “drawn from the ranks of international businessmen and diplomats”--read Japanese businessmen and diplomats. How many American businessmen and diplomats living in Ventura County are going to pay $30,000 to $50,000 to join a Japanese-owned golf course?

America has made Japan very wealthy by buying her manufactured goods. Let’s urge them to buy our manufactured goods, not our precious natural resources. Toyotas for Fords--not Toyotas for the Rancho Matilija!

GEORGE AITCHISON

Oxnard