Feuer Campaign Based on Religious Intolerance

* I take issue with The Times’ endorsement of Mike Feuer in the 5th District City Council race.

Although this candidate has made commendable contributions to the Jewish community, he is running what can only be described as a campaign of religious intolerance. Feuer’s appeal for the Jewish vote may be a legitimate campaign strategy, but of all the candidates, it is Mike Feuer who is bent on pushing our emotional buttons by including references to the Holocaust in his campaign literature. This is a cheap shot that sells short the Jewish population, as if raising this issue will automatically deliver him our vote in empathy.

Unfortunately for Feuer, the cat was let out of the bag by his campaign manager when asked about Feuer’s refusal to answer a list of questions posed by the Christian Coalition to all City Council candidates. The response of Feuer’s campaign manager was that the coalition’s conservative positions would conflict with Feuer’s, adding, “I thought it wasn’t worth his time.”

How can Feuer seriously be considered to represent the district as a whole when he is so obviously unwilling to consider the needs of other legitimate groups?

The 5th District needs a council member who is willing to address issues affecting all peoples, not just issues of this one very special group that Michael Feuer feels he can manipulate.

MICHAEL NEUWIRTH

Sherman Oaks