Should White House Be Lavishly Decorated?

Iread with interest in “Home for the Holiday” (Dec. 5) that the People’s House has been turned into a fairy tale with “61,000 white lights twinkling amid 49 towering pine trees, 264 fat bows, 648 feet of roped garland, 800 pounds of fake snow and a pianist,” not to mention a 130-pound gingerbread replica, plus all the decorations in the State Dining Room, etc.

Since the terror of Sept. 11, the American people can no longer visit the People’s House. I find it appalling that with many thousands of people out of work, many thousands of people with no medical insurance, many more who can’t feed or give their families the necessities of life, that so much money should have been wasted decorating the White House.

With so many people facing so much hardship, the funds could have been put to much better use.

JACKIE ELGART

Woodland Hills

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No fewer than 49 Christmas trees at the White House this year. How many Angelenos would be thankful for just one?

TOBY KEELER

Calabasas

Appalling Use of National Tragedy for Personal PR

I was deeply mortified by “Voices That Carry Beyond the Towers” (Nov. 26), a public back-patting of two alleged “sonic producers” whose latest shenanigans and cartwheeling machinations attempt to pander to post-Sept. 11 popular pathos.

Though Western popular culture seems now perched at the blood-gorged apex of supposed “gestures” responding to our national tragedy--from Mick Jagger’s self-produced ABC documentary promoting his latest solo album to Sting’s latest quasi-live album (allegedly recorded Sept. 11) to Paul McCartney to David Bowie to James Taylor--where will it end? I am particularly offended by obscure artists hoisting themselves into the public eye through crude PR campaigns that trade on their references to the incidents of Sept. 11.

Now, the article brings us the Kitchen Sisters jumping into the action. Such salve and balm money cannot buy. To the Kitchen Sisters, I must pose a question: Does the word “pedestrian” frighten you? Could you survive for an hour without a cell phone, laptop or, worst of all, television? While you would surely love to sit back sipping lattes, imagining a world that matters, listening to your NPR high jinks, watching PBS and stirred to the soul while pensively thumbing the New Yorker, America likes “Survivor,” Britney Spears, People magazine and Jim Carrey.

Get over yourselves--just not at our expense.

DAVID WOODWARD

Conductor

Los Angeles Chamber Group

Los Angeles

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‘80s Game Creators Need to Do More Research

Regarding “Once Upon Another Decade of Trivia” (Dec. 4): Oh, say it ain’t so. An ‘80s trivia game designed by kiddies who were in diapers during the period. It shows.

Clay Siegert, one of those responsible for perpetrating this bit of self-indulgent and utterly useless fluff on us, self-importantly announces that he remembers “Oliver North on TV ... in an Army outfit.” My Marine Corps buddies and I had a good laugh over that one. We have to wonder how accurate all the other stuff in his game can be.

Clay would be well-advised to do some more homework, as well as a bit more living, before he tries selling the rest of us his profound expertise on a decade during which he was still learning how to spell.

JAMES WARREN

Commander, U.S. Navy Reserves

Los Angeles

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The Scooter Just Encourages Bad Fitness

Regarding “It’s the Scooter Formerly Known as Ginger,” (Dec.4): The development of yet another excuse not to walk is counterproductive to the extent it is conducive to the prolongation of a sedentary existence.

Unlike the other two-wheeler--the bicycle--the Segway, while not a polluter, is the last thing healthy people need, if they are to remain healthy. While “easing short-distance travel” in urban environments, such motorized means of transportation also spells “fat city.”

RUSSELL TRAVIS

Professor of sociology

Cal State Bakersfield

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Should Patriotism Mean Losing Lives?

I profoundly appreciate Al Martinez’s column on “The Faces of War Stare Back at Society” (Dec. 6). We Americans sometimes fall into the poses of patriotism, as evidenced by Laker flags on cars being replaced with American flags and signs in store windows trying to outdo their competitors in patriotic displays and slogans.

We too easily forget the horrendous price paid, which is our children, young men and women, maimed, wounded and dying. Wouldn’t it be exhilarating if we defined heroes as people who lived for peace rather than victims who died for war?

RICK EDELSTEIN

Los Angeles

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An Experience That Shaped a Young Life

It was a pleasure to read the five-part story “Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro” (Kids’ Page, Nov. 26-30). The story took me back to when I was 10 years old and traveling around the world with my father.

In 1974, when we decided to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, it was questionable whether a father should attempt to “push” a young daughter to climb to almost 20,000 feet. Other travelers, guides and climbing outfits felt skeptical about a young child, and especially a young girl, attempting to go “that high.”

When we did reach the top of the snowcapped Kilimanjaro, watching the sunrise and seeing Mt. Kenya appear on the horizon was an experience that I now have in my mind forever. It helped me develop self confidence and helped my 10-year-old mind think that I can strive for anything.

I am now a physical education teacher in Seattle, and I know how important real-life experiences are for children.

Julie and Carl experienced more than any social studies book could even attempt to teach. Not only were the sister and brother team learning about perseverance and teamwork, they were also learning geography, social studies and world history, all while reaching a goal of a lifetime.

PAIGE NILLES

Seattle