Broadcaster Rory Markas; faith and facts; bashing air travel

Fallen Angel

Re “Rory Markas, 1955 - 2010,” Obituary, Jan. 6

Living here in Southern California, we are blessed with some wonderful announcers for our local teams. But the death of Rory Markas leaves a huge void.

He made Angel games fun to listen to and was an absolute professional in every sense of the word. He seemed like he had a great sense of humor, was extremely polished in the booth and had a tremendous sense of history as well.

In an age of knucklehead, over-the-top, loudmouthed sports “personalities” who seem to get more radio and TV airtime than they deserve, Markas was a true class act who excelled at his profession. We should all strive for that.

Steve Cashion
Orange

They’re sticking to their facts

Re “Leaps of faith,” Opinion, Jan. 3

Barry Goldman finds it scary that the whole notion of a fact seems to be going away. Unfortunately, cognitive relativism has been firmly entrenched in our minds for more than a century and will not be eradicated any time soon.

G.K. Chesterton neatly described the double curse of excessive individualism combined with doubt about objective truth in 1908’s “Orthodoxy”:

“Nowadays the part of a man that a man does assert is exactly the part he ought not to assert -- himself. The part he doubts is exactly the part he ought not to doubt -- the Divine Reason.”

Roger Bonilla
Sunnyvale

What is scary about everyone dining at the spiritual cafeteria is the loss of one of the primary purposes of religion: to teach that we as individuals cannot control the world and thus are not gods.

The understanding that there is something bigger than each of us is the primary foundation of civilization.

Steve Wood
Laguna Beach

The Buddha taught: “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.” He didn’t mean it literally, of course. It was a metaphorical admonishment to think for yourself. Just because someone is wearing a clerical collar, fancy vestments or a saffron robe does not mean he necessarily knows what’s true and right.

If he were around today, the Buddha would be pleased that Americans are testing various religious teachings against the truth in their own hearts. Buddha also understood that that which is the most personal is also the most universal, and he trusted people to discover these truths for themselves.

Have we forgotten the tyranny of theocracies past? History is replete with countless examples of religious and scientific authorities who tried to control the truth.

No thanks, Mr. Goldman -- I have no desire to go back to the bad old days of closed minds and narrow points of view. Call me a fruitcake, call me a Mr. Potato-Head spiritualist, I don’t care. I like my personal theology according to Burger King: “Have it your way.” It works for me and that’s what counts.

B.J. Gallagher
Los Angeles
The writer is the coauthor of “What Would Buddha Do At Work?”

Airline bashing doesn’t fly

Re “Flying — into a rage,” Opinion, Jan. 5

Jonah Goldberg took his shot at air travel last week. Most journalists, like Goldberg, eventually run out of worthwhile ideas and write a piece bashing airports and airlines.

What Goldberg failed to note is that studies have found that most airline passengers are price-sensitive to a dollar. That means that passengers will choose a flight that is $1 cheaper than another flight. Airlines know this and respond accordingly.

What Goldberg almost notes (he mentions walking past the business class passengers) is that he could pay a business class fare -- or, even better, fly on a fractional ownership private jet -- but he chooses the lowest fare like most of his fellow passengers.

It may sell newspapers to complain about the air travel experience after purchasing the cheapest fare, but it’s lousy economics and logic.

David Wickersham
Redondo Beach
The author is an airline pilot.

Goldberg and his fellow conservatives have long argued that free market competition without government interference will provide goods and services that the public wants and can afford.

Thus his suggestion that the deteriorating air travel industry is ripe for public-private management must be tongue in cheek. Or does he really believe that government has a role to play in our complex economy?

Goldberg should clarify his position and offer proposals for improving air travel safety and service. Or is he unable to do that without admitting that the conservative mantra of the free market is not the answer to our problems?

Sylvan Gollin
Claremont

A good word for local nonprofit

Re “L.A. nonprofit saves lives in Afghanistan,” Jan. 5

I was pleased to read about the enormous impact International Medical Corps is having in Afghanistan and worldwide.

My late brother, Bill, and I were deeply involved in the early work of the organization and served on its board for many years. The first training center in Afghanistan was named after Bill, and it trained hundreds of Afghan medics who treated innocent women and children.

Today, a quarter of a century later, International Medical Corps is working around the world in war zones such as Darfur and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

I am proud that an innovative organization in Los Angeles is affecting our world in such a profound way.

Richard J. Riordan
Los Angeles
The writer is former mayor of Los Angeles.

Undivided road

Re “In Israel, a highway that divides is ordered open to all,” Jan. 4

It is pleasing that some elements in the Israeli government are not afraid to use common sense. All too often this government rules by fear and paranoia.

Israel’s Supreme Court showed courage when issuing this ruling reopening Highway 443 to Palestinians. Let’s hope that this court will continue to have the courage to overturn government edicts when necessary.

Anthony Ordona
San Jose

A touching place

Re “In Kabul, history is etched in stone,” Column One, Jan. 6

This article was very touching. The picture of two kids playing in Kabul’s British cemetery -- and the fact that kids are still enjoying a piece of heaven in such a deadly place -- was memorable.

Rahimullah, the cemetery’s caretaker for 25 years, is just remarkable.

A happy story, without the bombing.

Melinda Fields
Lake Elsinore