A planned mosque in Temecula; electronic readers; a road rage liberal

Keeping the faith

Re “Planned Temecula mosque draws critics,” July 18

As a Christian and an American, I am outraged by the attempt of a vocal minority to prevent Muslims from building a house of worship on land they have owned for 10 years. The critics’ objections are nothing but prejudice.

The Constitution protects the right of all citizens to worship as they see fit. If we deny that right to one group, we endanger freedom of worship for everyone.

Jon Neff

Pasadena

The controversy here in Temecula illustrates an embarrassing lack of education in our community. Fears that a mosque would turn this conservative city into a haven for Islamic extremists are unfounded. The “confrontational atmosphere” that Pastor Bill Rench predicts would not be an issue if he practiced what he preached. Loving your neighbor is one of the greatest lessons of Christianity.

Another common concern here is the need to preserve “traditional American values.” There are many military families in this town, and friends I graduated from high school with last month have signed up to serve this great country. The Times quoted a member of the local Republican women’s group saying that “our boys are over there fighting and dying for our freedom.”

Among our freedoms is the freedom to practice religion — any religion. God forbid our soldiers’ sacrifices have been in vain.

Samuel Leff

Temecula

The Times presents the views of one terribly misguided individual, Rench, who opposes building a mosque in his neighborhood. His reasoning and concerns are unfounded.

Would he oppose building a Roman Catholic Church on the grounds that it would be a draw for illegal immigrants who don’t speak English? How about an AME church? Would that encourage more blacks to come to the neighborhood? A Jewish synagogue — increased violence within the Holy Land? What about a Presbyterian church that is a member of the Covenant Network — more homosexuals in the neighborhood threatening the children?

I wish the headline for this article had been, “Religious center embraced by Interfaith Council.” A brief mention of uneducated, uninformed fringe critics would have been much more appropriate.

Leslie Evans

El Segundo

The writer is an elder of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

I have a question for Temecula residents circulating their petition against the mosque: What country do you think you are in? In the U.S., we do not get to decide who is and isn’t allowed to worship in our neighborhoods.

The right — and particularly the religious right — is very quick to pull out the word “un-American.” Well, folks, I have news for you. This is about as un-American as it gets.

Richard Murphy

Whittier

What does “freedom of religion” mean? Does it mean “first come first served”? Does it mean that because the Calvary Baptist Church is already established in the area, no other religions should be allowed to build or worship in their vicinity?

I am glad that was not the case when the beautiful mosque was built on Washington Boulevard in Culver City, even though I prefer attending my synagogue.

Hannah Baum Oman

Culver City

Last Sunday’s Times published the names of 20 young Americans killed by or because of Muslims during the prior week. The same edition had a story about a proposed mosque in a Southern California community.

There seems to be some question as to why many members of that community would oppose the building of a mosque. Perhaps if we all reread the obituaries of the Americans killed by violent, dedicated Muslims overseas, we could better understand why Americans here oppose having a Muslim mosque nearby.

No more mosques in America until Muslims here condemn and oppose the use of violence in the name of their religion.

Charles W. Jenner

Los Alamitos

Reading, electronically

Re “Beyond the words,” July 18

If technology has the power to “broaden our thinking about what a book does,” I would like to add that it also has the power to “deaden our imagination.”

Who, God forbid, would want to be bored by mere words when we can jump from link to link in a second, like a bee gathering drops of nectar?

As an educator, I have witnessed the waning of imagination in students during the last 10 years. If something is not visual and quick, they lose interest. Small wonder there are more students than ever with “attention deficit disorder.”

Christine Peterson

Woodland Hills

Terrifying! Any readers who want can “become creative collaborators, influencing plot developments and the writer’s use of dramatic devices.”

Joyce and Chekhov will benefit if “young enthusiasts collaborate” on, say, “Ulysses” or “The Lady with the Dog” — or Tolstoy can be improved by somebody helping him “weave alternative endings or side plots,” say, for “War and Peace” or “The Death of Ivan Ilych”?

Jerry Small

Venice

Electronic reading devices may look spectacular, but they’re iconoclastic tools that only serve those who can afford them. Unlike books, they’re non-transferable and cannot be passed on to others — and they certainly cannot be handed to those who can least afford them.

The poor can eat cake, but they won’t be able to access reading material in the near future.

John Thomas Ellis

Kentfield, Calif.

For many of us old bibliophiles, the innovation of electronic books may seem an ominous threat. However, those who are not averse to change will realize that this new form of exchanging ideas will expand the depth and accessibility of written material — the greatest means of human progress.

As with all new innovations, this trend will be resisted by many. But traditional books will become artifacts for collectors. They will be replaced by this new and more accessible innovation, which is the most expedient and ecological way to go. Although I must sadly admit that I will miss the excitement, feel and smell of a new book.

Milton B. Rouse

Dana Point

So how about an iPad edition of The Times?

Dennis Ruenger

Santa Barbara

Hot under the collar

Re “AC — it’s not as cool as you think,” Opinion, July 18

Stan Cox’s screed against air conditioning would have been silly at any time — let alone at the end of a week that saw temperatures exceeding 100 degrees in the Valley.

I’m starting to think that one of the things that has people so irritable in the U.S., contributing to political craziness, is that we’re constantly nagged and snarled at about how everything we do is wrong — what we eat, what we drink, what we wear, what we say, what we think, how we get around, etc.

Now we hear about one of the necessities of living in a hot climate. Scolding us that we have to increase “our physical and mental tolerance for heat” crosses the line.

And the solutions are so simple! Changing “our comfort expectations.” “Restructuring cities and suburbs as pedestrian havens.” “Replacing parking lots with parks.”

Suuuuurre … that’s going to happen. Remake the world. Let’s cram a 21st century population back to life in the 18th century.

Mark Leinwand

Agoura Hills

Curing a case of road rage

Re “I was a road rage liberal,” Opinion, July 17

Breaking news for Peter Mehlman: There are nuts out there, driving right alongside us regular folk. Try not to provoke them.

Mehlman’s reaction to a fellow driver who needled him about his Obama bumper sticker showed a lack of imagination.

Mehlman could’ve said: “This is a loaner. Mine’s in the shop; my real bumper says, ‘My Kid Can Bench Press Obama.’”

He could have said: “I’m actually a Republican, but some bleeding heart tore the word ‘impeach’ off the top of my Obama sticker.”

He could have thanked him for the advice, asked for a radio channel recommendation and then switched it to NPR.

He could have looked him menacingly in the eye and done a slow, deliberate nose pick.

Or — Peter, try and grasp this concept — he could have ignored the guy.

But follow the man? That’s asking for trouble.

Bella Silverstein

Studio City