A free clinic that drew thousands; a veteran who may be deported; the L.A. Times Festival of Books

Not a healthy situation

Re “Seeking a shot at free clinic,” April 26

I know I’m not alone in my emotional reaction to this Times article.

On the one hand, it made me happy to know that a handful of uninsured Americans received some type of care this week. On the other hand, the piece enraged me as I thought of them waiting in that line, hoping that one medical visit could and would help.

What about those who could not line up overnight — or who didn’t even know about the clinic — who will continue to suffer?

As a nursing student in San Francisco, I am overwhelmed by the needlessness of much of the suffering I see. Primary care with a focus on prevention could put an end to so much pain. But prevention is not going to happen through occasional free health clinics. Let’s hope that healthcare reform will be able to address even a fraction of America’s primary-care needs.

Sophia Nurani

San Francisco

How about a thank you?

Re “Vet faces ouster,” April 26

Ekaterine Bautista falsified her identity to join the Army days after the 9/11 attacks. She served honorably, earning commendations from her superiors, including the Combat Action Badge. Now she may face deportation.

If she is charged or deported, then shouldn’t we charge all those young men who falsified their birthdates so that they could join the armed forces following the attack on Pearl Harbor?

There are exceptions to every rule. In this instance, Bautista did not sneak across the border in the dead of night. She was brought here as a child, and she paid back her adoptive country with six years of military service. She has earned the right to become a naturalized citizen — perhaps more than most.

If only the Obama administration would do as good a job ferreting out illegal immigrant drug dealers and welfare cheats as it is doing prosecuting valued members of society.

Michael Allegretti

Chatsworth

DeVore’s real problem

Re “DeVore trails despite message,” April 26

Chuck DeVore thinks that he trails in the Senate race polls because he is described on the ballot as a state assemblyman, which he equates to “a thief” and “a scum-sucking politician.”

If he finds his current job so repellent, why is he seeking to suck ever-higher levels of scum?

I prefer my politicians a tad more idealistic, respectful and constructive, thank you. People who equate government offices with abhorrent behavior shouldn’t seek to hold them. Leave these offices for the people who believe that they can actually serve people by representing them.

Linda Silveira

Claremont

A big fan of the book festival

Re “Where reading reigns,” April 25

Come on, L.A. Times, toot your own horn!

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is one of the great happenings in Los Angeles, and you’re the major sponsor and host.

Let’s see more of The Times’ enthusiastic and informed reporting. A nice picture of the teeming plaza between Royce Hall and the library would be good; more interviews of attendees; features about authors other than celebrities; the results of the book awards ceremony held Saturday evening.

I know The Times wants us to go to its website for all this, but in this case, when it’s a book festival, let’s celebrate and document the printed word in your print publication.

And hey, thanks for a great weekend!

Terry Dean

Palm Springs

Putting away a painful past

Re “True to the past,” Opinion, April 24

There are many misleading elements in Patt Morrison’s interview with Harut Sassounian. However, I must emphasize the choice of photo illustrating this interview: Sassounian embracing the picture of his grandmother, garlanded with a bandolier of bullets. This photo speaks for itself about his mind-set.

Indeed, Sassounian often employs obsessive rhetoric against Turkey and relentless opposition to the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia. In order to reach a true reconciliation, Armenians should put an end to selective and subjective reading of our mutual sufferings.

Revisiting the great Armenian American writer William Saroyan, whose stories are embellished with compassion and empathy for diverse ethnic groups, including Turks, may be a better way to build a peaceful future between our nations than glamorizing armed kinfolk.

Hakan Tekin

Los Angeles

The writer is consul general of the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles.

What music does for us

Re “Instruments of brainpower,” Column, April 25

We at the California Institute of the Arts can affirm that the research, as well as our deep experience teaching the arts to Los Angeles schoolchildren, fully attests to the positive influence of music on brain development.

Our Community Arts Partnership provides arts instruction, free of charge, in public schools and community organizations at 46 sites throughout Los Angeles County — many in seriously underserved neighborhoods. Over 20 years, we have watched music, dance, theater and the visual arts shape the cognitive and creative processes of kids ages 10 to 18.

Having seen the power of the arts in action, we strongly urge voters to support the proposed parcel tax.

Even with teachers in place, it will be important that other educational and cultural institutions join CalArts and work with schools to help ensure that every student has access to the arts and the opportunity for a future in our region’s creative economy.

Steven D. Lavine

Santa Clarita

The writer is president, California Institute of the Arts.

Steve Lopez makes one glaring omission:

Besides its contributions to the learning process, classical music, in particular, makes for a more civil society. One cannot be regularly exposed to Bach, Beethoven, Brahms et al without one’s more refined instincts being influenced.

In the current climate of social hostility, the nation would better off if all of its adults — and teenagers — took a deep breath before assailing those with whom they disagree. It’s difficult or impossible to imagine teenagers bullying or taunting their peers after listening to a Mozart symphony or piano concerto. The same can’t be said of rap.

N. Richard Lewis

Los Angeles

Closing the door on flippers

Re “House-flipping is back in South L.A.,” April 25

The article on house-flipping speculators demonstrates why this should not be allowed. Flippers are essentially parasites who do nothing for society except to raise the price of houses for people to live in.

Someone who wanted the house to live in, as opposed to an investor, could have bought it for just over $180,000 and had a contractor fix it up, probably with better materials and labor. The house could have been remodeled to the owner’s taste rather than the flipper’s, at whatever cost the owner wanted to spend. The price of the house would then have been significantly less than what the flipper would charge, making it easier for people to own a home to live in.

Flippers are part of the same kettle of smelly fish as the mortgage brokers and Wall Street speculators who got us into the mess we have just suffered through.

Robert M. Miller

Sherman Oaks

Champs, again

Re “El Camino triumphs at Academic Decathlon,” April 25

Congratulations to El Camino Real High School on winning its sixth National Academic Decathlon title. However, I imagine because The Times’ 34-paragraph article wasn’t about failing schools and deadbeat teachers, there was one glaring omission: El Camino Real High School is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Joe Kevany

Los Angeles

6th sense

Re “Flawed beauty,” Opinion, April 25

Considering that L.A.’s 6th Street Bridge is a beautiful design, provides a direct and necessary route, is recognized in the Historical Engineering Record, is immortalized in cinema and provides a magnificent view, why are we even discussing what its successor should look like? It seems the only thing wrong with the bridge is that the concrete was not made properly.

Obviously, the new bridge should look as much like the original as possible.

Michele Hart-Rico

Los Angeles