Occupy protesters at the Rose Parade; a threatened trailer park in Santa Monica; taking on Proposition

Spare the parade

Re “Occupy protest plan prompts beefed-up Rose Parade security,” Dec. 28

It is a shame that the Occupy movement has plans to demonstrate at the Rose Parade.

The parade is a New Year’s tradition that is loved and watched by millions. People love the floats, marching bands and everything that goes with it; I don’t think they want to see a group of protesters mixed in. This is not the kind of event for such things.

It is also a shame that more money is being spent on extra security. These people already made a mess of L.A. City Hall; please don’t let them do the same in Pasadena.

George Vreeland Hill

Beverly Hills

Santa Monica’s war on trailers

Re “Trailer park’s future uncertain,” Dec. 25

As a community leader and 25-year resident of Santa Monica, I have been concerned about the potential loss of one of our city’s hidden gems, the Village Trailer Park, to make way for a mixed-use development.

The destruction of this site would also mean the loss of about 100 mature trees, reduced availability of low-income housing, and would be devastating to some of our community’s most vulnerable residents. Almost as important would be the loss of a piece of our communal history.

The Village Trailer Park is a historical oasis and a prime example of a bygone era in Santa Monica.

Jeanne Dodson

Santa Monica

Like other cities, Santa Monica has the power to retain existing housing — in the case of Village Trailer Park, by applying either appropriate zoning or a commitment to purchase. It’s a choice, determined either by values or by a moral vacuum.

Village Trailer Park is one of only two remaining trailer parks in Santa Monica. As the area around it becomes more developed, congested and traffic-ridden, the trailer park is an example of a residential sanctuary, with historic roots defining an era that is important and should be retained, not demolished.

The ties to the values (hard work, earning a home and putting down roots) and to an era (postwar) defined by specific types of housing should be preserved. Instead, the city is allowing the replacement of housing, which should be inviolate, with office development and a slick look instead of a human environment.

Julie Lopez Dad

Santa Monica

The writer is a former Santa Monica planning commissioner.

Matters of faith

Re “One nation, under Gods,” Opinion, Dec. 25

I agree with Eric Weiner that religious diversity is a good thing. But because he fails to differentiate between spirituality and religion, Weiner tarnishes many with the broad brush of “spiritual promiscuity,” failing to recognize those who hold deeply spiritual and moral convictions that don’t coincide with any established religion.

For some, changing religious affiliation simply reflects weariness with the unrelenting bombardment of intolerant dogma, Sunday after Sunday.

Weiner also fails to account for an increasing intolerance among Christian faiths. We’re told we cannot be Christians unless we believe in the resurrection and the trinity or if we see the Bible as anything less than God’s original words.

Perhaps there is a correlation between this narrowing of Christian theology and the “restlessness” Weiner observes.

Fritz Mehrtens

Irvine

Proposition 13’s pros and cons

Re “Taking on Prop. 13,” Opinion, Dec. 26

In writing about Charles Young’s and William A. Norris’ challenge to the constitutionality of Proposition 13, Jim Newton says, “Not only would the court be faced with invalidating a popular blockade against tax increases, but also with wiping out a system that has governed California for more than 30 years.”

Popular? Any Californian who bought a home post-Proposition 13 is taxed more than his fair share. Case in point: My 1,400-square-foot condo, purchased in 1987, is taxed at $6,000 annually, while those who have owned their homes for much longer are taxed this amount for much larger homes.

Trace the decline of California’s public education. Proposition 13 has not helped less-affluent seniors nor contributed to a well-educated workforce. It has helped commercial real estate and large corporations pay less than their fair share of taxes.

Lynne Shapiro

Marina del Rey

One key point about Proposition 13 is that it allows property tax increases of up to 2% a year. This sets an important metric for tax increases.

Property taxes were carelessly and rapidly increased in the few years leading up to Proposition 13, which was passed in 1978. Previously, my wife and I decided we would have to move because of tax increases. Proposition 13 protected us in our home, where we have lived for almost 44 years.

Politicians have really injured this state by their poor judgment and profligate spending. Save Proposition 13!

Arvel Witte

Rolling Hills

The challenge to Proposition 13 over its two-thirds requirement for increasing taxes at the state level is long overdue. Indeed, that provision fundamentally revised the distribution of legislative taxation authority, and I believe it also violated the requirement that an initiative address only one subject.

The state Supreme Court should focus on the revision of the constitution that imposed the two-thirds vote requirement and leave the local property tax rules in place. Although implementation of Proposition 13 did result in a shift of some percentage of the property tax burden from commercial property to homeowners, this was not a fundamental change in the structure of government and thus is not vulnerable to the same legal challenge.

A different remedy is needed to address the lower sales turnover rate, and thus reassessment, of commercial property.

Mark Ryavec

Venice

The writer is a former L.A. County chief deputy assessor.

Songs of protest

Re “Political music took the ‘00s off,” Dec. 25

I think we have a tendency to suffer from selective memory. I grew up in the 1980s and certainly remember powerful, even groundbreaking songs from artists such as U2, Sting and Bruce Springsteen. But the majority of chart-topping music, as in most decades, was of the “I love you baby” brand of pop.

I’m not sure if it’s a case today of fewer people writing political songs or less publicity for those who do. Many artists, including myself, have (or want) to follow the do-it-yourself model with the Internet. Consequently, such artists may find fame elusive and in its place a small but loyal following.

All of this seems really more in line with the 99 percenters’ philosophy anyway: art by artists for the people.

Samantha Elin

Tarzana

A lot to like

Re “They like how he dresses up history,” Dec. 26

What a great teacher Chuck Olynyk must be. I would love my children to be in one of his history classes at Roosevelt High.

I wonder if The Times realizes that Olynyk is the kind of teacher that L.A. public schools “punish” for being too creative. I wonder if The Times realizes it does the same thing by promoting “value-added” evaluations of teacher performance, which prioritize standardized test scores over real teaching.

Olynyk came to Roosevelt after being transferred from Fremont, a school that was reconstituted because, supposedly, the teachers were of such poor quality. Now he’s featured in The Times as being excellent because — as a principal at Roosevelt, Al Lewis, said — Olynyk cares deeply about his students and whether they learn.

We need to clone him, not transfer him.

Cheryl Ortega

Los Angeles

Animal farm

Re “Living high — and clean — off the hog,” Dec. 25

Managing animal waste and promoting it as an energy alternative does not solve the problem of the egregious abuse suffered by animals raised for food in factory farms. The inhumane treatment of these animals should not be set aside as the focal point in the issue of factory

farming.

We should focus on plant-based diets replacing meat-laden meals and doing away with factory farms and slaughterhouses.

Laura Frisk

Encinitas