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Letters to the Editor: Burbankers invited to sign ‘Pledge Against Hate’ at upcoming event

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The Burbank Human Relations Council is extremely concerned about the upswing in hate incidents and crimes in our community. For the past 60 years, BHRC has taken a strong and active stand against all forms of hate and bigotry.

We ask you to join your neighbors and friends in signing the Pledge Against Hate: “I pledge to stand up to all forms of hate, bigotry and bullying. I will not stay silent in the face of intolerance based on race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, religion, ability or any other factor. I will work together with my neighbors to create safer, more inclusive communities for all.”

Sign the Pledge Against Hate at our next public event, April 19 at 7 p.m. in the city of Burbank’s Community Services Building, Room 104, 150 N. Third St. The Burbank Human Relations Council and the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations is sponsoring a community holocaust education program, “The Battle of the Warsaw Ghetto,” a radio play commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. We hope you will join us. For information contact (818) 860-2472 or email TheBHRC@gmail.com.

Mike Chapman

President

Burbank Human Relations Council

Why are cyclists being singled out?

Re: “Bicycles don’t belong on bridge,” Mailbag, April 7. The letter writer Lt. Kanigher (ret.) states that he spoke to a few horse owners and trainers who said that “bicycles ridden or walked may spook the horse on the somewhat narrow bridge.” No surprise there, he only spoke with those who don’t want to share the Mariposa Bridge. However, since it doesn’t take too much intelligence to figure out that getting kicked by a horse would probably hurt, I suspect that most of the few cyclists who wish to walk their bikes across the bridge would not do so while horses are upon it, or nearby, anyway.

That’s not the point of my letter, though. Kanigher went on to suggest that Doug Weiskopf advise his “bicycle buddies” to properly stop at all stop signs, and otherwise obey the traffic laws. Great idea, but due to relative weight and numbers, bad drivers of motorized vehicles cause many more deaths and serious injuries than cyclists do. Why does he single out cyclists?

I don’t condone cyclists breaking the law, nor do I mean any disrespect to police officers, but I suggest that Kanigher encourage his fellow officers to write lots of tickets to the many scofflaws driving cars and trucks for the myriad of violations that they commit, especially those that endanger law abiding cyclists and pedestrians. He might find that if cyclists felt safer on the road, fewer of them would want to use the Mariposa Bridge in the first place.

Rhonda Levine

Burbank

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