Our readers write

Thank you, Jim Chase

God bless Jim Chase. Am I allowed to invoke God in my praise for Mr. Chase? Not in our public schools, that’s for sure. I’m a little late with my thank you to Mr. Chase for his straight talk about our public schools’ (Glendale Unified in particular) obsession to lock its doors to all post high school traditions containing any religious overtones. Tolerance, according to our dictatorial teachers and administrators, is the absence of anything starting with that evil ‘C’ as in ‘Christian’ word. There are so many more pressing problems in our public school system like drugs, gangs, dropouts, etc. that listing God as public enemy number 1 is just pathetic. Public schools are so intimidated by the usual troublemaker suspects that they will spare no effort to appease these groups. Kicking God off campus is many times more important to Glendale Unified than anything else. It’s become an obsession with them. How sad, not only for our kids, but for society as a whole.

God bless you, Jim Chase.

Bob Tanabe

La Cañada

Responds to criticism of PTC

In response to Hillal Latif’s letter (“Criticizes those ‘holier than thou,’” Our Readers Write, April 24) I believe the Parental Television Council does encourage parental responsibility — you might want to do a little research before you write next time. Also, the previous writer was trying to point out the formula(s) for a better success in Hollywood productions since it is taking way too long for them to figure it out for themselves. Her letter was well thought out and written; I’m sure she’s intelligent enough to know where the remote “off” button is. Get a new argument.

Sandra Goetz

Torrance

Restaurant gets her vote

I’m responding to the article about the Nissan dealer property. A great classic restaurant up in La Crescenta would be a tremendous idea. We don’t need any more strip malls or condos. I would even welcome Wal-Mart or X Mart, but no strip malls or condos. Something to think about.

We use to have Chef’s Inn, Flintridge Inn, On The Blvd. But two of them are gone and the only other nice place is Taylor’s.

Alda Milam

La Crescenta

Strongly endorses candidate Sardo

To raise your hand and swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States is one of the most priceless gifts given to our nation by our Founding Fathers. When [Congressman] David Dreier raised his hand, what country’s constitution was he swearing to uphold?

When David Dreier voted for NAFTA, it gave Wal-Mart the right to transfer employees from their Mexico stores to their stores in the United States.

Who are you going to trust taking the oast as congressman?

Sonny Sardo — not David Dreier.

Pat Kerr

Sunland

PTC prez fires back a response to writer

In response to comments (“Criticizes those ‘holier than thou’”, Our Readers Write, April 25) Hillal Latif has died on the same “hill” others before have with this nonsensical argument.

The Parents Television Council is all about parents being educated and informed as to what is currently being broadcast into their homes and thus into their children’s heads. This process, referred to by Latif as “ignorant people who will sit back and look up statistics on how much swearing and violence there actually is in movies and television,” then empowers parents to make informed decisions about what their children watch on TV. I fail to understand how this is not a good thing!

But let’s cut to the chase here. The grim reality is that Hollywood refuses to address their own culpability in producing the sludge broadcast daily onto the public’s airwaves! Yes people, these airwaves belong to you, not Hollywood. The airwaves are a bit like a public park. We own it and everyone is free to enjoy it. If someone displays obscenity in the park, they are removed. We don’t ask people to stay out of the park if they don’t like the obscenity, as Latif would have us do. If the park becomes so fillthy and vulgar that people don’t want to use it, then it is time for a change.

TV stations use our airwaves but must agree to follow the FCC’s guidelines. I guess you can call the FCC the “peoples’” cops. They police the park and make sure it is fit to be used. And yes, the “people” have “called the cops.” We are not happy with what is being produced and put onto our airwaves during the time slots that our children might be in the viewing audience. According to FCC regulations, broadcasters are to be mindful that children are in the viewing audience between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Their programm should reflect this reality. They are obviously not doing this. Instead they are producing sex-filled and violent sludge. Not only is this vulgar and distasteful, it is also an economic mistake. People don’t want it.

So adults are free to push the “off” button (just leave the park), when watching programming they find objectionable. Our children do not yet have the maturity to know how and when to do this. They are children. Not only do they deserve better than what is being produced between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., their parents must also be informed on such matters. Information and education: that is what the Parents Television Council ( www.parentstv.org) is all about.

— Michele Mac Neal

Director

LA/Foothills Chapter

Parents Television Council