MAILBAG - May 22, 2008
Enforcement is needed on Glenoaks
Regarding the proposed $4-million dollar project to make it easier for 200 pedestrians a day to cross Glenoaks Boulevard (“Road set for major work,” Monday) is an example of old-time thinking.
In these modern times of shrinking budgets, the city of Glendale should be addressing problems from the perspective of turning problems into profit centers.
The simple, cost effective solution for Glenoaks is to paint crosswalks, erect signs that warn drivers to “Stop when crosswalk is occupied,” lower the speed limit to 35 mph, and put some cops on the street.
The police would issue tickets to jaywalkers who don’t use the crosswalks, ticket drivers who do not obey the posted crosswalk warnings and ticket those drivers that speed. Problem solved, and the city might even make some money if the fines for the offenses exceeded the cost of putting “Glendale’s finest” out on the street enforcing the law.
DAVID FOSTER
Glendale
Government should not mandate belts
California’s mandatory seat belt or safety harness law is another piece of irrational legislation passed by some of our politicians in Sacramento.
Not only did these state capitol wizards kowtow to the insurance industry, money-wise, but they actually criminalized not wearing a seat belt. “Click it or Ticket” is now the catch phrase of the decade with money grants issued to law enforcement so they can ticket those seat belt criminals.
These tickets add to the coffers of cities and to the state of California.
Is there a constitutional issue here? Perhaps, but interpreting the vehicle code is more important than interpreting the old Constitution. And who knows, maybe some of the loot makes its way into various police pension funds.
Thanks to the big money boys and their legislators in Sacramento, law enforcement has money and time, despite being undermanned, to ticket and/or arrest those seat belt violators. But, from what I read and hear, they do not have much time or money to ticket or arrest speeders, reckless drivers, car thieves, muggers, graffiti writers, gang members, child abusers and so on.
While seat belts do, most of the time, prevent deaths and serious injuries, should the government through its law enforcement agencies make you a criminal for not wearing one when the only person who might be injured is the one who chooses not to “click it.”
What’s next? If you fail to lock your vehicle for whatever reason, will that, if your car is stolen, become a criminal offense thereby depriving you of more of your hard-earned cash?
DICK SEELEY
La Crescenta
Peace vigil not just anti-war group
The Montrose Peace Vigil is very much misunderstood. I believe the root of this confusion starts with its name. Most wonder if those participating are anti-war protesters who are politically motivated or actual peace activists. I am no fan of the anti-war crowd, everyone knows that, but I do have a deep respect for true peace activists. Without people who promote peace we would never hear about Tibet, Sudan or Somalia.
The most famous anti-war protester in our country is Cindy Sheehan. She can not claim to be a peace activist due to some of her remarks about the president. She really has not been careful about her use of words.
Words hurt and words can do great harm.
True peace-minded people don’t joke about murder and violence. The Dali Lama himself has lectured extensively on the need to practice peaceful speech as a beginning of peaceful actions.
The same goes with exaggerations about people coming and spitting on you if you are a protester. Peace activists have no need for drama, the fact that they stand by their convictions is enough.
Again what words you use and how you use them is what separates the run-of-the-mill anti-war people from the dedicated peace activist.
Montrose has some people on the other corner waving their American flags and showing support for the troops. They don’t have a title such as the Montrose Peace Vigil, however I have heard that the anti-war protesters have some colorful words they use to describe them.
DAVE ENSLOW
La Crescenta
New members are not much better
I remember a few weeks back the city of Glendale having major issues with planning and review board members.
One, if not all, had some connection to private developers and other investors.
And what did the city do?
They “cleaned house,” advertised the openings and selected five additional members (“Yousefian’s selections rejected,” Feb. 6).
I did not see anything in the paper, or on Glendale’s local cable network, about the city looking for people who are honest, ethical and have at least one bone of integrity to submit applications with the city clerk’s office for the positions.
But instead, we probably got more friends and associates of our existing political members in Glendale. It is like having a drug addict control the counter at a pharmacy or having an alcoholic man the bar at the local watering hole, and telling them not to sample the product and not to give “this one is on the house” freebies.
I was hoping to see or hear further on this topic from Glendale News-Press as to why the city would select more of the same people that they had problems with before to cause the shake up in the first place.
In history, it has shown that good investigative reporters keep city officials and politicians from the table of corruption and dishonesty. Maybe the people of Glendale can get an answer to this forgotten issue due to lack of reporting.
DOMINICK KARLEN
Glendale