MAILBAG - Aug. 11, 2008

Councilman should not have to resign

No, City Councilman Dave Weaver should not resign (“Weaver’s remarks slammed,” Aug. 7).

I don’t understand why people make such an uproar over comments that they perceive to be racially motivated when they are not.

It is true that smoking is not so negatively perceived in other countries outside of the U.S., but we are living in the U.S., and it has been proven that smoking causes cancer and a host of other negative health problems.

Weaver was only making an observation that apparently a large segment of the Glendale population perceived as being prejudiced.

As someone who has had a family member die of lung cancer, I still don’t understand why smoking is even allowed in any public place and why there should even be any discussion about it. Given the health consequences, it just boggles my mind.

This is about the whole population’s right to breathe smoke-free air. It is not ethnic-specific; it concerns everyone who lives, works and shops in Glendale.

I was born in Glendale and want to see my city smoke-free and healthy for everyone.

People need to get over themselves. In our politically correct climate today, if anyone makes an unpopular remark or comment, the person is crucified for it.

I think everyone needs to take a deep breath and count to 10. Use this as a chance to create dialogue without all the anger and other nonsense associated with it.

SUSAN COLOSIMO

La Crescenta

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Goal of comments was a smoking ban

This is in response to the Aug. 7 article “Weaver’s remarks slammed,” about the remarks by Councilman Dave Weaver, and the response to his remarks that included calls for his censure and resignation.

While I am not condoning any remarks that are offensive to any nationality, it seems that the response does little to further the actual goal that brought about the remarks: a possible ban on smoking in Glendale.

What Weaver stated is accurate in that Glendale’s largest minority exerts political influence in this city that far surpasses any influence of the rest of the residents of this city, and if they oppose the ban, they will likely succeed in their opposition.

What do I think?

I think that any one special interest group that exerts influence in the political arena on behalf of only one particular nationality is the most blatant form of prejudice I know.

You want to stop the stereotyping? Then stop banding together against the rest of us.

Every Glendale resident has the responsibility to take action to benefit Glendale, not their particular nationality.

GAIL RICHARDSON

La Crescenta

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Writer mixed up council members

It would appear that my old friend Don Mazen has wax in his ears.

This is the second time Mazen has stated that I have made one comment or another, or failed to, about the day laborer center in Glendale.

In this case, the example is Mazen’s commentary in the Mailbag section of this newspaper, “Everything is not OK at laborer center,” on Aug. 7.

His beef seems to be that I made a statement regarding Catholic charities in support of this center.

Once again, Mazen got it wrong.

I’m not sure what he was listening to or what his special fascination is with me recently on this issue, but a quick review of the meeting on the Glendale city website archives reveals that Mazen was apparently referring to a comment made by a council member to my left, no pun intended.

JOHN DRAYMAN

Montrose

EDITOR’S NOTE: Drayman is the mayor of Glendale.

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Market forces will drive vehicle choices

I had to respond to the latest rant by Gerry Rankin (“Gas-guzzlers should be hit with high tax,” Community Commentary, Friday).

Rankin’s latest letter involved the typical liberal philosophy of everything being someone else’s fault.

His statement about the Long Beach Grand Prix shows his prejudices and lack of research in that those cars use ethanol, not petroleum, and are an excellent platform for extracting maximum efficiency of that particular fuel.

I would not look to Dianne Feinstein or Barbara Boxer, who are multimillionaires and use chauffeur-driven limousines of dubious gas mileage when back home from their part-time jobs. Of course they are both proponents of the “Do as I say, not as I do” philosophy.

One has to wonder what someone like Rankin would do with the money garnered from his beloved tax increases.

Perhaps he would want to give it to developers for more housing and Disneyesque shopping centers despite their water use and increases in the very traffic Rankin seems to despise.

Probably much to Rankin’s chagrin, the market forces will dictate what type of vehicles we will all drive in the future, and they will, in all likelihood, be hybrid or electric.

Both of those methods will require some petroleum either in manufacture or general use. Rankin would probably be surprised at the amount of plastic used in modern cars, and where does plastic come from?

DOUGLAS GREEN

Glendale