MAILBAG - Sept. 6, 2008
Attacks are proof of propaganda
The attacks recently against Rep. Adam Schiff by Lynn McGinnis (“Schiff needs to quit the partisan politics,” Community Commentary, Aug. 25) and Don Mazen (“Don’t give Schiff too much credit,” Mailbag, Aug. 27) are ample proof that extreme propaganda is always around.
First, to address McGinnis’ rant that Schiff is being partisan is laughable. It was the now disgraced Republican Alberto Gonzales, who, while attorney general, greatly politicized the Justice Department.
He fired or ruined the careers of lifetime nonpolitical U. S. attorneys because they would not trump up corruption charges against sitting Democratic lawmakers, and some of these U.S. attorneys were appointed by previous Republican regimes.
The FBI recently admitted that it and the Justice Department had ample warning of the meltdown of the U. S. financial industry and did nothing to stop it from happening. The FBI simply gave in to the forces of the right-wing.
This pattern has cried out for the investigations that only our Congress can conduct.
Schiff is totally within his rights and duties to America when he and other lawmakers exercise the power that our Founding Fathers so wisely placed in the hands of Congress.
Schiff gets foreign affairs like few politicians whom I’ve ever spoken to or heard.
His grasp of the fate that is swiftly bearing down upon us is without peer among his fellow Congress members.
Oversight, hearings, questions, and yes, criminal prosecutions, are more than called for.
As for Mazen’s bleating about offshore drilling, well, the days of a fraction of the people of this planet hurting nature to power sport utility vehicles is over.
So is the so-called “American way of life.”
JACK TUNZI
Eagle Rock
Ginger Bremberg, where are you?
If former mayor Ginger Bremberg was at a recent Tuesday night meeting, I think she would be asking herself this question:
Why did only two councilmen want to put on the council agenda an opportunity to discuss the Dave Weaver issue and for him not taking responsibility for the smoking article in the Pasadena Weekly?
Why didn’t Weaver on the 29th of July just tell his colleagues that he was the person behind the erroneous article and just apologize to the council and the Armenian community?
No, he just sat back and listened to his attackers every Tuesday night, and his silence created turmoil in the Jewel City in the weeks that followed.
Councilman Bob Yousefian said we all grow up with role models as children.
First, it is our parents and then perhaps an uncle or aunt. Later on in life, the model could be a school teacher, a policeman, athlete or a politician.
When Yousefian said “politician,” I thought of Weaver and Mayor John Drayman and where the two of them have taken the city for the past six to eight weeks.
The two of them have made the council look like fools with them as our role model stars.
Yousefian stated that he was silent long enough and wanted a vote of apology or something from Weaver or censure by the council or just something.
Councilman Ara Najarian came out strongly saying that we should vote on a censure or something.
Najarian probably felt that his Armenian constituents had hounded him long enough and voted to censure or do something against Weaver.
The prohibition of smoking was no longer a city issue before the council.
Drayman is seeking power and would not censure Weaver.
Weaver has not answered questions at council meetings, nor would he appear on the Larry Zarian TV show with the Pasadena Weekly’s reporter and editor.
Yousefian and Najarian wanted to put the “Weaver” issue on a council agenda.
Drayman and Councilman Frank Quintero said no, and so did Weaver.
Drayman counted the votes (3-2) and said the “Weaver” issue would not be put on a council agenda.
End of discussion.
In other words, the issue of role model and character was silenced.
MIKE MOHILL
Glendale
‘City Views’ is useful and informative
A useful and informative small magazine put out by Glendale City Hall called “City Views” comes in the mail four times a year.
There are two short articles worth mentioning in the latest issue.
The first article is about City Hall purchasing the Rockhaven Sanitarium and maybe housing a library there. What a great idea, preserving grand-old buildings and putting it to a noble use. I will probably take out-of-town visitors there to see and enjoy this beautiful building and its surroundings as I do with Brand Library.
Second, the magazine informs us that City Hall is moving the Unity Festival to Brand Boulevard. The move will generate extra business for shops and restaurants on Brand and will introduce them to new customers.
There is no more useful information and article in the magazine to read.
SARKIS S. ABRAHAMIAN
Glendale