MAILBAG - Nov. 26, 2008

Weekend was no time for fireworks

Regarding “Fiery display riles council,” Nov. 19:

Should the Americana have gone ahead with its fireworks display despite the fires that had been raging in the Southland? No! I have a question for Rick Caruso: If your house had just been destroyed by a fire, would you still have gone ahead with the fireworks display? I look forward to your response.

ROBERT “SCOTT” WALLACE

Glendale

Council was right to uphold appeal

Plaudits to you, Mayor John Drayman and Councilmen Bob Yousefian, Ara Najarian and Frank Quintero for agreeing with the appeal of the Planning Commission approval of the lot split at 3761 Hillway at your Nov. 12 meeting. This took courage, thoughtfulness and foresight to recognize that this lot split and the proposed large houses would indeed be a malignancy on the unique character of the Whiting Woods neighborhood.

Although the principal technical issue was the parcel’s average slope, it was indeed most encouraging that the three of you recognized that there was a greater issue — the preservation of a residential neighborhood character that is without equal in Glendale and probably much of the rest of Southern California.

I cannot adequately express my appreciation for your support of the Hillway appeal.

ROBERT MORRISON

Glendale

Solution to traffic: Make it green

I hope all of our City Council, traffic engineers and Police Department personnel read Dan Kimber’s Nov. 7 column (“School zones should be safer for kids,” Education Matters).

Although he made several suggestions for controlling the traffic on Glenwood Road, I personally thought the one about having the entire block in front of the schools made into a common area with lawn, trees, etc., was fantastic.

Imagine children of all ages feeling safe in front of their schools.

It has been 25 years since I drove my two kids to these schools, and I was a basket case every day. It is 25 times worse now.

Please don’t wait another 25 years; we cannot lose our precious children in such a senseless way.

PATRICIA ADAMS

Glendale

A wake-up call on Craigslist

The article “Couple accused of Craigslist scam” (Nov. 7) was very entertaining to read. I liked that we in Glendale are informed about these things because it keeps us safer and more informed about how we can protect ourselves.

It interests me how some people who were in the middle of all this never came forward and said that they thought they were in a scam, thinking that the Police Department wouldn’t investigate it.

But, in fact, the investigation was in process at the time. If these people were to report it, the process would have gone much faster.

Thanks to this article, now I, and whoever reads this article, hopefully, will feel more comfortable with discussing their worries with the Police Department.

Also, because of this article, now I feel that I should pay more attention to my finances and not trust a person I do business with so easily.

ARMINE HAKOPIAN

Glendale

What qualifies as a religion?

I noticed that on your Faith page you had a Scientologist comment on Proposition 8 (“Contributing to political issues,” Nov. 15).

Inviting Scientologists or Mormons (who were the spearhead group against Proposition 8) to contribute to such a discussion degrades civic dialogue, because neither group represents a religion — both are cults. Religions do not have secret doctrines.

Religions do not require that one pay to learn such secret doctrines or pay to rise through their ranks. Religions do not have secret rooms in their places of “worship.”

Scientology is a cult created by a science fiction writer whose creation myth involves space aliens — whose spirits now inhabit all human beings. Mormonism was founded by a young man who believed that Jesus visited America and that wearing magic underwear will protect members from evil. Its key doctrines: obedience and submission. (I know; half of my family are members of Mormonism.)

Of course, the Mormons gave up racism and polygamy when God sent them a secret message (oddly enough, just at the most politically convenient moment). How come God never does these things in public?

So why are Mormons attacking gay Americans now? Two reasons: First, they want to enter mainstream American culture by allying with right-wing “Christians;” and second, if people knew about Mormon views on human sexuality, they would be shocked.

In closing, let it be said that some individual Mormons are nice enough people, but what can you conclude about an institution that spends millions upon millions not to feed the poor or build shelters, but to deny equal protection under the law to their fellow citizens? (I know the “church” didn’t “officially” have anything to do with Proposition 8, but let’s be serious, folks.)

Please keep the Scientologists and Mormons off the Faith page. Start a comics page if you must.

RAY SHELTON

Glendale