Gatto has held up to his promises

I always like to play a game where I compare an elected official’s website to their actions once they take office. Your Oct. 13 article “Gatto and Ramani go into detail” gave this voter the ability to compare newly elected Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s record to his rhetoric.

Gatto campaigned on fiscal responsibility, things like pension reform and establishing a Rainy Day Fund (or savings account) for the state. I am pleasantly surprised that he has delivered on these promises, and in only a few months in office.

I liked Gatto’s answers to your questions on how to solve the state’s problems, and with recent history as a guide, I believe that he will work on those issues during his hopefully long tenure in office.

Nestor D. Rodas

Glendale

*

Griem was right on ‘Don’t Ask’ law

The Rev. Bryan Griem is absolutely right in his argument against allowing openly gay and lesbian service members in the military (“In Theory: Should ‘Don’t Ask’ law be repealed? Sept. 29). His opinion is a beacon light in your In Faith section of your newspaper.

I was in the Army for three years in the mid-1960s. My answer to the question is definitely “no.” First of all, living conditions in the military are limited, thus privacy is almost nonexistent. Barracks had open showers and urinals, men had to dress and undress in front of each other. Sleeping conditions meant you had to sleep in a bed just a few feet from another soldier.

Having homosexuals in the same living quarters would make the heterosexual soldiers feel uncomfortable. Why should our soldiers have another worry in their lives? They have to face problems with their families, intense training and possible combat.

My second point: The pride and integrity of the military would be severely diminished here and throughout the world. We don’t want this to happen to the men and women who have sacrificed for this country.

Our military personnel should not be used as political pawns to satisfy the social agenda of one group or another. Allowing homosexuals in the military is not the way to increase morale. It will only bring division and would prevent many moral heterosexual men and women from joining.

Overton Zies

Glendale