One man’s death is nothing to cheer about

Terrorism is unquestionably an evil. It must be eliminated. It is inhuman, and humanity must take all steps to exterminate it.

This, unfortunately, involves fighting and often killing those who persist in clinging to and perpetrating this wrong.

Our president’s somber face and manner in announcing the death of Osama bin Laden embodies, for me, my feelings about this act. It expressed well the words of “The Star-Spangled Banner”: “then conquer we must, when our cause it is just.”

I was saddened, however, at the elation and glee expressed by the crowds pictured on television. Such elation would certainly be appropriate if terrorism itself had been wiped out, but rejoicing over the killing of a man, however malicious he may have been, certainly seems like children playing video games where destruction is a mere picture unrelated to humanity.

It is ironically significant that in the same issue of the Los Angeles Times — in which the bin Laden capture and killing were reported — that a Holocaust survivor speaking at Holocaust Remembrance Day in Los Angeles was quoted as saying: “Understand that there’s only one race in this world, and that’s the human race. And we should stop killing each other.”

Humanity, caring, empathy along with resolution and self-sacrifice separate us from the mind-set that produces terrorism and constitute effective opposition to it.

Honor Haase

La Crescenta

White House can’t get its story straight

Let me start by saying that any day a terrorist is killed is a good day.

After watching President Obama smugly claiming all the credit for the assassination of Osama bin Laden, then hearing all the different versions of what took place in that room, I can only say thank god for the Navy SEALs.

Ineptitude is a compliment in describing the thought process of this administration. First, bin Laden is described as going down fighting. Then the story changes to him being unarmed. One of his wives is killed, then she is just wounded.

Leon Panetta, director of the CIA, says he will release the photos of bin Laden’s body, but then Obama tells him to put a dirty sock in his mouth. Can I get a “say what?”

I thought I was confused, but the Obama administration has no clue. This is what I believe really happened.

I believe the Navy SEALs shot an Osama look-alike guard in the face to the point where he was unrecognizable, snatched the real bin Laden and whisked him away to a secret interrogation site.

The photos will show that it could be bin Laden, the DNA test is valid because they’ve got him and the quick feeding of his carcass to the sharks provide the perfect cover story for burial at sea. I

f the producers of “24” are reading this, please know I am available and awaiting your call.

Bob Tanabe

La Cañada Flintridge

Rid the dais of special interests

I would like to thank all my supporters. The mean-spirited mannerisms of the ousted incumbent candidate enabled me to garner nearly 2,000 votes — votes that might have gone to him had he chosen a different manner of campaigning.

Congratulations, Rafi Manoukian, on a well-run campaign

My campaign was about ridding perceived corruption at City Hall. One incumbent candidate had received a $9,000 fine in 2009 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for violating campaign finance law, and the other incumbent had a condo makeover performed by subcontractors of Advanced Development & Investments Inc.

He also received $9,000 in campaign money from subcontractors of ADI a month after he won his April 2007 election, thus creating an appearance of conflict of interest while he voted on their projects months later.

The campaign was about curbing city employees’ excessive salaries, pensions and benefits. Furthermore, it was about reducing water and electric rates, trash fees, as well as restoring many neglected city services.

Sadly, today the appearance of corruption is still with council members. In 2009, new council candidate Laura Friedman received $16,000 from the subcontractors of ADI and their family members. Former Mayor Ara Najarian received $27,000 and Councilman Frank Quintero received $23,500 from ADI-subs and their family members. Council members then voted to approve the projects.

Since Manoukian had no endorsements from the city unions and other special-interest groups, hopefully it will allow him to make decisions that benefit the city stakeholders first, before any special interest.

Mike Mohill

Glendale

Editor’s note: Mohill is a former candidate for Glendale City Council.