Hope wanes for a state constitutional convention; a genetic link to homosexuality; safer hot dogs

What might’ve been

Re “Status quo 1, reform 0,” Editorial, Feb. 21

Three cheers for The Times’ editorial mourning the likely demise of a constitutional convention for California.

Until a few weeks ago, I resisted the impulse to support a constitutional convention. Today, I say: “Why not?” At least it would signify some form of positive movement.

Ballot-box voting is no different from voting each week, statewide, on any given issue of the day. California is too great, too complex and too important to live and function the way it currently does.

Lee Ferrero
Los Osos, Calif.

What a great editorial, and so true. Every time I hear Meg Whitman’s ad promising to fix the state, I just roll my eyes. The same undoubtedly will be true for Jerry Brown.

There is such a thing as too much democracy.

Christopher North
Palm Springs

Why criticize the governor?

Re “The forgotten colleges,” Opinion, Feb. 22

We agree that if America is to remain competitive, the state needs to do more to support California’s community colleges. However, we take issue with Camille Esch and Christopher Cabaldon’s politicization of the challenges we face. Our colleges are too valuable to become a political football.

Fully funding community colleges will require that common-ground solutions be forged. While advancing their proposal, the authors wrongfully take a swipe at Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been a champion of community colleges. He has expanded workforce training and improved funding for the system.

We encourage Esch and Cabaldon to continue to make a case for why Californians should invest in higher education -- we agree. We also ask that they end the blame game. By doing so, they will lead by example and better serve the Californians they seek to help.

Deborah Malumed
Lance Izumi
Sacramento
The writers are the president and immediate past president, respectively, of the board of governors of California Community Colleges.

Homosexuality and genetics

Re “Genetics and Prop. 8,” Opinion, Feb. 23

I agree with the writers on the absurdity of the notion that one’s sexuality is a matter of choice; do any of us recall a moment when we decided that it was time to “choose” our sexuality? The science they describe, arcane though it may be, discredits the idea, which bodes well for more acceptance of gays in our culture.

However, I don’t recall being “stunned” by discovering my own (hetero)sexuality as a teenager, as they contend is the case for both heterosexual and homosexual adolescents.

Fred Dean
East Hollywood

I am frustrated by Dean Hamer and Michael Rosbach’s argument that a genetic cause for homosexuality indicates that California should legalize same-sex marriage. This logic can easily be turned on its head. Are the authors implying that being gay is OK because a percentage of the population is born that way? That suggests that if not, it’s not OK.

Or, if science proves a genetic origin of homosexuality, will some people want to develop a prenatal test, as if being gay were in the same category as Down syndrome?

I don’t know what genetic or environmental factors contribute to homosexuality, nor do I care. I would argue that, whatever the cause, gay marriage is demonstrably as beneficial to society as traditional marriage. On that basis, California should repeal Proposition 8.

Mila Marvizon
Culver City

As to whether sexual orientation is a product of genetics or environment, it still does not justify homosexuality as being normal.

Mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder all likely have a genetic component too.

Could it be that decades ago the psychiatric community was rash in declaring gay sexual orientation to be a normal human condition?

Mike Bennett
Rowland Heights

A veteran’s viewpoint

Re “Not quite ready to end ‘don’t ask,’ ” Feb. 24

Perhaps Times readers would like an opinion on the matter of gays in the military from a Navy veteran of World War II.

Looking at the numbers, we must have had 500,000 or more homosexual men in uniform during the war.

I served as an officer aboard two troop transports, each with a crew of about 600 men, and as a senior officer on a floating dry dock with some 500 enlisted men. Everyone showered together and slept in three-tier bunks, 40 or so to a room.

Sodomy was a crime under all military codes, but never did any of us hear of a homosexual incident or a complaint from any enlisted man. I’m sure that there were a few prosecutions, but any such cases were negligible in number.

The current rules are unnecessary and wasteful of talent.

Robert E. Green
Culver City

Letting them off solves nothing

Re “Cleared but not vindicated,” Editorial, Feb. 23

The last line in your editorial reads: “They may not be disbarred, but they are disgraced.”

In order for anyone to feel disgraced, they must have a conscience. It’s been painfully obvious -- for some time now -- that John C. Yoo, Jay S. Bybee, Dick Cheney and George W. Bush have never suffered the burden of a conscience.

What is disgraceful is that so many of the Bush administration’s transgressions will remain not only unpunished but uninvestigated.

Ric Levine
Thousand Oaks

The “torture memo” and the horrors that sprang from it have discredited America and American ideals. The damage to our national security will take a generation to repair and, meanwhile, puts our nation and our citizens abroad at great risk. Yoo and Bybee could not have done more damage had they been undercover agents in the employ of an arch foe such as, oh, Al Qaeda.

Hmmm. Hmmm. If only there was a way to wring a confession out of them . . .

Marvin J. Wolf
Mar Vista Heights

Tube steak

Re “The tail wagging the hot dog,” Editorial, Feb. 24

Amazing. I never sausage a thing!

Maybe we can petition God to redesign the carrot to make it more kid-safe. And while we’re at it, perhaps we can get him to reprogram the peanut to get rid of those pesky allergens too.

This save-the-children-at-any-cost mentality is starting to wear thin. Children are subject to the same laws of nature as adults. We get hurt, we choke, we get injured, we get sick and die.

All life on this planet is made up of wieners and losers!

When you look at what goes into a hot dog, the choking hazard is the least of the child’s worries.

Jim Saicheck
Banning, Calif.