FEEDBACK

SH

Steve Smith better produce Ron Gryffinder and his NAG Committee to prove

they are real or Smith should find a South County anti-El Toro newspaper

to print his questionably funny satires (“A new NAG about El Toro airport

plan,” Nov. 27). Maybe they might appreciate his humor, because I do not.

I hope a few more people in our community will begin to NAG the Pilot and

the Times to use their “power of the press” to inform our residents what

will happen to them in the year 2005 when we lose our curfews and flight

restrictions at John Wayne Airport. That, my dear Steve Smith, is not a

laughing matter, and unlike your recent column, that is what deserves

front-page headlines and coverage.

PAT JONES

Newport Beach

I missed Bonnie O’Neil’s column last Saturday in the Pilot, as I was

looking forward to reading some pro-El Toro Airport news in our local

paper. Instead, I saw a sick column by Steve Smith, who poked fun at our

volunteer pro-El Toro airport groups and amateur planners, and did

nothing to help solve Orange County’s airport problem that’s getting

worse and worse.

Let’s show some leadership on El Toro. Your constituents are the victims

of John Wayne Airport. We need equity with El Toro and a newspaper that

helps solve Orange County’s problem.

DON NYRE

Newport Beach

Three cheers for slow-growth activists

Thank you for the pieces of Newport history that the Pilot has recently

published. It is fascinating for me to learn more about the history of

our community and I was particularly interested in today’s article

discussing the various groups that have fought to balance growth in

Newport (“Growing Pains,” Dec. 6).

Imagine how different our city would look without the efforts of Frank

and Fran Robinson, the Airport Working Group, the Freeway Fighters and

others.

We would have two multilane freeways (between West Coast Highway and 19th

Street and through Corona del Mar), a huge airport nearby with 24-hour

takeoffs and landings, and even more high-rise office buildings than we

have now. The Irvine Co. was determined to build out the Back Bay, which

would now be paved over and lined with waterfront houses if the Robinsons

had not stopped them.

The lesson for me is that citizens need to continue to work to protect

the quality of life in Newport Beach, since not all of the development

decisions made by our decision-makers are the best choice for our city in

the long run. Three cheers for our balanced growth activists -- past and

present.

ROSEMARY LUXTON

Newport Beach

Hanukkah story was informative

Thank you for the informative explanation of Hanukkah, a celebration of

the miracle of light (“Festival of lights,” Dec. 3).

It is a good thing to have knowledge of other religious celebrations.

When it comes to the meaning of Christmas, I believe that it is lost

underneath the Santa Clauses and Christmas wrappings. Christmas is a

feast to commemorate the miracle of the birth of God himself, as a human

baby, to a virgin Jewish girl. This baby Jesus was to become the savior

for the people of any country who believe in God’s miracle and gift of

eternal life with him. This is the meaning of Christmas.

ADA COLE

Costa Mesa

Gay-straight clubs are wrong

Gay-straight alliance clubs in high schools may be politically correct,

but they are dangerous and wrong (“Gay-straight alliance 101,” Nov. 29).

Why are they wrong? Because in an attempt to protect students from

homophobic remarks, harassment or violence, gay-straight alliance clubs

will give impressionable young minds the idea that there is nothing wrong

with homosexuality.

In ancient times, most of the established religions incorporated some

form of sexual perversion. In Rome, the Temple of Diana was a mecca for

prostitutes. The worship of Baal involved infant sacrifice, homosexual

and lesbian activities. After the Jewish people were given the Ten

Commandments, amplified in Leviticus, mankind was given rules for

marriage and chastity. Jesus reiterated these rules in his teaching. We

call it today the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Persons today who wish to break down this tradition must do so by

re-education of new generations in the name of tolerance and justice.

Those who champion gay-straight alliance clubs ignore the Bible, ignore

challenges to health and ignore common sense. A recent headline in the

newspaper announced 33.6 million carry the AIDS virus in the world,

including 44,000 people in North America newly infected this year.

We sincerely hope the Newport-Mesa Unified School Board and officials are

not so open-minded that they ignore the lessons of history and the

scientific evidence of the present.

ELIZABETH RICHARDS

Concerned Women for America

Corona del Mar