Mailbag - Feb. 28, 2002

Resident could redirect his energies to help

The charges brought by John Nelson about the parking meter enforcement

on Sundays on the vast and contestable grounds of separation of church

and state prompt me to paraphrase what Jesus said to the Pharisees -- he

is straining at gnats and swallowing camels.

As a staunch believer in the value of separation of church and state,

I will admit that Nelson has a point (“Newport Beach backs its church

parking law,” Feb. 12). But the point is so minuscule, it is totally lost

in the flood of much more important things we, and he, and our city

management should be focused on. Nelson is spending good money (and our

taxes) on this issue of his patriotic concern for national purity.

If he wants to protect our purity, I suggest he consider how that

money could be better spent to help meet more pressing defilements in our

community -- help for the homeless, learning impaired or anything else

that would actually help our citizens. He is free to spend his money any

way he wishes, but I know he would sleep better knowing he had done some

tangible good for real people with his efforts and available cash. At

least he would be thanked. In the end, even in the unlikely case he wins,

only the lawyers will benefit.

On the other hand, maybe Nelson, if he really wants to feel good,

would like to join that vocal few who would like to remove “In God We

Trust” from our currency. Good luck with that.

FRED ANDERSEN

Corona del Mar

Greenlight simply limits city representatives

In response to your lead editorial (“Newport Beach’s future belongs to

all residents,” Feb. 10): Greenlight, far from “handcuffing the city,”

simply attempts to prevent major exceptions to the city’s general plan

without serious consideration by the voters.

Mayor Tod Ridgeway need only look at projects like the ever-enlarging

Balboa Bay Club to see why the citizens decided to limit representative

government. Without Greenlight, Newport would eventually look like Miami.

MICHAEL C. SMITH

Corona del Mar

Response training class needs three more people

There are about 12 people in our neighborhood who want to take the

free CERT (Community Emergency Response Training) course offered by the

Costa Mesa Fire Department. The minimum enrollment required is 15. The

course was supposed to start in February but has been postponed until

March in hopes enough people will sign up to have a class.

The course consists of six classes, held in rotation on the third

Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each class is self-contained

and can be taken in any order, so if you miss one, you can pick it up the

next time it is offered. The information offered is basic disaster

preparedness and disaster response, so you can help your family survive a

catastrophe.

Any Costa Mesa resident is eligible to take this free training. Older

children who can comprehend and participate may enroll, as it is

important information for the whole family.

There must be enough enrolled by March 11 to have the first class of

the course begin on March 16. The availability of this free lifesaving

information is the best-kept secret in town. If you can arrange your

schedule to take the course, please help out by signing up now.

DIANE HILL

Costa Mesa