Cover photo a frightening omen of...

Cover photo a frightening omen of the Pilot as propaganda

I was struck this morning, Dec. 5, at how blatantly the front page

format of the Daily Pilot, and, in fact, the prevailing tone of the

Los Angeles Times, indicates how the fourth estate is emerging again

as conduit for the propaganda of some of the world’s most dangerous

agents of tyranny and always in the name of peace.

It serves as an omen for the return of the 1960s, when the media

allowed itself to become a strategic arm of our enemies attack and

always in the name of peace. The Pilot’s over elaborate front-page

presentation of the views of an obscure Iraqi student oddly but

comfortably ensconced at UC Irvine brought back painful memories of

the unremitting media sponsor blitz that brought down our troops in

Vietnam and delivered that nation and her people to communism and

slavery.

It was our yesterdays all over again, and all in the name of peace

and of course freedom of the press. And it all serves to remind us

that we can be destroyed when those freedoms are used by our enemies

as a prime weapon against us.

REBA WILLIAMS

Newport Beach

Costa Mesa in good hands with Robinson as mayor

In reading the Forum page under “Mailbag” last week, I can’t help

but wonder how many of the people that are being critical of the

events of last Monday night were actually there?

I think that as surprised as we all were, as Robin Leffler stated

so well, Karen Robinson’s gracious manner of correcting the oversight

of asking for public comment and the subsequent professional way she

handled numerous personal attacks, should be a clue as to what a

great mayor she will be. I agree with Councilwoman Libby’s Cowan’s

comment that serving as mayor is an opportunity that everyone on

council should experience, and it would seem a majority of Robinson’s

fellow council members felt it was her time.

Gary Monahan was a great mayor and has been and will continue to

be a strong and experienced council member and public servant. I’m

sure he will do the right thing and not let down his constituents or

his fellow council members.

If Monday night was a glimpse of things to come, I think we have a

lot to look forward to. Karen Robinson ran a great meeting. Our newly

elected council member, Alan Mansoor, showed us that he will be

prepared and informed for the meetings and will not be afraid to

express his opinion on the issues. I, for one, am looking forward to

watching our current council tackle and accomplish important issues

on behalf of all the residents of Costa Mesa.

CINDY BRENNEMAN

Costa Mesa

* Cindy Brenneman was co-campaign manager for Karen Robinson’s

council bid.

Newport can’t have it both ways on airport question

Let me see if I have this straight: For more than a decade, we’ve

been subjected to the “sky is falling” claims by the various Newport

Beach pro-airport factions that the now-dead El Toro airport was

badly needed because of huge passenger demand and air cargo needs.

Figures of 30 million passengers per year and tons and tons of air

cargo that would have to be handled in Orange County to keep our

economy going were widely circulated and cited. And anyone that

didn’t follow their plans were short-sighted “NIMBYs.”

Well now, the same Newport Beach groups that made these claims and

called anti-airport groups names are negotiating to cap passenger

capacity at the county’s only airport at only 75% of its designed

capacity and cut the authorized air cargo flights by 50%.

The pro-airport, special interest driven minority from Newport

Beach can’t have it both ways. Either there is a looming passenger

capacity and need for more air cargo handling or there isn’t. And

based on their most recent actions to limit the use of John Wayne

Airport below its designed and authorized levels, it would appear

that they have agreed with the anti-airport majority in this county

and concluded that there clearly isn’t a need for

30-million-passenger capacity or more air cargo handling capability.

Otherwise, we’d all have to conclude that Newport Beach and their

city-funded pro-airport groups are just myopic, hypocritical, NIMBYs

who cost the citizens of this county a decade and tens of millions of

dollars trying in a selfish attempt to improve their own little

quality of life at the expense of their neighbors.

DOUGLAS K. BLAUL

Trabuco Canyon

Council takes away the city’s voice in mayoral choice

Libby Cowan has done it again.

The councilwoman has chosen to ignore the voice of the people of

Costa Mesa. Not one Costa Mesan wants to see John Wayne airport

expanded, and yet, as mayor, Cowan refused to lead the city of Costa

Mesa in backing the El Toro pro-airport group.

Now she has pulled strings to short change the people of Costa

Mesa, by denying them their choice of mayor. The people spoke in the

last election by giving Councilman Gary Monahan the highest vote of

confidence of all of the candidates for City Council. If I remember

rightly, Robinson won her seat over Heather Somers by less than 30

votes, and last year was eager to abandon her council seat for a

possible judgeship. Unfortunately, the choice for mayor was based on

telephone conversations between self-seeking individuals instead of

listening to the loud and clear voice of the people.

Does the combination of Cowan, Robinson and Councilman Chris Steel

set up a 3-2 majority for future community issues? Does Cowan now

have two rubber stamps beside her? If so, why have five City Council

members? Will these members work together for the betterment of Costa

Mesa? Maybe we need to revisit the thought of citywide elections for

mayor. In this way, we would be assured the wishes of the residents

of Costa Mesa are met.

MARTHA AND CHARLES GROVE

Costa Mesa