Church and state sharing the same column...

Church and state sharing

the same column space

I believe that the learned Joseph Bell (“A soap opera with

sobering overtones,” April 15) has taken on a little more than his

reader can chew. In his attempt to decry the “popping up of the Ten

Commandments,” as well as the “encroachment of religion on secular

matters,” Bell has neglected to reaffirm what greater minds than his

have determined: That the Judeo-Christian ethic is the moral

underpinning of our moral compass.

Bell might also have mentioned that the founding fathers saw fit

to use the phrase “to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves

and our posterity” in the United States Constitution. The dictionary

definition of the word “blessing” is to hallow or consecrate by

religious rite or word.

While I agree with Bell’s observation that “the place of religion

in public life is going to come up again and again” -- as it should

-- I’m sure that they’ll be other voices like mine to confront views,

such as his, that are so off-base.

LEFTERIS LAVRAKAS

Costa Mesa

All that’s missing are

the low co-payments

In her Thinking Allowed column on April 14, Lolita Harper comments

that, “Gas prices are driving us down.” What has truly happened is

that we have skidded into an era of “managed car care.” While gas

premiums go up -- the quality care we used to get for our vehicles at

Newport-Mesa service stations continues to go down.

Sort of reminds us of that evil scheme of the 1990s called

“managed healthcare.” And like medicine, this managed car care

delivers -- bringing with it some new hazards, dangers, discomfort

and pain.

Consider the following:

First, local gas stations provide less service while asking you to

do more of the diagnostics -- all the while, increasing your car

bill. We tele-surveyed a dozen Newport-Mesa stations and could not

find one provider with full-service islands. Once upon a time we had

full-service islands, then half, then one and now, none.

Second, most drivers are not trained in the handling of dangerous,

toxic and inflammable liquids and chemicals. One resident told us she

recently has left two stations because people were pumping gas with

one hand while lighting a cigarette with the other. She said, “Hasta

la vista baby,” faster than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Third, many self-serve islands have equipment in a poor state of

health with fractured handles, broken triggers and ruptured arteries.

One customer said he had to change pumps three times the last time he

filled up, while simultaneously drenching his shoes and pants with

petroleum.

And fourth, many older people with arthritis and minor

disabilities have difficulty unscrewing the vacuum gas cap or

handling the pump.

Even in the absence of the above maladies, which admittedly many

persons do not seem to mind, the de facto result is that the vast

majority of persons leave the gas dispensary without checking their

tires, oil, water, belts or cleaning their windshields. We already

know that mechanical and wardrobe malfunctions are a major cause of

accidents. Decreasing car care will only cause more accidents.

This is not a dissertation against profits. Others have spoken of

that. But if the energy companies are making record profits through

record gas prices, why not share a little of the profit with the

service station owners? Then maybe they can afford to provide a

little service (like maybe one trained person) under the new-age

managed car care.

MICHAEL ARNOLD GLUECK

Newport Beach

DAN W. EMORY

Costa Mesa

Equable allocation of burden

can be a very taxing subject

Are you tired of politicians seeking votes by falsely claiming

that tax relief unfairly favors the rich? The brackets for the lowest

taxable income were reduced by one-third, from 15% to 10%, while the

maximum bracket was reduced less than one-tenth, from 38.6% to 35%.

The Internal Revenue Service tells us that taxpayers whose income tax

returns for 2000 from those in the top 5% of income-earners paid

56.47% of the income taxes received by Uncle Sam. The top 1% paid

37.42% of the income taxes.

Taxing in proportion to income or wealth, rather than per person

allegedly served is fair. However, taxing some at a 35% rate (in

addition to state income taxes), while others are taxed at only 10%

is about as fair as a thief living off stolen property. Like the

greedy thieves at Enron and WorldCom, some voters who pay no tax, or

are in low income tax brackets, may enjoy taking from others and vote

for candidates who will do the same, even though reducing taxes would

reduce the flow of capital and jobs to other countries. Regrettably,

the unfairness in rates is nota denial of equal protection and due

process clauses found in the amendments to he United States

Constitution.

Of course, tax relief benefits taxpayers; those who pay the most

should save the most money. The only unfairness about the tax cuts to

the wealthy is that it is at a time when some risk their lives in war

and receive low pay. We should pay for the war and other services as

we go along, even if it hurts taxpayers -- including those in the

lower tax brackets.

ROY B. WOOLSEY

Newport Beach

Students’ right to protest

at UCI should be protected

Regarding the article, “Student protesters face severe penalties

from UCI,” April 15:

I am appalled and incensed at the draconian and high-handed

response of UC Irvine officials to a peaceful protest, which was

demonstrating against putting in a parking lot and eventual structure

that would wipe out what little remains of affordable student

housing.

Time-honored student rights, which have long been accepted and

even encouraged at sister institutions UCLA and UC Berkley, appear to

be trampled on in our Orange County milieu. Imagine serious scholars

having transcripts withheld and being restricted from university

facilities because they want to demonstrate their wishes.

As far as was reported, there was no violence or destruction of

property whatsoever. If there are any alleged misdemeanors that are

not dismissed, they should be dealt with only by the civil judicial

system.

In the dim past, when I was a student at UCLA, we protested the

loyalty oath. My son, as a student there, protested the war in

Vietnam. We did not have our academic careers ruined and were

eventually proven correct. Were my grandson to protest in supporting

affordable housing at Orange County’s UCI, this evidently would not

be the case.

KEN KVAMMEN

Newport Beach