How can we stop the screaming sea...

How can we stop the screaming sea lions?

I am a great animal lover, but the noise from the sea lions in the

vicinity of the Harbor Patrol on Bayside Drive is very annoying,

particularly at night.

Is there anything that can be done to alleviate that disturbance?

LOUISE BRIGHAM

Corona del Mar

My Turn column jumped

to too many conclusions

Only in America can I open the paper and find freely stated

opinions printed for all to see. Unfortunately, many opinions are

based on nothing but someone’s desire to tell others what they think.

FIo Martin’s article on Aug. 19 (“Real men accept punishment”) is

one such offering. She tells a quaint little story about a mom, or

“Mominator,” who moves heaven and earth to save her son from the

consequences of his own, petty theft. At the end of this seemingly

purposeless article, Martin takes an abrupt turn to shake her finger

at Greg Haidl, who was convicted, along with two friends, of sexually

assaulting an unconscious 16-year-old girl, with the admonition that

he should take responsibility for his actions.

It would be fine, I suppose, if Martin knew Haidl or anything

about his state of culpability. It would be better if she knew the

Haidl family as well. Unfortunately, it’s clear that she knows

neither.

I had hopes that Martin had some insight into the lengths a family

would go to support and protect their child until I read the amazing

conclusion in her article. If I followed her hypothetical story, I

would have expected Sammy to “own up” to his petty theft and take his

punishment just like she suggested Haidl to do.

But, no. Martin digressed into her own version of stirring the

pot.

Martin is in good company with licensed therapist Maxine Cohen,

who offered her diagnostic impressions of Haidl some months ago.

Cohen never interviewed Haidl nor performed any of the customary

psychological tests normally associated with legitimate psychiatric

diagnosis. She just jumped on the bandwagon.

The Haidl family has done what any family would do in protecting a

son and trusting in the judicial process to arrive at a proper

judgment based on the evidence.

People like Martin and Cohen seem to delight in jumping to their

own conclusions without the benefit of evidence, knowledge or belief

in the process.

THOMAS BELL

Westminster

Costa Mesa needs to focus on its problems, not others’

Costa Mesa’s athletic fields were intended to support teams with

children who live in Costa Mesa. I’m sure Newport Beach had the same

intentions until home prices reached the level they have.

Then the almighty dollar took precedence over the kids in the

community.

Even Huntington Beach has been seduced and is about to turn

Inspiration Field into another housing complex, at the expense of the

kids who were able to play at this magnificent facility.

This issue has become the latest political hot potato that will be

decided by people who do not have kids playing in any of these

sports. I am the last person to take anything away from the kids, as

my three have taken advantage of every sport Costa Mesa had to offer;

the kids in other communities should have the same opportunities.

Costa Mesa’s first priority needs to be Costa Mesa. Do you think

any other city has us in their continuous improvement plans?

Whether it is field usage or fireworks stands (which is another

issue as to how a group from a neighboring city gets precedence over

a small Costa Mesa primary school as a fundraising opportunity), we

need to focus on our kids and the opportunities afforded to them.

JOHN MCLUCKEY

Costa Mesa

Silent majority supports council’s civic center plan

In the Aug. 25 Daily Pilot, Newport Beach Mayor John Heffernan

made a very proper request that members of the community give input

to the City Council on the proposed civic center project.

He was correct that there exists in our community a silent

majority that seldom expresses itself on city issues. As a member of

that usually silent group, I agree that we need to speak up more

often.

We elect council members on the basis of their knowledge,

experience and judgment. We see them study issues, get expert advice

and often meet until 1 a.m. getting input from the community.

We believe that they will make reasonable, considered decisions.

We support those decisions because by the time they make them they

are the best informed on the facts and circumstances.

We read in the paper about a very vocal minority, usually against

things, asking for no votes and not wanting things to happen.

They seem to often use scare tactics and emotions rather than

facts and logic to try to persuade others. They often criticize

council members.

We of the more silent majority don’t support their view.

Newport Beach is a first-class, well-run city. We are financially

sound. We can afford a proper, functional, adequate city hall. We

deserve such a place for the staff to work.

If you council members decide to build a new city hall, a fire

station and a parking structure, we support your decision.

We are the a-little-less-silent majority.

ALAN OLESON

Newport Beach