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
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