MAILBAG - June 1, 2006

Make room for the sea lions in Newport Harbor

Question: What’s my bright idea about how to keep sea lions off boats?

Answer: I think we should create an area like San Francisco, near the harbor entry for them to rest. Good tourism dollars for the city. The elitist knew the sea lions existed there before they moved in the area.

ANDREA HUGHES

Newport Beach

Labels in immigration debate just a loose leaf

I want to thank the Daily Pilot for reporting on the high school forum on immigration issues that took place at the Downtown Community Center in Costa Mesa on May 23 (“Immigration for the younger generation,” May 24). I believe it was a positive experience for the students and community members who attended, and I think it was successful in accomplishing our goals of educating our youth on this important issue, and giving them an opportunity to connect and inform themselves so their voices can make a difference.

I also want to thank the paper for reminding me how important it is to choose one’s words carefully to make sure everyone understands the message. The statements attributed to me in the article did not convey the meaning I intended. I would like to clarify those statements and provide context so my meaning may be understood by those who attended and those who did not attend.

I do not advocate that people should pick and choose which laws to follow, but I do believe that all of us have a duty to stand against existing or proposed laws we think are unjust or misguided. Labeling people “illegal” can be a way to dehumanize them and mask an underlying prejudice.

By labeling immigrants “illegal” and standing on a soapbox proclaiming the desire to uphold the rule of law, many anti-immigrant politicians and activists are really just hiding their prejudice behind a politically expedient fig leaf.

CHRIS BLANK

Costa Mesa

What’s the picture behind KOCE’s budget?

As I read the ruling of the judge on the KOCE sale (“Law broken in KOCE sale, judge rules,” Saturday), I couldn’t help thinking of those classic Robert Burns lines, which we once learned in high school: The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. The Burns line spells out most vividly the mess that has accompanied the Coast Community College District board’s attempt to pass control of its public television station to the KOCE-TV Foundation.

For some reason, no one, from the judge to newspaper reporters have acknowledged the tremen- dous sums of money already budgeted by the foundation in keeping the station in operation. It’s also interesting to note that KOCE-TV and Coastline College came into being in the late 1970s as a result of the vision of Norman Watson, Coast Community College District’s dynamic chancellor. Watson sought to take advantage of the burgeoning interest in distance education and, in the process, establish a college whose dominant output would be TV courses. (The curriculum via the Internet eventually followed.) Thus, the KOCE-TV Foundation joined this major undertaking and has been a prominent player ever since.

Logic tells me that unless our elected board of trustees has something else up its sleeves, the judge’s ruling that “the district had the discretion not to sell KOCE-TV” would permit it “to take back KOCE-TV.” And it would be both appropriate and forthcoming for the board to present a case for KOCE-TV’s retention to the people, taxpayers, who have had a vested interest in its functions as an educational entity.

Some idea of how much the public donations have assisted in the station’s operation would also help clarify the overall budgetary picture.

LEFTERIS LAVRAKAS

Costa Mesa

KOCE is meant to be a PBS station

The license issued to KOCE by the Federal Communications Commission was specifically for PBS broadcasting. It was not issued for any other purpose.

If the Christian network had PBS in its plans, then the Coast Community College District was indeed in error, but Christian broadcasting throughout the country has historically been strictly parochial. It has had very specific theological messages that have recently been peppered with political stances. That may be the reason the college district board shied away from Daystar.

If the law has indeed been subverted by the district and the sale of KOCE’s broadcast license must legally be awarded to the Christian network, then the FCC will need to reevaluate and rescind the PBS license originally issued. To do otherwise would make a travesty of public funding for television.

ALAN REMINGTON

Costa Mesa

Be leery of an outsider business coming to town

I will be the first to admit that I don’t understand all the mechanics of the KOCE sale. Last I checked, however, this is a free country and the Coast Community College District should be allowed to sell its station to whomever it wants ? regardless of price.

Didn’t we learn anything from Enron? Wasn’t Enron from the great state of Texas, and did they do the people of California any favors? I would be leery of any business from Texas ? even a Christian one ? that tries to push its will on our community. They didn’t care before ? they don’t now.

CAROLYN CARR

Balboa Island

Mayor appears to be running scared

Many thanks for keeping your back issues online. Having just returned from a vacation, I’ve been playing catch-up on our local news. I’m sorry I missed an opportunity for a more timely reaction to Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor’s campaign rhetoric published on May 21 (“City headed in right direction,” Community Commentary), but I was pleased to see that Geoff West, Chris Blank, Patricia Babineau and others were quick to set the story straight.

It’s obvious that the mayor is running scared about the next election. Otherwise, why would he conclude his inflated list of marginal accomplishments, and numerous thorn-studded mistakes disguised as roses, with a blatant attack on Bruce Garlich’s outstanding record as a planning commissioner? Maybe he just doesn’t understand that the role of a planning commissioner, which Garlich performs so well, is to base decisions on the laws governing the city and the ethical interpretation of the facts presented, and not on personal opinions, preferences or politics. Or maybe our mayor is concerned that Garlich will apply the same criteria in his role in the City Council, when he is elected.

DAVID C. WENSLEY

Mesa Verde

dpt.01-sealion-BPhotoInfo2C1RHAFV20060601imsa4zncDAILY PILOT(LA)A sea lion suns itself on a boat in Newport Harbor. The sea lions are seen as a nuisance by some; others envision them as a tourist attraction.