MAILBAG:

I very much appreciated Tom Johnson’s column (“Watching lawsuits priceless,” Nov. 30), but to be honest, I think you let Allan Beek off way too easy!

Mr. Beek is the same guy who thought that our Planning Commission and City Council were too inept to make development decisions and that the city of Newport Beach should go down the path of “Planning by Ballot box.” I voted against that, and the folks in the city with my point of view lost to the Greenlight hysteria. Once the votes were in, those of us with my point of view were silent.

Frankly, Beek is correct on the issue with which the City Council is either loaded with Greenlight homers or inept.

Now, because some of us think that we ought to get a say as to where our city hall ought to be located (planning by ballot box) our friend Beek is upset and wants to sue the city. Beek is a hypocrite and needs to be called out on this.

JOHN TOWNSEND

Newport Beach

UCI speech informs in academic atmosphere

[Recently] at UCI, more than 1,000 people — students, faculty, community members, civic and religious leaders of many faiths — gathered to hear professor Alan Dershowitz make “The Case for Peace in the Middle East.”

He made clear to all present that he is a strong advocate of a two-state solution and that he supports independent, safe and secure Israeli and Palestinian states living and prospering side-by-side in the region.

In response to a question from an audience member, he set the record straight, stating that accusations he has advocated torture of terrorism suspects are a complete fabrication and emanate not from his own writings but from a known hate-mongering website.

On behalf of our underwriters of this event, we applaud UCI leadership and students for their important work to create a high level of public discourse on challenging topics. The evening was a model of community participation, civility and respectful sharing of viewpoints.

JODI GREENBAUM, SHALOM C. ELCOTT,

President and CEO, Jewish Federation Orange County

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