MAILBAG:

I am embarrassed by the lack of rational policymaking demonstrated by the Costa Mesa City Council.

The justification for designating parks as “passive” or “active” solely on the grounds of public safety smells of the worst kind of classism. How does a group of individuals playing soccer possibly create a public safety hazard? On the contrary, recreational sports should be encouraged, celebrated even, given the current epidemic of obesity, particularly among our youth.

The real health benefits of cardiovascular exercise far outweigh any perceived risk to public or personal safety. I also believe this “policy” is grossly un-American. Everyone should enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of sharing publicly financed spaces, irrespective of how passive or active they are.

JAY W. LEE

Costa Mesa

Oil drilling isn’t a quick fix, as touted

Big oil, their cronies in Congress and the Bush Administration are exploiting the pain I am feeling at the pump by touting drilling as a solution, even though they know drilling will not lower prices at the pump.

Big oil wants me to believe drilling is a quick fix, when the reality is Bush’s own Energy Department has said any new drilling will have no effect on gas prices now, and an “insignificant” effect on gas prices 15 to 20 years from now.

The United States uses 25% of the world’s oil supply, but holds only 2.6% of the world’s oil reserves. No matter how much we drill, we could never provide consumers with real relief.

Big oil holds leases on almost 70 million acres of land they are not drilling on. This latest move is just a greedy land grab before their friends in the Bush Administration leave office. And, since oil companies are not drilling on the land they have access to now, there is no guarantee that they will drill on newly acquired leases.

Rather than being fed the false claim that drilling will lower gas prices, Americans need real choices, like cars with better fuel efficiency, tax incentives for riding mass transit and telecommuting and consumer rebates funded by repealing billions in tax breaks for big oil.

LAUREN GOTTLIEB

Irvine