 |
|||||
|
Letters
|
The Stand Tall logotype was created by Bob Staake, a West High and USC alumnus and former art director for Easy Reader. The logo first appeared as a two page spread in the September 17, 2001 Christian Science Monitor. |
Liberal givers
Dear ER:
Last week, in the wake of our nation’s worst hour since WWII, a writer
from Torrance, Barbara Drye, had her sarcastic anti-Hermosa letter published.
("Nice trade off," ER Letters, Sept. 13, 2001).
She appears to be, sadly, a card-carrying member of the local Taliban; a letter-writing ring of seven or eight people who are constantly in the letters section disseminating not a word of encouragement, not a word of new thinking, not a word of constructive thought. There was however, a heaping cupful of intolerance, bigotry in the true sense of the word and veiled hate toward anyone who doesn’t share her "family values." That in itself is not a "family value."
That Friday night, the Pier Plaza bars and restaurants, the ever-convenient foil for the local Fundamentalists, made cardboard signs in ten minutes, placed them in all their places of business and raised almost $15,000 for our fellow citizens in New York from the "drunks" at whom all the local hypocrites love to point the finger. I was one of those contributors.
The local newspapers should be a little more thoughtful about publishing demagogic rubbish that serves no public good.
Lou Moreno
Hermosa Beach
Pier from a distance
Dear ER:
We are usually quick to defend our Hermosa Beach against criticisms by residents
of other beach cities. But last week’s letter from Barbara Drye of Torrance
really hit home (Letters, Sept. 13, 2001, "Nice trade off").
As the parents of a teenager, we are appalled by the open display of irresponsible and excessive alcohol consumption on our downtown plaza. Case in point — Patrick Malloy’s offers $.50 beers on Fridays from 5-7 p.m. This past Friday, we walked downtown to eat dinner and participate in the candlelight vigil. We stopped in front of Patrick Malloy’s, amazed and disgusted by the mountains of plastic pitchers and beer cups on every table. The outside patio was jammed with rowdy beer drinkers. Isn’t there a CUP prohibiting drinking on the patios without purchasing food? What kind of example does this drinking-to-get-drunk-as-fast-as-possible set for our children?
There were dozens of parents with children on the plaza watching the beerfest while waiting for the candlelight vigil. The irony of the situation was obvious and saddening. How can we teach our kids to behave responsibly, especially in regard to drinking, when such flagrant displays of excessive alcohol consumption are right in front of their faces, on a public plaza, in there own hometown? (And what a disturbingly inappropriate scene as this was the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance.)
So, Barbara Drye from Torrance is correct. Hermosa has helped Manhattan, Redondo, Torrance and PV maintain their nice family environments by inviting and encouraging the frat boy congestion and chaos to our downtown. Shame on us. It’s time to hold ourselves responsible for the examples we’re setting for our children in our own town. Keep the drinking bar patrons inside the bars, not on the patios where kids can’t help but watch. We hope the HB Chamber of Commerce, the current city council and those seeking new city council seats, will take this to heart.
Gina and Tom Nyman
Hermosa Beach
Flag patrol
Dear ER:
I was astonished and disheartened to drive down Hermosa Avenue this week, from
1st Street to 35th, and become aware of how few American flags were displayed.
In retracing the route, I counted 27…only 27 (excluding the sporadic few
on city lights); that’s 35 blocks on both sides of the street. And perhaps
what dismayed me most was to see only two…TWO! business establishments
with flags outside. Of course, the gigantic one covering the entire front Fernando’s,
across the street from the Bijou building is inspirational. I know it’s
reported there is a shortage of flags because of the many who wish to display
their patriotism, but I find this a weak excuse for the dearth on view on our
main artery. Several days before that, in walking from 22nd Street to the Plaza
on the Strand, I saw one! It’s a sad, sad commentary on our community’s
response to current events.
N.M. Sherman
Hermosa Beach
Up from the ashes
Dear ER:
This e-mail, sent Sept. 13, 2001 came to us from our daughter who is in graduate
school at New York University. Kim was born and raised in Hermosa Beach and
graduated from Redondo Beach High School in 1991:
To All My Friends Outside of NYC:
I thank you for your support and prayers, we need them. I want to tell you however about how proud I am of my country and New Yorkers. I walked off the subway at Union Square today, which is at 14th Street. If you do not know New York, please get a map and learn it. It is truly a wonderful place. Anyway, when I came out of the subway today, I saw hundreds of people, arm in arm singing "America the Beautiful," "Star Spangled Banner" "Na Na Na Good Bye!" (and this was because we know we will defeat evil, but won't have to be as horribly violent as these cowards.) I was so moved. I bought tons of US Flags and flew them proudly. I handed them to children who pointed them in the air. I love America, and I hope you do too. God bless all of you. In particular, will you pray for the safety of our good friend, Patrick Sullivan, who worked on the 105th floor and has not been heard from.
Patrick, we love you!
Kim Baker
One good reason
Dear ER:
Several Manhattan Beach residents have asked me, "Why do we need a new
police station?" I was taken aback. Their question was like challenging
motherhood and apple pie. My response, "’we need to modernize,’
‘don’t be old fashioned,’ ‘ the facilities are falling into
disrepair,’ ‘ the equipment is outdated,’" didn’t seem
to be good solid answers. Later, I thought about it and couldn’t come up
with anything better. Please excuse me, "I’m not so wise as them lawyer
guys."
The police building was built in 1958 replacing the previous one. There was at least one good reason then because the population increased from 17,330 in 1950, when I first came to live here, to 30,934 in 1960; and the city needed to increase services and staff. However, in 2000 the population was 30,852; some 62 people fewer.
Isn’t the city supposed to earmark monies for upkeep, maintenance, new equipment, etc.; and to allay depreciation of their facilities? Well, they do for operating expense, but how about capital improvement? Our city manager has been here for five years and he is getting a good salary, raises and bonuses to take care of us. Now we are asked to approve a $15 million bond for something we apparently didn’t have the capability to foresee. Maybe, I’m wrong, but I’ll bite the bullet and ask, "Please give us some good reasons why we need the new facilities, and why the city didn’t prepare any better for that eventuality?"
Robert Lay
Manhattan Beach
Okay, one good reason
Dear ER:
So Bill Eisen and the Manhattan Beach Taxpayer’s Association (whatever
that chameleon is) thinks that "city government (dark and devilish folks
are they) hires ever more staff (police officers, firefighters, and related
personnel) and can’t seem to find a place to put them all except in expanded
police (and fire) department facilities." And that he believes is why the
city finds it necessary to replace and expand our present antiquated safety
structures.
He obviously wrote that nonsense before September 11, 2001. Would he so write today? Probably. The propensity to oppose is so great in some that it overrides any appeal to reason and common sense.
Better to have too much and not need it than to have too little when more is needed. Let’s bond and build those new police and fire stations.
David Wachtfogel|
Manhattan Beach
El Segundo thanks
Dear ER:
As a resident of El Segundo since 1983, I want to offer my heart-felt "Thank
You" for expanding the distribution and coverage of the Easy Reader to
include El Segundo. Hopefully, your action will prove to be a good business
decision and we can look forward to continue receiving and reading the Easy
Reader for local/beach cities news. Keep up the good work and again, thank
you.
Bob Eisman
El Segundo
Teach your children
Dear ER:
Disaster had struck, and as a teacher, a big part of my job was to reassure
our students of their safety. Children feel safer understanding that we have
a law abiding society and that this event was unprecedented, unusual, and not
to be expected again.
I explained to students that when somebody hits you, your first impulse is to hit back. But anyone high on the food chain should quickly realize the problems of acting on impulse. Kids quickly realize things like, "if I do strike back I might get in a fight," or, "I might get in trouble too," and, "maybe someone will get hurt," or, "that would make me a hitter too."
Our courts are hardly perfect, but, there is comfort in knowing efforts are given for fair trials, with and regulations to make rational, unhurried decisions. Could you imagine living in a place where people just try to get even, according to their own feelings and judgements? People would always be getting you back for some wrong they thought you had brought. I would hate to think about driving on the freeway!
Isn't this what gangs do? They say, "You killed one of ours so we have to get you back." Unfortunately Israelis and Palestinians are currently caught up in the same whirlpool of retaliation. Innocents are dragged in and create even more momentum for revenge. Thank God we live in a society with due process of law.
I know our kids have seen revenge as the moral of so many movies. Now it's the simple answer of many more. Will revenge bring back the dead? Will it make our world safer? Will it really scare away suicidal terrorists? Is it possible we could lower our own values and threaten the lives of innocent "mothers, fathers, friends, and neighbors?" My students who were worried about the start of a war were somewhat comforted by the thought of our system of a methodical investigation and orderly justice.
How could I explain to my students that it's okay for our government to bomb innocent people for the sake of "retaliation?" Should I teach them hitting back is okay now that some politicians and pundits are cheerleaders for retaliation? We need an exhaustive investigation and firm justice for anyone who even remotely assisted in this horrible act, not a vigilante war that kills more innocent people.
And how will the world judge our actions? In a global economy isn't global respect for life called for?
Stu Woodward
Redondo Beach
House detective
Dear ER:
I was an entrant to the "Manhattan Beach House Contest," and the one who filed
complaints with both the Attorney General and the District Attorney. I am convinced
that I and all other entrants to the contest are victims of fraud.
There’s an old saw, "After three days, fish and houseguests start to smell." We have no houseguests to point fingers at, but the "Contest" starts to smell fishier with every passing day, and the more I learn, the greater the odor.
Try this for starters -- the organizer of the contest "Vision Works" seems to have vanished.
So, Vision Works, where are you? The fish are really starting to stink, and we need some answers.
I believe I can add any number of names to my complaints -- more names means more clout with the officials who check into these things. If you were an entrant and believe as I do that a scam has occurred, please Email me your name, address and telephone number to: don@nctimes.net. Note that non-entrants cannot be added to the complaint.
Lets find the truth -- either the contest was a grossly mismanaged affair, or we’ve all been taken.
Don Coulson
Temecula
School gym history
Dear ER:
In the past months, I’ve noticed that articles about Hermosa Beach schools
have mentioned considerations of building a gym because of inconvenient access
to the Civic Center facilities. As a past member of the Hermosa Beach School
Board during the years of the sale of the Civic Center by the school district
to the city, I suggest that the present school board, superintendent, and parents
study the terms of the sale agreement. I recall two important terms that we
wisely insisted be included: The school district has first choice of usage during
school hours of the facilities, and if, for any reason, the city should attempt
to sell the property, it immediately reverts back to the school district. Hermosa
Beach residents should always be aware of this agreement which protects the
interests of Hermosa Beach’s children.
Lynn Schubert,
Hermosa Beach Schools Trustee, 1977-81
Hermosa Beach
Speak up
Dear ER:
The events of Tuesday, September 11 will change the American folkway’s
forever. Conventional wisdom dictates that change provides opportunity. Optimistically,
unlike in the recent past, I feel that American’s will embrace the spirit
of life and engage themselves in the governmental process. Knowing that individuals
make a difference, we must take responsibility for the space that we occupy.
We must speak our voice. The dialogue of freedom must be unified with the strength
of our conviction, and expressed to our elected officials.
Gary Brutsch
Manhattan Beach
Cooking with Evie
Dear ER:
What a beautiful tribute to Evelyn Belasco (Easy Recipe 9/6/01). She was my
son’s teacher. Best ever! Thank you.
Edna Tunbell
Hermosa Beach