Sunday's letters to the editor

In his letter of April 15, J. Michael Jemiola argues that "the unions and the bureaucracies that run our schools" are not interested in "providing a quality education" and that vouchers are the solution.

[J Losses]

Apparently J. Gaines doesn't remember some events in our nation's history.
The Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
David Koresh and the event in Texas.
Church bombings in the South.
The murders and lynchings in the South in the 1950s and 1960s.
The attacks on our economy done by conservative greedy investors.
Please remember J. Gaines, that Dubya actually allowed the SECOND attack on the World Trade Center. The 9/11/01 event was not the first attack and he was warned that "Osama determined to strike in the United States" and failed to prevent the largest attack on our country since the War of 1812.
It is also no matter to J. Gaines apparently that it was conservative types that brought us the Civil War.
Please J. Gaines, remember that the worst attacks on Americans by Americans came from "Christian" folks who are/were right-wing extremists.
If you wish to close your eyes and minds to the history we have on file, please don't be too upset when it occurs again.

[Voted NO on Y and Z]

RE: Vouchers are not the solution
Woody Griggs of San Pedro writes:
""Unions and bureaucracies" do not run our schools; our elected representatives - school boards - do"

Well Mr. Griggs unions sure do have a hand in flushing the public shcool system down the toilet as they have proven time after time....

"Unlike public schools, private schools are not required to make their budgets public. Should we give them public money with no way of knowing how they spend it?"

The public school systems waste money now. Making their budget public doesn't mean a thing .... They hand out raises, bonuses, perks, etc...

"Supporters argue that vouchers would make schools more competitive and more effective, yet they don't want real competition."

The public school system is afraid of real competition because of the safeguards protecting union employees.

"Those of us who are frustrated with our schools should work to elect school boards we agree with rather than relying on the vagaries of vouchers. "

Who keeps getting elected to school boards across the State ??? PRO-union people... A NON-union candidate doesn't have a chance...

[taxpayer]

J. Gaines may be right when he said that the Bush administration was totally pre-occupied with the physical security of this nation. This helps to explain the total disregard for the law,(torture) economy,(bank failures) and budgets (spending more while taxing rich friends less) by the Bush administration.

To state that Bush's policies made this nation safe since 9/11, foiling more than a dozen deadly terror attacks, may or may not be true, depending how much you believe OReally, Sean Insanity and the rest of the Fox News shows.

To say that there is no proof of a threat from right wing wackos is to ignore the Oklahoma City bombing of the federal building, bombings at abortion clinics, increased recruiting by fine upstanding groups like the KKK, Nazi Lowriders, Aryan Brotherhood, and the American Nazi Party. These groups all have one thing in common, to kill Americans that they do not agree with, on American soil.

J. Gaines is quick to forget that George W. Bush ignored Daily Intelligence Briefings prior to 9/11/01, including the one that stated that a Osama bin Laden led al Qaeda would use aircraft to attack America.

I feel safer now, knowing my president, has a brain.

[slug]

I think Waters might be on to something - but from the contrary viewpoint. I think expanding fundraising to the point where that is all the incumbent does is the best public service she can do for the country. History proves when Congress acts, their ratings go down. Yep, get this country running again - keep the candidates on the continuous campaign trail.

[Level Playing Field]

Every union has some base of power, just look at what the police and fire union's have done to the local (municipal) economies, nearly every city pays at least 50% or more of its budget toward public safety salaries. Vouchers are not a level playing field. I would support vouchers if all schools (public and private) had to play by the same rules. Private schools are able to cherry pick students based on gender, performance, and lack of disability or special needs. Special needs kids are often rejected or thrown out of private schools and then left to the public schools. I agree that is public money is going to be used for education, then we must have a level playing field and even standards. Public schools have to accept anyone who applies, many in the system are costly, and private schools can cherry pick their way around a troubled or difficult student. You are concerned about teacher salaries, well they don't compare to public safety salaries. Public safety has no standards for performance; think about that. We pay more for a service that has no accountability. That was the point the man was trying to make. School Boards run schools, not the unions.

[Here We Go Again]

don't forget that the "O" one was buddies with domestic terrorist Billy Ayers

[jim_redondo beach]

...you go to "Prep Schedules" in the Breeze and you get a headline touting "Football"...note to the editor...high schools play many other sports that we would enjoy attending...with your assistance in providing the schedules. Thank you.

[JMD]

J Losses wrote:

Apparently J. Gaines doesn't remember some events in our nation's history.
The Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
David Koresh and the event in Texas.
Church bombings in the South.
The murders and lynchings in the South in the 1950s and 1960s.
The attacks on our economy done by conservative greedy investors.
Please remember J. Gaines, that Dubya actually allowed the SECOND attack on the World Trade Center. The 9/11/01 event was not the first attack and he was warned that "Osama determined to strike in the United States" and failed to prevent the largest attack on our country since the War of 1812.
It is also no matter to J. Gaines apparently that it was conservative types that brought us the Civil War.
Please J. Gaines, remember that the worst attacks on Americans by Americans came from "Christian" folks who are/were right-wing extremists.
If you wish to close your eyes and minds to the history we have on file, please don't be too upset when it occurs again.

Thanks there J. by your thesis all who served at anytime anywhere should be suspected and watched having gone through a time where all of us that had served were painted with a broad brush as subversive at best and down right dangerous as well. Great fun then to walk into a possible job interview and watch as the interviewer kept his hand on a panic button the whole time because he had learned I was a Vietnam Veteran. Think that's BS then you didn't live through those times.
So what have you and your ilk done? You along with our under th Obama doctrine have seen fit to condemn these great young service personnel to a scrutiny they do not deserve. Well, done.

[JMD]

J Losses wrote:

Apparently J. Gaines doesn't remember some events in our nation's history.
The Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
David Koresh and the event in Texas.
Church bombings in the South.
The murders and lynchings in the South in the 1950s and 1960s.
The attacks on our economy done by conservative greedy investors.
Please remember J. Gaines, that Dubya actually allowed the SECOND attack on the World Trade Center. The 9/11/01 event was not the first attack and he was warned that "Osama determined to strike in the United States" and failed to prevent the largest attack on our country since the War of 1812.
It is also no matter to J. Gaines apparently that it was conservative types that brought us the Civil War.
Please J. Gaines, remember that the worst attacks on Americans by Americans came from "Christian" folks who are/were right-wing extremists.
If you wish to close your eyes and minds to the history we have on file, please don't be too upset when it occurs again.

Thanks there J. by your thesis all who served at anytime anywhere should be suspected and watched having gone through a time where all of us that had served were painted with a broad brush as subversive at best and down right dangerous as well. Great fun then to walk into a possible job interview and watch as the interviewer kept his hand on a panic button the whole time because he had learned I was a Vietnam Veteran. Think that's BS then you didn't live through those times.
So what have you and your ilk done? You along with our US Secretary of State have seen fit to condemn these great young service personnel to a scrutiny they do not deserve. Well, done.

[Al x]

JMD wrote:

<quoted text>Thanks there J. by your thesis all who served at anytime anywhere should be suspected and watched having gone through a time where all of us that had served were painted with a broad brush as subversive at best and down right dangerous as well. Great fun then to walk into a possible job interview and watch as the interviewer kept his hand on a panic button the whole time because he had learned I was a Vietnam Veteran. Think that's BS then you didn't live through those times.
So what have you and your ilk done? You along with our US Secretary of State have seen fit to condemn these great young service personnel to a scrutiny they do not deserve. Well, done.

I thank you for your service in Vietnam. Many Vietnam vets got a raw deal when they came back from over there but you are wrong about the report that Homeland Security put out. The report only says to be aware that racist organizations are going to try to recruit disaffected vets for their nefarious causes. It does not paint a picture that all vets are extremists. Keep your pants on. By no means are all Iraqi war vets being singled out.This kind of reactionary response actually feeds the enemies of our country especially the home grown ones.

[slug]

chuy wrote:

True. Not every Vietnam-era veteran is affiliated with the swift-boat crowd or home grown extremists. You can blame that on your Becks, Limbaughs, Coulters, Malkins, ad nauseum.

Are those names beer brands?

[JMD]

Well thanks for the response without the baby killer attachment. Was not an era Vet, was boots on the ground there. There is difference. And to try and attack those you hate by adding that to what I wrote is offensive to me and it misses the point as did the other response.
Once labeled it sticks. Vietnam Veterans were labeled as subversive and dangerous. Didn’t matter if it was true or not. That’s called perception and it stuck and sticks until this day. And this country is fixing to do it again to this generation of Veterans. That’s my point. That cannot be allowed. Spittin’ into the wind here I guess but the country needs reminding every now and then.

[Tine deOui]

Just adding to your list:

Animal Liberation Front;
Earth Liberation Front (set arson fires and destroyed 8 structures in Vail, Colorado;
Republic of New Africa;
Black Liberation Army and Weather Underground: robbed armored Brink's truck of $1.6 mm, killing the guard, 2 policemen, and wounding 3 others.
M19CO, including Black Panthers: bombed the federal building at Staten Island, NY; responsible for the National War College explosion at Fort McNair;
The United Freedom Front: 29 robberies and bombings;
RAM (Revolutionary Action Movement): members arrested before they could execute their plan to cause a riot by poisoning Philadelphia's water supply.

See, you were closing your eyes to the other side, i.e. left-wing extremists and terrorists.

Also, please remember that during the past 3 decades, leftist extremists posed a serious espionage threat to U.S. interests, spying for Cuba and East Germany. They were also responsible for 3/4 of the FBI's officially designated acts of domestic terrorism.

Ample goodies to go around both sides. There's no need for you to be stingy with one side only.

J Losses wrote:

Apparently J. Gaines doesn't remember some events in our nation's history.
The Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
David Koresh and the event in Texas.
Church bombings in the South.
The murders and lynchings in the South in the 1950s and 1960s.
The attacks on our economy done by conservative greedy investors.
Please remember J. Gaines, that Dubya actually allowed the SECOND attack on the World Trade Center. The 9/11/01 event was not the first attack and he was warned that "Osama determined to strike in the United States" and failed to prevent the largest attack on our country since the War of 1812.
It is also no matter to J. Gaines apparently that it was conservative types that brought us the Civil War.
Please J. Gaines, remember that the worst attacks on Americans by Americans came from "Christian" folks who are/were right-wing extremists.
If you wish to close your eyes and minds to the history we have on file, please don't be too upset when it occurs again.

[Here We Go Again]

I can't imagine how we insult our vets by saying they don't have the strength to stand up to be their own person - and a strong and solid one at that - I'd take any one of them to watch my back over Napalitano any freakin day (and be honored at the same time)

[Bob]

taxpayer wrote:

J. Gaines may be right when he said that the Bush administration was totally pre-occupied with the physical security of this nation. This helps to explain the total disregard for the law,(torture) economy,(bank failures) and budgets (spending more while taxing rich friends less) by the Bush administration.
To state that Bush's policies made this nation safe since 9/11, foiling more than a dozen deadly terror attacks, may or may not be true, depending how much you believe OReally, Sean Insanity and the rest of the Fox News shows.
To say that there is no proof of a threat from right wing wackos is to ignore the Oklahoma City bombing of the federal building, bombings at abortion clinics, increased recruiting by fine upstanding groups like the KKK, Nazi Lowriders, Aryan Brotherhood, and the American Nazi Party. These groups all have one thing in common, to kill Americans that they do not agree with, on American soil.
J. Gaines is quick to forget that George W. Bush ignored Daily Intelligence Briefings prior to 9/11/01, including the one that stated that a Osama bin Laden led al Qaeda would use aircraft to attack America.
I feel safer now, knowing my president, has a brain.

It's a sad state of affairs to know people like you live among us.

[Bob]

chuy wrote:

True. Not every Vietnam-era veteran is affiliated with the swift-boat crowd or home grown extremists. You can blame that on your Becks, Limbaughs, Coulters, Malkins, ad nauseum.

Talk about ad nauseum.

[slug]

Tine deOui wrote:

Just adding to your list:
Animal Liberation Front;
Earth Liberation Front (set arson fires and destroyed 8 structures in Vail, Colorado;
Republic of New Africa;
Black Liberation Army and Weather Underground: robbed armored Brink's truck of $1.6 mm, killing the guard, 2 policemen, and wounding 3 others.
M19CO, including Black Panthers: bombed the federal building at Staten Island, NY; responsible for the National War College explosion at Fort McNair;
The United Freedom Front: 29 robberies and bombings;
RAM (Revolutionary Action Movement): members arrested before they could execute their plan to cause a riot by poisoning Philadelphia's water supply.
See, you were closing your eyes to the other side, i.e. left-wing extremists and terrorists.
Also, please remember that during the past 3 decades, leftist extremists posed a serious espionage threat to U.S. interests, spying for Cuba and East Germany. They were also responsible for 3/4 of the FBI's officially designated acts of domestic terrorism.
Ample goodies to go around both sides. There's no need for you to be stingy with one side only.
<quoted text>

Thank you for your effort in putting up a great post.

[Jerry Orlemann]

JMD wrote:

Well thanks for the response without the baby killer attachment. Was not an era Vet, was boots on the ground there. There is difference. And to try and attack those you hate by adding that to what I wrote is offensive to me and it misses the point as did the other response.
Once labeled it sticks. Vietnam Veterans were labeled as subversive and dangerous. Didn’t matter if it was true or not. That’s called perception and it stuck and sticks until this day. And this country is fixing to do it again to this generation of Veterans. That’s my point. That cannot be allowed. Spittin’ into the wind here I guess but the country needs reminding every now and then.

Visit www.vva53.org and maybe come to one of the meetings. Look forward to meeting you if you do. Always look forward to meeting a fellow Nam vet.

[J Gaines]

I am sorry it has taken me so long to respond to this post. I have been busy working, not blogging.

First it should be noted that the Breeze opted not to print the last two paragraphs of my letter. Which I will list here:
What we have here is an important investigative and enforcement arm of our government, tasked with an immense responsibility, being transformed into a political machine for use of the new administration, and the advancement of its policies, while simultaneously ignoring the real security threats that face this nation.

For a government entity to equate average people who hold policy beliefs that are opposite those of the current administration with “extremists” and “terrorists” is not only ludicrous, but contrary to the basic tenets of this country’s founding. The DHS analyst that produced this document as well as the supervisor that approved it should be fired, and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano should also be fired for dismissively defending this offensive “assessment”.

You make some valid points in that our country has experienced violence at the hands of "right-wing extremists", but what you fail to realize is that in the past, DHS security assessments dealt with making judgments based upon the ACTIONS of people. This new assessment is making judgments based upon the POLITICAL BELIEFS of people, not their actions.

See the next post. I ran out of room.

[J Gaines]

Now let’s look at some of those right wing incidents you cite-
--The Federal Building in Oklahoma City.- Two anti-government idiots, acting totally independently of any group blow up the federal building 14 years ago - so this makes it OK to call anyone that doesn't trust their government a terrorist?
--David Koresh and the event in Texas.- While Koresh was obviously a nutbag, this "event" was caused by Janet Reno and her Justice Department. They were so concerned about the welfare of those Branch Davidian children that they went in with guns and tanks and precipitated events that killed all of them. Koresh could have been arrested peacefully at any time away from the compound.
--Church bombings in the South.- I don't think you can rationally relate these atrocities to any one political leaning. I think both sides of the political fence were culpable here, though the south was then and is now predominately run by democrats. Can you say former clansman Senator Robert Byrd? While we are on this subject, who freed the slaves? Republicans. Who passed the civil rights amendment? Republicans, with a large majority of Democrat legislators at the time voting against it, including Al Gore’s own father.
--The murders and lynchings in the South in the 1950s and 1960s.- See the last statement.
--The attacks on our economy done by conservative greedy investors.- Sorry, after Presidents Carter and Clinton created regulations mandating lenders to lend money to unqualified borrowers, and after conservative voices warned the democrat run House Finance Committee about the pending doom, Barney Frank and Chris Dodd said everything was fine and continued the policies that led to the sub-prime melt-down. Of course this was preceded by record energy prices due to the environmental leftists that have curtailed the recovery of oil everywhere in this country, driving prices through the roof and stimulating the economic downturn that followed.
--Please remember J. Gaines, that Dubya actually allowed the SECOND attack on the World Trade Center. The 9/11/01 event was not the first attack and he was warned that "Osama determined to strike in the United States" and failed to prevent the largest attack on our country since the War of 1812.- Bush did not "allow" anything. Had Clinton taken the opportunity (3 times) to either kill or capture Bin Laden, 9/11 would never have happened. Absent that dereliction of duty, if Clinton’s policies to stop communication between the FBI, CIA, and NSA had not been implemented, the dots may very well have been connected in time to prevent the event. Let’s also remember that Bush had only been president for 8 months when 9/11 took place.
Funny how you fail to mention left wing extremist groups, which until the election of the new administration were considered the primary threat to domestic security while muslim extremists are the primary threat to our national security overseas. Lets see- violent WTO protests, violent G8 protests, the anarchist movement, ELF/ALF bombing and burning down college labs, burning down housing developments, fire-bombing college vehicles, burning SUVs at car dealerships, attacking college professors and researchers, spiking trees, and forcing a bogus climate change agenda on the world in an effort to establish political power. Notice I didn’t have to go back 40-50 years to find examples. These things are happening right now, and there is no way they can be called anything but domestic terrorists. Read the papers, quite of few of them have recently been convicted of violent crimes and sentenced to prison.
Step away from the Air America water cooler for a few minutes and educate yourself with facts instead of regurgitating liberal dogma.