Free Lunch?
Who said there’s no such thing as a free lunch? Apparently the city has been serving it up for developers to the tune of $45 million. What? Like they have to entice developers to come to Santa Monica? How many police officers could we hire for $45 million? How many computers could be purchased for schools? Once again, the city cheats the residents of Santa Monica in favor of developers. Overdevelopment is costing residents dearly: in time trapped in traffic and now, we learn, in $45 million in uncollected fees.
Jeanne Laurie
Santa Monica
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Bugliosi and Bush
To Editor:
Regarding Lynne Bronstein’s article about Vincent Bugliosi’s book, The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, I think a court trial is too good for Bush. He should be tried for nothing less than crimes against humanity.
Saddam Hussein was hanged for crimes against humanity because he ordered his military to invade an area which harbored the people who had tried to assassinate him, resulting in the murder of hundreds.
Does anyone remember Bush’s original reason for invading Iraq? Wasn’t it because Saddam had tried to assassinate his father? When that failed, lies about Saddam’s connection to 9/11 and WMD unfortunately did not, and as a result, so far hundreds of thousands have been murdered. Since reasons two and three were proven to be deliberate lies, we are left with Bush’s original reason only.
The precedent is there. What are we waiting for?
Thank You,
Cecilia Rosenthal
Santa Monica
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Proposition T and the Candidates
Despite a most informative candidate forum sponsored by CEPS and LEAD, the participants, specifically, incumbents Ken Genser, Richard Bloom, and Bobby Shriver, proved, once again what a motley and disconnected team they are from the residents of the City of Santa Monica. This disconnect was made most apparent when the question was raised regarding Proposition T, the traffic initiative. As predicted, councilmembers Shriver, Bloom, and Genser exhibited the same disdain for any proposition which would compromise their self-aggrandizing aims, that they’ve exhibited during their over-rated tenure on the City Council. On election day, we Santa Monica residents must do everything to cleanse the elephant graveyard of bleached bones and add fresh blood.
Jethro Singer
Santa Monica
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Proposition 2 and the Animals
Dear Editor,
Californians will soon have the opportunity to make life better for millions of animals simply by voting in favor of Proposition 2, the statewide initiative to ban gestation crates, veal crates, and battery cages. As things stand now, pregnant pigs are confined in metal crates that are so small the sows can’t even turn around. Many become lame and develop joint problems. Newborn calves are taken from their mothers and tethered in tiny wooden crates. They must lie in their own feces and cannot even stand in their stalls. Millions of hens are forced to live in less space than a letter-sized sheet of paper. Farmers cut the miserable birds’ beaks off—without painkillers—so they can’t peck at one another out of stress and boredom. This kind of cruelty is a reflection on all Americans. As Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Let’s show everyone that Californians are kind, progressive people by supporting Proposition 2.
Sincerely,
Hayden Fowler
Granada Hills
