Our duty to defend our Constitution

The Israeli-Palestine Show goes on

The intermission is over, and the audience has returned for the next act of the never-ending Israel-Palestine show. The previous act described the United Nations resolution of Feb. 18 condemning Israeli settlements on occupied Palestine land, which did not pass because of a single veto by the USA. However, it cast light on the illegitimacy of Israel's position.

Palestinians will ask the UN to declare a separate state this September. Rejection of this request is a foregone conclusion, but the very idea that it be considered would again place a spotlight on the illegitimacy of Israel's position. In order to head this off at the pass, the USA has proposed a plan of its own. This has been vehemently opposed by the Israelis who "claim" they were blindsided by it.

In the next act, unreasonable demands will be made by Israel, such as requiring that Palestine be demilitarized. The possibility that Israel be also demilitarized will be dismissed out of hand, and the act will end with complete failure of these proposals. The Palestinians will be blamed for their intransigence, and we can proceed to the next act after another intermission. Meanwhile, Phil Epstein (June 7) will be preparing his response.

Sorab Ghandhi

Escondido

Freedom to worship denied

Well, the Vista Chamber of Commerce strikes again. As I tried to enter Eucalyptus Avenue in Vista on May 29 to attend morning church services, I was turned back by the Sheriff's Department. The reason? The Vista Strawberry Festival.

I attend Emanuel Baptist Church every Sunday morning. The Vista Chamber of Commerce pulled the same dirty trick last year; the EBC entrance was blocked. Many of our regular attendees were not able to park elsewhere to attend the service because most are elderly and cannot ambulate except with difficulty.

The Chamber did apologize for last year's faux pas and promised our Pastor George Hrea that the entrance to EBC would not be blocked during this year's Strawberry Festival. I spoke to a Vista Chamber member who happened to be directing traffic in terms of our church entrance being blocked. His comment? "Tough."

I view this irresponsible act by the Vista Chamber a violation of my First Amendment rights, the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference. I have contacted the American Center for Law and Justice to look into the Vista Chamber of Commerce repression of my First Amendment rights.

Jim Lowery

Vista

Be a little nicer during rough times

On a positive note during these rough times, let's help where we live. We can help our neighbor and make peace with our friends. Smile at someone. Giving our time is the most valuable thing we have to give, and it is a gift.

We are so independent and in a comfort zone. It takes a little to move us out. Helping someone else, any age, can give you a real sense of peace that you've given yourself. Let's all try to get through this current mess by being a little nicer to each other.

Brenda Souza

Oceanside

Sobriety first at Kit Carson Park

Sobriety needs to be in place at Kit Carson park as three schools are nearby: L.R. Green, Bear Valley Middle School and San Pasqual High School.

Grape Day Park is also a family park of enjoyment for now and should always be that way in the months and years to come. ...

Keep the youths and their families safe with sobriety first at Kit Carson Park in Escondido and all parks. God bless America. Stand for children and families.

Renee Glotzbach

San Marcos

Takers versus makers

The U.S. economy is made up of two types of individuals: takers and makers.

Generally speaking, the takers rely solely on local, state and national agencies for all their needs: income, medical and dental benefits, housing assistance, food stamps ---- you name it.

If they are in our country illegally and do work, they demand cash payments ---- no records, no need to pay taxes. Also, they rarely buy car insurance, so the makers have to carry expensive uninsured-motorist insurance.

Makers earn incomes that are taxed, pay for housing, food, etc., as responsible U.S. citizens. They consider government help a privilege, not a right.

Of course, Democratic bureaucrats love to help the takers, not because they feel sorry for them, but rather, by doing it they motivate the takers to vote for them, rather than for Republican candidates who are trying to put them on their own two feet.

Unfortunately, the takers outnumber the makers.

Consider the fact that foreign countries are not buying our U.S. notes, so the Treasury buys them, increasing our debt. Taxes have declined, so the Federal Reserve is printing more money, which devalues the dollar.

Hence, at some point, the takers will have nothing to take.

Merrill Brown

Oceanside

TV commercials all around

TV commercials to the right of me. TV commercials to the left of me. Commercials, commercials, commercials!

In the so-called Golden Age of television in the late 1940s and in the 1950s, a 30-minute program had one 30-second commercial at the beginning of the program and another 30-second commercial at the conclusion, meaning that the viewer enjoyed 29 minutes of the 30-minute program. Today, commercials dominate programs so much that the viewer gets approximately 22 minutes of most programs without commercials.

Commercials have also taken over professional sports that are televised. Almost every flat surface of a baseball stadium, football stadium, ice hockey rink and even the net pulled up behind football goalposts. During NASCAR events, the cars are covered with commercials both inside and out, as are the driver's coveralls.

Almost any TV station has commercials to solve any problem that arises, primarily, the sale of gold coins to use if the monetary system collapses. If so, how does a person get change for a $1,500 gold coin when a purchase is made for $35?

To be continued.

Leon Smith

Oceanside

The flower children will rise again

Hey, politicians who want to reduce our Social Security and Medicare, do they know who they are messing with? Do they? We are the generation that stopped the Vietnam War. We marched, we sang, we gathered, we were handcuffed and arrested, we sat in, we rallied, we dressed funny, we went naked, we wrote our music, we stood up to the Guard and put flowers in their weapons. Of course, we now would stick a rolled-up prescription in the barrel.

We will limp, wobble or wheel to protests. "Fingers too stiff to strum, but we shall overcome, some day." Look, I just wrote a song to rally old hippies (even though the hips are titanium). I'm having a little fun, but the public servants, aged 40s and 50s, don't know what we can do.

At 16, I worked in a five & dime at 65 cents an hour. I have worked continuously since, and have paid into the program for 55 years. Sometimes it is necessary to raise taxes for the public welfare. Government takes care of things individuals cannot. The current system is working.

Besides, they don't want to see us naked.

Adrienne Doll

Vista

Our duty to defend our Constitution

With new laws and regulations being passed by the Obama Administration and the lack of oversight as to the constitutionality of new laws (as Obamacare), I believe it is extremely important for us to educate ourselves on our Constitution and to contact our legislators whenever a new law is not in keeping with our Constitution.

With this goal in mind, Vista Tea Party Patriots are hosting an event from 6-8 p.m. June 13 at the Elks Lodge in Vista. Dr. Kimber, the director of the Thomas Jefferson Center for Constitutional Studies, will be speaking about the constitutionality of new laws and regulations, including Obamacare and specific steps we can take so we can be "watchdogs" for our Constitution.

This event is free.

Our country is based on our Constitution. It is our duty to defend it.

Lynne Welke

Vista

Arnold can't admit he's wrong

We can add the ignorant and false cheap shot taken by Thomas K. Arnold at Sarah Palin to a growing list ("Teachable moments in the news," June 8). Mr. Arnold could have used Mrs. Palin's comments about the ride of Paul Revere as a "learn-able moment." He might have done a little bit of research beyond merely reading Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem.

From Mr. Revere's own writing about the event, he tells of how after he was captured and held by the British, he "warned" them (his own word) that the local militia was not going to allow them to take over their armory in Concord and that there would be blood shed.

Not only is Mr. Arnold wrong, he is probably too dumb to admit he is wrong. Wish he'd just go away, just like Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann.

John Fitzgerald

Escondido

Don't forget the ignored generation

Thanks to the North County Times for the D-Day stories of survivors ("D-Day sacrifices still vivid for aging survivors," June 6). Well done. My concern is that so little of the horrors, sacrifices and victories of World War II are thought about and appreciated today.

We are not living under the regime of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Hirohito, or Josef Stalin either. Not many veterans still survive. But many of their spouses, children and grandchildren certainly do. That war was so humongous, we should acknowledge the day (V-J Day) when peace finally came. It should be a holiday. Do you know:

-- The dates of WWII?

-- The Day of Infamy, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor?

-- When the allies launched the invasion of Hitler's Europe with the greatest flotilla ever?

-- More people in Japan died from firebombs than from both Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

-- Why most Americans know so little about WWII?

-- How many troops and civilians died?

-- Isaac Asimov called WWII a discontinuity in history because nothing was ever the same, after the largest worldwide war ever?

Tom Brokaw wrote, "The Greatest Generation." They truly saved civilization. To me, they are the ignored generation.

Myrl MacKenzie

Escondido



The Koch brothers' secret agenda

Do you know what the Koch brothers are doing? I didn't until I read an article in Greenpeace ("Koch Industries: Secretly Funding the Climate Denial Machine," Spring 2011).

Charles and David Koch are two multibillionaire heirs. They fund front groups that spread disinformation about the dangers of global warming. They have spent $54.9 million to climate denial organizations since 1997, including $31.9 million between 2005-2009.

In my opinion, the Koch brothers' agenda of increasing polluter profits at the expense of people and our planet is a crime.

Alice Pohlen

Oceanside



Sign petition to abolish vacancy decontrol

I have been collecting signatures of registered voters in Oceanside for the referendum to halt the ordinance passed May 25 by the illustrious trio of Jerry Kern, Jack Feller and Gary Felien. The effort is going very well. The leader of the trio, Kern, has stated that it will not affect any person as long as they don't sell. Not true. It will allow the park owners to create a vacancy rate that would abolish rent control to all residents. This could happen by outrageous rents for incoming residents upon sale. The result? No sales.

People get ill, pass away and have to go to assisted living. The vacancy rate grows rapidly. Five percent to be vacant for all the homes under rent control is about 115 for the whole city. Our park already has 13. Why? Is this the end game? Seems to be.

Rent control costs the city zero dollars and each resident pays a fee to maintain it. Be aware, KFF have an agenda and it will probably hurt you. Sign the petition today.

Bob Ryan

Oceanside



A matter of faith

In response to the rationale of Howard Smith ("No disputing evolution," June 4), the notion that natural evolutionary processes can account for the origin of all living species has never been and never will be established as fact. Science deals with what can be observed and reproduced by experimentation. The origin of life can be neither observed nor reproduced in any laboratory.

Belief in evolutionary theory is a matter of sheer faith. And dogmatic belief in any naturalistic theory is no more "scientific" than any other kind of religious faith. Naturalists themselves like to portray their system as a philosophy that stands in opposition to all faith-based world views, pretending that it is scientifically and intellectually superior precisely because of its supposed non-religious character. Not so.

Religion is exactly the right word to describe naturalism. The entire philosophy is built on a faith-based premise. Its basic presupposition ---- an a priori rejection of everything supernatural ---- requires a giant leap of faith. And nearly all its supporting theories must be taken by faith as well.

David Perlmutter

Escondido