Completing the 710 Freeway; an Arab lawmaker in Israel; California Sen. Barbara Boxer

Hermosa’s image

Re “Tattoo artist’s free-speech fight is getting some ink,� May 24

Hypocritical much?

Hermosa Beach officials fight tattoo artist Johnny Anderson’s quest to open a tattoo parlor.

The same city has no problem granting countless liquor licenses in its tiny downtown and embracing an adult novelties business on its busiest thoroughfare.

Let Anderson in, just restrict the number of tattoo parlors — as well as other types of businesses — allowed in Hermosa Beach to keep its small-town, beachy appeal.

Rae DeVito

Hermosa Beach

710’s long journey

Re “710 tunnel vision,� Editorial, May 23

The 710 Freeway should be completed because it will reduce congestion more than will any other MTA road project. It also will reduce air pollution and save 35,700 gallons of fossil fuel daily.

Voter support for completing the 710 is thoroughly documented. More than 50 cities and political districts have been surveyed. Voters in the city of Los Angles favor the 710 completion 5 to 1; it has 6-1 support in the San Gabriel Valley.

The environmental study is needed to answer community questions. It should begin immediately.

Nat B. Read

Pasadena

The writer is chairman of the 710 Freeway Coalition.

As The Times suggests, the next logical step, and the only truly responsible step, is to authorize a robust evaluation of a broad range of transportation options that might provide the same or better congestion relief as the proposed northward tunnel extension of the 710 Freeway.

The current cost guesstimate for the proposed tunnel is well into the billions. All viable transportation project options that can compete with that cost should be evaluated in a project-neutral manner, neither presuming nor precluding any cost-effective solutions. Taxpayers and residents deserve this.

Failing to study alternative projects will make it impossible to achieve community consensus. The goal should be to arrive at a regional accord on a solution that best reduces congestion while improving the quality of life — not just for some at the expense of others but for all.

Donald Voss

La Canada Flintridge

The writer is the mayor of La Canada Flintridge.

Your claim that “the notion that completing a freeway connection would increase traffic is a bit bizarre� defies common sense. This has already happened.

As an east Pasadena resident, I’ve seen a real-life increase in traffic with the extension of the 210 to the east. If the 710 extension is built, one can only imagine the blowout of the 134/210/710 intersection with the addition of thousands of cars — and the effect on the 210 east, which is gridlocked starting at 2 pm.

Making a statement that redistributing these cars won’t cause an even worse problem is like saying you can cure obesity by loosening your belt.

Tina Ferris

Pasadena

Democracy in Israel

Re “On being an Arab lawmaker in Israel,� May 23

In the half-page interview with Ahmad Tibi, the Arab lawmaker in the Israeli parliament, he charged that Israel’s democratic principles only apply to Jews. This, of course, implies that Arab citizens of Israel do not have equal rights. Yet he himself is part of the government of Israel.

Let him try the “democracy� in any Arab country — as a member of the majority to boot — and see how it compares.

He can worship at his local mosque in Israel; he can sponsor bills in the Knesset; and he can condemn the country whose citizenship he holds. Find a parallel to his kind of privilege for a non-Muslim in a Muslim country. Find a parallel to his kind of power for an opposition politician in a Muslim country.

No wonder Tibi wants to stay in Israel.

Baruch Cohon

Los Angeles

Thank you for your courage in letting readers know what living in an ethnocracy — Israel — is like for those who are not in the preferred ethnic group.

Esther Riley

Fairfax, Calif.

Bullish, or not, on Boxer

Re “Boxer still quick to take gloves off,� May 22

The Times buries the only mention of the most important vote by Congress in decades, referring to Sens. Barbara Boxer’s and Dianne Feinstein’s voting records: “Still, they occasionally split. Boxer opposed … going to war in Iraq.�

That was trivializing a pivotal change of course in our country’s history.

At that time in 2002, when my congressional representatives were asked by a narrow-minded, kneejerk president to abdicate to him their constitutional responsibility and duty to declare war, only Boxer stood up and said no.

For that single “no� vote, I for one will always vote for her and against those still in office who voted the other, tragic way.

Gordon Glass

Newport Beach

Boxer has long been an embarrassment to those of us in California who blanch at her wild-eyed pronouncements.

It’s no wonder so many of us call her Barbara “Shoot from the Lip� Boxer.

I can’t wait to vote against her again.

Norman Jacobson

Los Angeles

A Lexus drivability issue

Re “ Toyota kept Lexus issue from buyers,� May 23

The Times mischaracterizes a common, industry-wide service practice, thereby disparaging Lexus’ response to a drivability issue in the ES 300/330.

Transmission hesitation in the ES was a customer satisfaction issue, not a safety issue. We proactively contacted the limited number of owners who were dissatisfied with the feel of their vehicle’s drive train, addressing their needs to achieve a more satisfying shift feel.

All manufacturers regularly address isolated drivability issues like these in this way, rather than notify all customers directly.

We continually sought to make ES shifting characteristics best in class before and after production to satisfy the widest range of customer preferences. Overall, 98% of customers were satisfied with their vehicle’s performance.

We set very high customer satisfaction standards for ourselves and stand behind the production quality of the vehicle, our after-sale customer service and our technical support.

Mark S. Templin

Torrance

The writer is group vice president and general manager, Lexus Division, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.

A Japanese executive with Toyota felt the 2002 Lexus ES was “marginally acceptable for production,� and as such it was soon on sale in the U.S.?

Not exactly “The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.�

Jodie Munden

San Clemente

No excuses for bad behavior

Re “War zone boredom can lead to bad behavior later, study finds,� May 22

How much violent, antisocial behavior is going to be blamed on military experience?

Now “boredom� is supposed to be a cause of criminal behavior after deployment. What happened to free will or the restraint of a moral compass? Did any of these ex-military thugs have consciences before enlisting? They need to man up and do the right thing, like the majority of their comrades.

Hey grunts: If you are troubled by some trauma, for God’s sake talk to someone. But don’t let your duty be an excuse for being a jerk.

David Schwankle

Riverside