Letters to the editor

A menacing picture

Re “Under ice, a threat bubbles,� Feb. 22

The Times’ article on methane bubbling up in the Arctic is a first-class piece of work.

Scientists complain that the mainstream media are not reporting the alarming scientific facts about the global warming threat, or not reporting them in a way that the public can understand. This article overcomes both of those complaints.

Let’s hope the public will realize sooner rather than later that we are all in dire trouble from climate change, right now.

Robert Benson

Los Angeles

The writer is a professor of global warming law at Loyola Law School.

The article states: “Methane levels in the atmosphere have tripled since preindustrial times. Human activities, including rice cultivation, cattle raising and coal mining, account for about 70% of releases.�

Near the conclusion of the article, however, the scientists ringing the alarm about the frightening rise in the release of methane gases are cooking up a “batch of hamburgers.� What hypocrisy!

Beth Taormina

Long Beach

Execution versus murder

Re “Death row futility,� editorial, Feb. 23

The Times questions “the morality of state-sponsored killing.� How about the morality of spontaneous, senseless killing? Or any intentional killing, for that matter?

Any human can lose his or her physical possessions or other assets and recover, but losing one’s life is irrevocable.

Given that fact, it’s hard to argue that the murderer should not atone with the loss of his or her life. The Times feels that capital punishment is inhumane. Personally, I think that murder is inhumane.

Allen E. Kahn

Playa del Rey

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How does The Times doubt the deterrent effect of capital punishment without first quantifying the meaning of deterrence?

If even a single murder has been deterred by the threat of capital punishment (and it’s absurd to believe otherwise), does that not constitute a deterrent effect? If not, then how many murders would have to be deterred before a deterrent effect would exist?

With regard to the other reasons cited by The Times as justification for opposing capital punishment (immorality and disproportionate impact): What moral code is being referred to, and what form of punishment does not have a disproportionate effect on some groups as compared to others?

The Times might be right about the futility of capital punishment, but not for the reasons cited.

Roger Moshgat

San Diego

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Re “A new strategy on death penalty,� Feb. 24

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed public review of lethal injection ignores the larger issue: Capital punishment is costly and doesn’t work.

It drains resources from law enforcement and others and doesn’t deter crime or prevent wrongful convictions. The Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice report found that housing a prisoner on death row costs $90,000 more a year than housing a prisoner sentenced to permanent imprisonment. If you multiply by San Quentin’s 680 death row inmates, that’s $60 million-plus in additional yearly costs.

California’s recently signed budget bill slashes programs, adds $12.5 billion in new taxes and requires state employees to take unpaid leave to cover the economic shortfall. Schwarzenegger welcomed President Obama’s economic stimulus package to states “because we in California need it.�

Given California’s fiscal crisis, the idea that time and resources should be spent ironing out the kinks in executions, let alone bringing the whole dinosaur back, seems ill-advised.

Diann Rust-Tierney

Washington

The writer is executive director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

Probation can ease prison woes

Re “Before we open the cell doors,� Opinion, Feb. 22

The conversation about the federal order to release more than 55,000 inmates from prison should center on a comprehensive solution that saves tax dollars and protects public safety.

The Times’ article touched on the idea of “intermediate sanctions� and the need to provide local resources for counties that provide treatment and supervision to parole violators -- both great ideas. But the discussion stopped short.

The real need for local resources is in our adult probation departments. With additional resources, probation departments could implement treatment and supervision for offenders through monitoring, intervention, prevention and rehabilitation programs -- before offenders end up in state prison.

The probation model, with proper funding, could successfully reduce the number of offenders in state prison, fix the short- and long-term prison population crisis, and eliminate the need for early release.

Don Meyer

Woodland, Calif.

The writer is president of Chief Probation Officers of California.

Give it back

Re “A hand on the contraband,� Feb. 20

The article (and picture) on weapons confiscated at L.A. County courthouses raised more questions than they answered.

Does the court system consider markers to be weapons? There appear to be numerous laundry markers and dry erase pens in the pile shown in the photo. There are also tape measures.

Are tape measures weapons? If so, I’m going to be more careful the next time I let a carpenter in my house. If courthouse officials are worried that tape measures could be used to strangle someone, they should confiscate every belt too.

The courthouse rules are too strict, and citizens don’t know the rules until security turns them away.

Courthouses need a system to hold items rather than confiscating them.

Michael Freed

Rancho Cascades

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The article states that 21 million people have been screened -- probably at considerable cost to taxpayers -- and that only 11 lethal weapons were found.

This is a waste of scarce money -- it’s not “literally life and death for anybody who works or does business in courthouses.� We need those cops on the street arresting criminals, not just getting in our way and stealing harmless things from us.

For the great majority of cases, this added “security� makes us worse off.

David Argall

La Puente

Waiting can work too

Re “Obama finds the Bush center,� Feb. 24

Barely a month into President Obama’s term, Times columnist Jonah Goldberg lambastes the president for not changing all of President Bush’s policies.

I’m guessing that Goldberg is an academic policy wonk with little or no experience in the real world.

As a Marine platoon sergeant, I learned never to change anything immediately when I took over a platoon. I watched how the platoon functioned and how the men interacted. Most successful businessmen follow the same guidelines when being put in a new position of management.

Obama’s decision to not change Bush’s policies immediately are by no means an endorsement of those policies, as Goldberg would like us to think. Rather, it is the sign of a thoughtful and careful president who doesn’t make rash judgments and decisions based on his gut.

That’s something that was missing in the Oval Office for the last eight years, and something that is always missing from Goldberg’s columns.

Peter W. Palmer

San Pedro

Familiar story

Re “A ticket to America: ’sta bueno,� Feb. 22

Such a refreshing and motivating article to remind us that the great majority of immigrants come to America to contribute to its greatness.

Though the story is unique to the Perez family, it is also generic. Change the names and dates and it is our collective story, regardless of our country of origin.

It’s true: “Only in America.�

Victor M. Franco Sr.

Los Angeles