Mayor’s words didn’t represent residents After...

Mayor’s words didn’t represent residents

After weeks (or 12 months, to be exact) of media hype, someone out

there finally displays a clear-cut voice of reason. Joe Bell’s column

in Thursday’s paper didn’t take sides, being critical of Democrats

and Republicans alike. It spoke volumes to me and crystallized a lot

of the things that have been on my mind. Best of all, he wasn’t

afraid to express some thoughts that might not be popularly held,

particularly in this Republican-dominated enclave.

For the mayor of Newport Beach to cheerily tell the president “we”

were supportive of everything he is doing is one of the most

ridiculous statements I’ve ever read. Did he speak to each and every

resident of his town? No, he was just kissing up to the political

machine. It’s sad when the government is held captive by polls and

the media, and does whatever it can to get votes and stay in office,

rather than doing what is right.

Then again, it seems pretty clear that all the current

administration believes in is the almighty dollar and helping make

its rich friends richer, in effect enriching itself, at the expense

of important matters such as education and the environment. But I

feel safer knowing that someday we’ll have a giant “Star Wars” shield

to protect us from ballistic missiles that have become obsolete in

this new world of global terrorism, raving lunatics and human bombs.

What did I do to mourn the anniversary of this greatest of

national tragedies? Stay home and watch the image of airplanes

crashing into the World Trade Center, over and over, ad nauseum,

while the media pats itself on the back? Staying home to catch

baseball scores wasn’t enough, so I took Joe one step better -- I

spent the evening with 42,000 people watching the Anaheim Angels, and

shared a moment of silence with them at 9:11 p.m. What an awesome

feeling that was. It sounds corny, and my soon-to-be-wife was

initially worried for my safety for being in a large crowd, which the

media warned us against, but if we learned one thing a year ago, it

was this -- the terrorists can’t take away our freedom, even if that

just means going to the ballpark.

MIKE MCNIFF

Costa Mesa

Every American must support terrorism war

I am writing this because I know Americans who were killed by

terrorists. Columnist Joseph N. Bell is so blinded by his liberal

elitist and socialistic ideology, like most journalists and college

professors, he actually suggests we are starting a war with a radical

Islamic nation (The Bell Curve, “We must continue to speak our

minds,” Thursday).

Americans have been attacked more than 20 times in the past 30

years by radical Islamic homicidal fanatics. And they are committed

to killing every last one of us. They are willing to die doing it.

And they will never stop. Never. Unless we step in and stop them like

we did Hitler and the Japanese. Like we did when Saddam invaded

Kuwait. There is no more important role of government and my taxes

than to prevent an invasion from hostile forces. None. I consider any

American against this enemy and at this time preaches pacifism as

dangerous to my family’s health.

President Harry S. Truman, a Democrat, saved millions of lives

around the globe when he made the decision to bomb Japan. He knew the

consequences. He didn’t waste time seeking permission or assistance

from others. He knew what had to be done to stop evil and he bravely

and courageously took action.

President John F. Kennedy did the same confronting the Russians on

their way to Cuba. He too was a true leader. America is not

invincible. Every great nation in history has eventually been invaded

and defeated. Despite the preaching of liberals like Bell for

egalitarianism, pacifism, altruism, multiculturalism, diversity and

“we are the world,” Islamic fundamentalism perceives America as a

Satanic cult that must be annihilated. They train their children to

die killing Jews and now Americans. They succeeded in attacking New

York City and Washington, killing thousands of innocent people.

Something no other enemy, even the Nazis, came close to achieving.

And it was the second attack on the same World Trade Center towers.

The United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth past

or present. It is not perfect. Mankind is inherently not perfect. We

don’t need Bell or the Berkeley City Council giving any kind of

encouragement to homicidal fanatics trying to kill us all.

EDWARD CARELS

Newport Beach

Bell’s column is always delightful

I want to thank you for carrying Bell’s column, the Bell Curve.

Whether he’s writing about the simple community-building doings in

his neighborhood or tackling national issues, such as his column on

the Bush Administration’s specious call to war on Iraq, Bell’s

columns are a constant reminder of the joys and responsibilities of

citizenship in this great country. I was fortunate enough to have

taken his course on journalism at UC Irvine, and, decades later, it

is a delight to still be learning from him weekly in the pages of the

Pilot.

JIM WASHBURN

Costa Mesa

Columnist hits it right on the mark

Thank you, Joe Bell, for the reminder in the Bell Curve column

that we must continue to speak our convictions. This is especially

urgent advice in the case of the serious issues of war and peace

presently facing us -- lest we silently drift into an ill-conceived

preemptive war.

And as we speak, we need to listen to the world community, to give

ear to those in congress and the public, who question the wisdom,

morality and long-term consequence of such action.

PAUL KEARNS

Costa Mesa