OUR READERS WRITE: Letters from May 19 La Jolla Light

Shame on those who destroy campaign signs

There have been dozens of city council candidate Ray Ellis signs wrecked on Torrey Pines Road and many on private property. I’m appalled at the actions of some very nasty people out there who are destroying signs, even going onto private property and twisting the metal stands into a ball. I think it is important to note this bad behavior in the La Jolla Light. It is not just a few of the signs but a large number of them. Where do the first amendment rights stand in the minds of those doing this? I wonder if a reward for the arrest and prosecution of these bad apples would be a way to stop this?

Bill Allen

Editor’s Note: In the Town Council meeting story that begins on page A1, damaged campaign signs were also reported by city council candidate Barbara Bry and 78th District State Assembly candidate Kevin Melton. In California, the taking or damaging of political signs is a violation of the law and anyone apprehended after the unlawful taking or damaging of political signage is subject to arrest and prosecution.

Seal and sea-lion activists well-meaning,but misguided

The letter in the May 12 La Jolla Light issue about seal and sea-lion activists is right-on — especially the suggestion that their primary motivation is not the protection of our local marine mammals, but a desire “to feel warm and fuzzy about themselves.” Directly above the letter was a photograph of the La Jolla Cove, once famous for the beauty of its location, clean beach and swimming opportunities. It is now, thanks to these animal-rights advocates, probably the most polluted and malodorous swimming beaches in America. Its closest competition for that title may well come from the Children’s Pool, just down the road.

Interestingly, the photographer has only to turn his head to see, across the street, yet another product of misguided do-gooder activism: A property containing two slum-quality hovels known as the Red Rest and Red Roost. For over 20 years these cottages have been uninhabited and disintegrating into unsightly rubble. At what once was one of the nation’s most beautiful coastal locations, we now have visual contamination on one side and bacterial contamination on the other. This is a twofer that La Jolla could do without.

The visual mess is the consequence of an unprincipled desire to interfere with another person’s private property, without any personal financial risk to those interfering. To fully develop this property as normally allowed in San Diego, city permits must be obtained; but the issuance of permits has been blocked because of activist insistence that the original structures be preserved — at the owner’s expense. What nonsense!

This property is potentially some of the most valuable real estate in America if it could be developed economically. Even if one doesn’t care about the ongoing financial loss to the owner, then at least consider the property tax that has been lost because of such obstruction. A rational and ethical solution is for the preservation advocates to move the cottages off the property for relocation and restoration, at their expense. Imagine the outcry if there was an attempt to create a new dump or pollution source along La Jolla’s coastline. There would be no warm and fuzzy thinking, just outrage.

Shame on the activists and their city council-enablers for giving La Jolla the appearance and smell of a dysfunctional community.

Carl Lind

We need to review Marine Mammal Protection Act

The seal/sea lion debacle at The Cove and at The Children’s Pool is a disgrace, more because it’s like a broken record with no solution in sight. Why hasn’t our Congressman Scott Peters taken the lead in addressing this smelly fiasco since it’s federal legislation — the Marine Mammal Protection Act — that is the root cause of the problem? His silence speaks volumes. The MMPA has turned into a typical federal runaway train that needs to be slowed down with amendments to this 45-plus year-old law to allow communities like ours to fix this disaster for the betterment of our coastline and community. We can’t be the only community in the nation suffering from the infestation of hordes of “water rats.” Why can’t we manage these “water rats” the way the federal government is now managing the grizzly bear population in Yellowstone?

Lou Cumming

Enough of spending tax dollars on Children’s Pool

How much is too much wasteful spending of taxpayer money trying to close the Children’s Pool? For some, there is no limit as long as you are using someone else’s money. Unlimited spending is an irresponsible use of city resources on a misguided public beach closure that has already cost the City of San Diego millions of dollars and with no end in sight. Is yet another appeal, to a losing lawsuit over beach access, the right thing for responsible city leaders to do?

Just a few years ago, City Council President Sherri Lightner asked for an accounting of all the costs to the city pursuing beach closure. She never received an answer. Certainly, this figure should be known as part of any effort to curb wasteful city spending and bring the city’s budget under control.

Friends of the Children’s Pool request the media begin making a serious inquiry of city leaders about how much they have spent and are willing to spend in the future to secure an unlawful beach closure at Children’s Pool.

Friends of the Children’s Pool and Councilmember Lightner have asked and been ignored. No surprise. It’s nothing to be proud of.

Ken Hunrichs

Friends of Children’s Pool

Support for Nasser Pirasteh work continues

I would like to voice my strong support for the beautiful and unique art of Nasser Pirasteh. It certainly is a work of art and not a building that needs a permit. Nasser is an internationally known and respected artist. He is one of the most socially responsible artists that I have ever known. The city should be proud to have an artist like him residing in their city. People have already spoken in favor of this inspiring art by writing on the surrounding wall and by casting their votes. I invite you to see his two other awesome art pieces an addition to our art collection “Replacing Violence with Art” at iherc.org

I hope you help and support Naser and his amazing art, anyway you can and that this work will stay intact forever.

Dr. Farideh Kioumehr

Recipient of APHA Sidel-Levy Award of Peace

Fan of mural in La Jolla Shores

I am disappointed to read that some people don’t like the beautiful new mural, “Demos Gracias” by artist Hurtado Segovia, on the Galaxy Taco building in La Jolla Shores. I think it is colorful and delightful. Every time I see it, it gives me pleasure. It makes me happy. I hope it stays there for a long time. I’ve seen a lot of art in my 43 years of buying and selling art. I think the murals of La Jolla are wonderful and a great addition to the neighborhoods.

Leanne Hull MacDougall

Garden Club loves front-page story

We appreciate your wonderful article and photo coverage of the La Jolla Garden Club’s recent Gardeners’ Market in the May 12 issue. A front-page story in the La Jolla Light really helps to get our name better known in the community as we work to raise money for horticulture scholarships in San Diego and to offer horticulture education/appreciation to members of our community.

Kay Sanger

La Jolla Garden Club

Headline gets it so wrong

I was doing some research about artist Do Ho Suh for my final paper for my contemporary artists class at Cal State San Marcos, where I am majoring in visual arts, and came across an article featured on the La Jolla Light website on his installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. The title of that article is “Art Exhibit: House of the Rising Suh lights up MCASD in downtown San Diego.” Not only is this title not capitalized correctly, this title references the Japanese phrase “land of the rising sun,” which is a term to describe the island and country that is Japan.

Do Ho Suh is a Korean artist, from South Korea. If you know anything about his artwork, his nationality, as a KOREAN, is central to much of his work. I find it incredibly disrespectful that the author found it appropriate to lump him in with Japanese culture by using this title “Land of the Rising Suh.” It is racist and misleading. Korean and Japanese cultures are different and should not be casually mixed in with each other just because they may appear to be similar on the surface.

Melissa Scrivnor

Fire chief has prom safety reminder

Prom and graduation season is here and you want to make sure your graduate is part of his or her class! Unfortunately, these happy occasions sometimes involve underage drinking that can result in tragedy. It is critical that parents keep the lines of communication open when it comes to talking to their kids about the dangers of underage drinking and drunk driving.

Know who is driving all evening: Are your kids or a friend driving? is there a designated driver, or will they be renting a limo? Make sure your teen has a way of contacting you and you can contact your teen; warn them of the dangers of talking or texting while driving.

Get the evening’s itinerary as well as a list of names and phone numbers of each person with your teen. Make sure your teen knows how to handle difficult situations; avoiding accepting a ride from a drunk driver, rejecting offers of alcohol or legal and illegal drugs, or not succumbing to pressure to engage in sexual activity. Insist that no changes be made to the evening itinerary unless you grant permission. Know who is supervising all events in which your teen is participating. Make sure your teen has money to cover alternative transportation costs (cab), if necessary.

And parents, the same lesson here goes for you. Set an example of responsibility and accountability to your children! For additional prom and graduation safety, talk to school administrators.

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

What’s on YOUR mind?

Letters to the Editor for publication in La Jolla Light should be 250 words or less, and e-mailed to editor@lajollalight.com and must include the full name of the sender, city of residence and phone number for verification. Note: The content of letters are not the opinions of La Jolla Light.