Letters
Wait for experts before judging Inglewood beating
Regarding "Another Rodney King? Not this time" (Opinion, July 12): I, too, was once involved in an arrest of a 15-year-old black male, which became twisted into a case of racial discrimination. After the investigation was completed, a fellow officer and I were completely cleared of any wrongdoing. The young man in question was convicted in court for the charges brought against him.
This experience caused me to seriously question my chosen line of work. After eight years on the job, I had no prior complaints against me and had letters and commendations for my work record. But in this particular case, the only issue that seemed to matter was that I was white and the suspect was black.
I caution against the claims of injustice in the case of the Inglewood suspect beating. It's best to wait until people who are experts on police policy, procedure, and tactics make their ruling before making judgment.
Patrick Greenhill
Berea, Ohio
Regarding "Bush goes populist, hitting CEOs" (July 10): Sounds like a call to close the barn door after the horse has left. Isn't this what we get when the majority of people don't agree with the proposition that there is objective standards for morality? All the "values clarification" amoral ethics that has been taught for years is bearing fruit.
Keith R. Snyder
Houghton, Mich.
"Confessions of an ex-bag lady" (Ideas, July 11) struck a chord with me.
I chuckled, but then plunged into a debilitating depression, reading Samar Farah's description of her reactions when asking for less packaging in American stores. I have received the cold stares of harried store clerks when I ask them to unbag my items and place them instead in the plastic bags I've brought with me.
This attitude goes along so well with the gas-guzzling sports utility vehicle mentality. Contemplate for a moment what's placed inside many of those SUV front seats. I would guess "biggie size" drinks in styrofoam cups or a jumbo shake in a large plastic cup. Most of these containers are coincidentally made from oil, or from oil byproducts.
In these days, consumption has been set by the Gas, Oil, & Petroleum Party (aka the GOP). Is it any wonder that SUV-driving Americans are oblivious to the gross problem of excess packaging?
Judith Kay
Ardentown, Del.
I was fascinated by how bright and shiny and new the concept of reducing packaging trash output seemed to the reporter in "Confessions of an ex-bag lady," (July 11).
Thousands of people have been working diligently, over a period of years, to reduce their household trash output. In addition to participating in citywide recycling, we also keep a compost pot by the kitchen sink for scraps. And we try to buy goods which are packaged in plastics which we can recycle. Some weeks, my household puts out a bag of trash to be picked up. Other weeks, there isn't enough trash to bother with. I would suggest that Samar Farah persevere in her efforts. Success will come.
Norris Dale
Portland, Maine
Regarding "Saving West from fires carries big tab" (July 11): The tab for our Western forest wildfires is now in the tens of millions. Perhaps as taxpayers we can encourage our government to sue the environmental groups who held the United States Department of Interior at bay with lawsuit after lawsuit when the department begged for permission to slash and burn in fire-prone areas across our great Western states.
Jack Ridley
Wichita, Kan.
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