Mailbag

Along with my Armenian-American neighbors and my fellow Democrats, I’m very disappointed that Rep. Adam Schiff and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have decided to postpone a vote on the Armenian Genocide resolution that cleared the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 10.

I understand their actions, and I know that this resolution will return.

What I fail to understand is why opponents of this measure will not acknowledge two unacceptable facts that make this postponement necessary: 1. The Turks are able to blackmail the United States with impunity; and 2. We have no control over radical Iraqi Kurds, even though we’ve occupied Iraq since 2003.

How weak the United States has become in the era of George W. Bush.

The simple acknowledgment that the Armenian Genocide happened should not be a political issue, but in fact the Democrats seem to support it and the Republicans do not. I hope this situation changes soon.

RENEE LEASK

Glendale

EDITOR’S NOTE: Leask is president of the Glendale Democratic Club.

Fines are higher for trees than humans

I read Jason Wells’ article (“Pruning leaves a fine mess,” Oct. 19) about the city of Glendale fining the Collards for pruning their trees without permits, after the Glendale Fire Department sent a letter reminding them to clear brush and overgrowth. City government is out of control.

These well-meaning citizens, who made an honest mistake, are facing financial ruin because the council did not consider fines of this magnitude would occur?

Hospitals, like Glendale Memorial, are being fined a maximum $25,000 for causing injury or death to a human (“Hospital fined for woman’s death,” Saturday). I found it ironic that in Glendale there are fines being issued, with no maximum limit, as high as $350,000, for trimming a tree without a permit.

The hospitals have 10 days to file an appeal. The Glendale City Council wrote its tree ordinance without including any due process, and no right to an appeal. Certainly Glendale must be recognized as the safest city in the country to live, if you are a tree!

LILY G. MARCELLE

Ontario