Mailbag

Lost in all the furor over City Councilman Dave Weaver’s alleged comments regarding the Armenian community and smoking is the obvious question — do they oppose the smoking ban or not (“Weaver taken to task again,” Mailbag, Aug. 27)?

If there is overwhelming opposition to the ban, then wouldn’t that suggest many of them are smokers?

In which case, why apologize for the truth?

If Armenians strongly support the ban, that would suggest the opposite.

I would stop far short of suggesting, however, that Weaver be accused of racial or slanderous comments.

At worst, he should apologize for making a generalization, and that’s about it.

But again I beg the question: Do they oppose it or not?

I do not think that Dave Weaver should apologize for any remarks made by him.

We are all American citizens with the right of free speech, and if one does not agree with what is said, the other person has the right to state the opposite view.

Smoking is not an ethnic issue, it is a health issue. Every time the city tries to make Glendale a better place to live, people object on ethnic grounds any new laws or regulations.

For example, take the outdoor-grilling issue: It was objected on an ethnic basis.

Outdoor grilling is no more an ethnic issue than smoking. Our ancestors — the cave man — grilled outdoors.

My fear is that Glendale is becoming a city of them vs. us.

Some hot summer day this whole ethnic issue may explode just like the Watts riots.

We need, and this includes the Glendale City Council, to stop making mountains out of molehills, and at the same time the City Council needs to encourage cooperation between all the various ethnic groups that live in this city.

ROLAND H. NEILL

Glendale

Hope to never hear again from gadflies

Kudos to Sharon Weisman in her letter to the editor regarding the assortment of gadflies who continue to detract from the efficiencies and progress of Glendale city government under the admirable leadership of Mayor John Drayman (“Little positive about Allen’s actions,” Mailbag, Thursday).

Weisman correctly summed up in a very cogent manner how Barry Allen, Mike Mohill, Herbert Molano and the infamous Richard Espiritu are wasting the time and energy of not only the public but also our city officials and staff.

If any of them believe they can make a run for council, forget it.

Moreover, I for one hope we never see or hear from them again.

RICHARD A. LIEBOFF

Glendale

Don’t care about man’s background

When you don’t like the news, shoot the messenger.

The City Council should spend its time resolving the problems that Richard Espiritu brings to the attention of the City Council and the citizens of Glendale (“Doubts cast over activist,” Aug. 26).

I do not care who Espiritu is or what his history is.

I do care that the issues that he raises are valid and remain unresolved by the City Council.

DAVID FOSTER

Glendale