Writer’s logic goes up in smoke
It’s hard to understand how one could be so naive.
Armineh Hovanesian seems to believe that inhaling second-hand smoke is not harmful to a nonsmoker’s health (“Second-hand smoke no reason for police state,” May 27).
I wish there was some way that we could ask the poor souls who are buried in Forest Lawn, and who no doubt suffered horribly from emphysema and lung cancer, before they died, “was breathing in smoke from an inconsiderate smoker a contributing factor?”
I think the answer would be a yes, yes and yes.
BERNARD POWELL
La Crescenta
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Private employees merit same benefits
I think Hal Weber has a point regarding government employee pensions and benefits (“Some city salaries are outrageous,” Mailbag, May 29). But I think what we should be asking ourselves is not why government employees have it so good, but why do the rest of us have it so bad, and getting worse when it comes to retirement and benefits.
Pensions were common in the past when unions where stronger. But since President Reagan, things have favored the rich and corporations. I wonder what would have happened if Bush Jr. ever did get to privatize Social Security? I for one am glad that didn’t happen in light of the economic situation we are presently in.
We should be demanding the same if not better benefits as taxpayers. A secure retirement, most of us would agree, is not as Weber states a “ridiculous” notion. We should “dream of achieving” these types of benefits.
But I guess that is too much “socialism” for some. Why would any tea bag-partying freedom fighter worth his or her salt want guaranteed health care or a secure retirement? That is so un-American. Better to have some of that magical trickle-down prosperity to take care of everything.
And to answer Weber’s question regarding the whereabouts of John and Ken, they are too busy vilifying illegal immigrants and blaming them for all our woes instead of realistically trying to solve our problems. We might have our differences and prejudices, but in the final analysis we are all in this boat together, so we better start rowing.
BECKER DANSON
Glendale
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There are limits to property freedoms
Sev Attarian’s letter (“The right to aesthetic beauty,” May 29), despite its complaints about compliance with community standards, brought back many memories.
