MAILBAG: Cargos belong on rails, not in a tunnel

We have one smart councilwoman, and I wish that the rest of the council could get on the ball and support Laura Friedman, who suggested that we need to complete the Gold Line to San Bernardino.

Please read Sharon Weisman’s letter (“Show’s 710 stance was disappointing,” Aug. 17). She is so right — all that containerized cargo from the ports of Long Beach belongs on rail.

With hundreds of trucks off the freeways, we will not have to read in the future of all those truck accidents killing people. Just think about those thousands of truck loads of dirt and rocks going up to Scholl Canyon to dump their loads from a tunnel-boring job.

Remember you now get the fun of paying a toll fee, but to breathe exhaust fumes from many, many trucks? And let’s not talk about the millions that could be saved from not doing the 710 Freeway tunnel extension.

Read Weisman once more. She has the answer: No 710 extension.

ROLAND MCGHIE

Glendale

Columnist slights pamphlet’s code

Dan Kimber recently wrote a column in the Glendale News-Press about “The Way To Happiness” pamphlets (“Church should be more upfront,” July 31) and his opinion that they have no place in schools.

“The Way To Happiness” pamphlet is composed of a nonreligious moral code based on common sense. It is published in 90 languages and has helped thousands of people of all races and religions, as well as those with no religious philosophy at all. It has been used and continues to be used by police departments, city governments, prison systems and schools throughout the world.

If ethics and philosophy have a place in our educational system, which they always have had, “The Way To Happiness” certainly does as well.

One of the 21 precepts in the pamphlet advises respecting the religious beliefs of others and refraining from speaking derogatorily against another’s religion.

SUSAN DaRe

Sun Valley

Invocation about health care debate

On Aug. 1, I read the following invocation into the record at the start of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting:

“As emotions have runneth over in recent days over issues of political and personal opinion, we remember to pray for civility and respect for our fellow residents and participants in this process.