Totally absurd, dangerous, disgraceful
I am not a smoker. I don’t approve of smoking in my house, restaurants, buses, theatres or other indoor places. But, I cannot fathom the hysteria against smoking on the beaches. It is a disgrace to expect lifeguards to monitor smoking violations. It is totally absurd and dangerous, and I think illegal to add this burden to lifeguards’ life-saving responsibilities.
Is this an attempt by the San Diego City Council to prove to us that they are really on the job? Shame on them!
Tanja Winter, La Jolla
The power not to buy
The Union-Tribune carried a story on Aug. 2 about how the Chinese government killed 50,000 dogs after three people dies of rabies. The five-day slaughter spared only military guard dogs and police canine units. Dogs being walked were seized from their owners and beaten to death on the spot.
It will not be easy but I commit to NEVER buying another product that says “made in China” and I invite you to do the same. It will be difficult because almost everything you pick up in the United States is made in China.
We have the power not to buy and I for one am going to exercise it.
Trish Hausman, Ocean Beach
If you wreck it, all lose
I was very sad to hear the news that our City Council voted to build a bridge and road through a great canyon ” Rose Canyon. Recently, I went walking through Rose Canyon with my family and friends, and really enjoyed myself. It was really fun. I wrote to the mayor and Councilman Scott Peters, and all of the other council members and asked them all to not let a bridge be built through this wonderful canyon.
While on my hike, I saw lizards, butterflies, red-tailed hawks, chipmunks, coyote melons, a beehive, a stream, many types of birds, and a huge amount of different plants and flowers. If there was a bridge built through this trail, there would be too much noise from the road to enjoy the outdoor area. Also, animals would either move away from the area or be threatened since their habitat is going to be in danger.
We don’t have a lot of other places to go hiking that are close by. There is Torrey Pines trails, and San Clemente trail, but Rose Canyon is unique. You just don’t see the same animals and plants on those other trails that you do when walking through Rose Canyon.
We learn new things about animals, plants and our environment just by taking hikes! It is like a classroom outdoors. Now it seems like this classroom in Rose Canyon is being taken away. I understand that some people felt the bridge and new road would help traffic and some other things. But, for some reason, it seems like they could have solved the problem another way. There is only one Rose Canyon. If you wreck it, all of us lose out on something beautiful.
Tayler Necoechea, age 8, Bird Rock Elementary School, La Jolla
City not yet safe for all people
The recent hate crimes of verbal assaults and physical beatings of five men in Balboa Park as they were leaving the LGBT Pride Festival reminds all of us that there is yet more to do to make this city a safe place for all people. At Metropolitan Community Church San Diego, we ask everyone to lift up in prayer the victims and their families as they struggle to recover physically, emotionally and spiritually from the vicious crimes that were perpetrated upon them. Please also hold the attackers in prayer, remembering that, as Christians and people of faith, we are called to act with love even toward those who hurt us.
Metropolitan Community Church San Diego is encouraged by the peaceful attitudes that are reflected in so many of the citizens of San Diego. And, we are grateful we live in a time when the all of our city officials are aggressively working for justice in this matter and searching to find the assailants.
With God’s help we will continue to live with courage, walk in love and move forward in hope.
Pastor Lee Bowman, San Diego
