Regarding ‘A slippery slope’ Mr. Thomas’s letter stated: “Politicians shouldn’t rewrite contracts without consent of the parties” (Village News, June 18, page 6). What he failed to mention is that the 1931 grant regarding Casa Beach is a contract between the people of California and the city of San Diego, the two parties currently amending the contract. No mention in the grant is made of Ellen Browning Scripps since she never owned the land referred to in the contract. It was and is owned by the state. The breakwater she had built is on state property. Since its construction, maintenance expenses of the breakwater have been born by the city. The state grant allows for many uses besides a “bathing pool for children.” It even allows fishing and mining, both of which are incompatible with a pool for children. In addition, the federal government retains the right to remove the breakwater. A more appropriate example related to Mr. Thomas’s comment is Scripps Memorial Hospital. In 1924 Ellen Browning Scripps donated money and land to build Scripps Hospital at 464 Prospect St. in La Jolla. After her death in 1932, her trust authorized the building of a modern hospital, which was to remain in La Jolla. In the early 1960s the hospital trustees approved moving the hospital to its current location and selling the Prospect property. Because the new location was outside of La Jolla, the state Attorney General sued the trustees. The issue became moot when the newly introduced La Jolla zip code boundary was gerrymandered to include the hospital’s new location. Despite circumventing the Scripps Trust, Scripps Memorial Hospital has had no difficulty attracting millions of dollars in donations from philanthropists. Richard J. Prutow, University City Seals’ plight is national news In case there is any doubt left, the plight of the seals of La Jolla beach are now of national and probably international interest. The news of their plight has spread and the world is watching to see what San Diego does. In this age of supposed enlightenment regarding the care of our environment, it amazes me that this is even being debated, especially in California.  California allegedly carries the banner for environmentalists for the entire country and now I read they are considering running off a group of seals with fire hoses and digital dog barks. How very, very cruel. To those that support the beach being “reclaimed” as a children’s beach, you shouldn’t need to be reminded that it was the seals who reclaimed it from you.  It was their beach long before it was your beach.  It seems to me that we all have enough challenges to deal with these days.  Why not stop all the nonsense and do the right thing… let these wonderful creatures be. Tony Cerqua, Monroe, Va. White case: fire at will Unbelievable. So let me get this straight. A jury says, essentially: In a road rage situation, even while completely protected from harm within the cocoon of my vehicle and able to read a license plate number and call 911 from my cell phone or even make an escape, instead, with intent to kill I can get out and begin shooting at the other unarmed driver and passengers with impunity. Well, alrighty, then. I’m going to go buy a gun. What a wonderful case precedence supporting gross overreaction and unnecessary use of firearms. Overkill. Ben Harness, Point Loma