Mailbag - Sept. 4, 2006

Past wasn’t idyllic in Costa Mesa

Those were inaccurate and uncalled for sentiments in last Monday’s “Mailbag” where a writer stated “we didn’t have this kind of lawlessness before [Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor] and his mob took over.”

The writer, of course, is way off base on this assertion. If anyone would like, I can show a headline of the Daily Pilot that reported a “reign of terror” in Costa Mesa some years ago.

Those of us who have lived here for a score or more years can recall a number of steps taken by residents and town officials to counter and all but eliminate the gang problem at that time.

LEFTERIS LAVRAKAS

Costa Mesa

Writer was way out of line in accusations

I am deeply dismayed by a letter in the Aug. 27 “Mailbag.” Once again, an opponent of Mayor Allan Mansoor and the City Council majority shamelessly used the “recent spate of shootings” as a vehicle to attack Mansoor and two of his fellow councilmen. The writer doesn’t just use the crimes to open his letter, he then goes on to state his opinion that Mansoor and the council majority are actually responsible for the pressures that have led to the shootings in our town. This is an outrageous and inexcusable accusation.

A criminal murderer is solely responsible for Israel Maciel’s death. A carload of gang-bangers are solely responsible for the heinous drive-by on Mendoza. My bet is that not one of the shooters had any knowledge whatsoever about the city’s job center or the human relations committee.

Further, the “breakdown in decorum” was primarily by opponents of the mayor’s immigration plans, not the mayor or his supporters. Many people came in from out of town and threw decorum out the window.

Tirades about Mansoor’s similarities to Adolf Hitler and baldly racist accusations were the cause of the “breakdown in decorum” — not the plan itself.

I was there and I witnessed these actions, as the mayor and council sat silently while these outsiders raged. The writer’s statement that Costa Mesa “didn’t have this kind of lawlessness before he [Mansoor] and his mob took over” is a laughable falsehood. As with any city of our size and demographics, we have had our share of shootings and other tragic crimes.

As an obvious reader of the Daily Pilot, the writer should have known as he wrote it that his statement was blatantly false. I have disagreed with many of the mayor’s ideas, and I am not writing this letter in support of him. I am simply disgusted by the tenor of the debate recently, and strongly urge everyone to think before they write.

Blaming elected officials for the actions of cold-blooded killers is way, way out of line. In my opinion, the writer owes Mansoor and Councilmen Eric Bever and Gary Monahan a sincere apology.

ROB DICKSON

Costa Mesa

Mayor needs community’s support

Reading the letters to the editor on Aug 31, I was struck by the realization that there are still a few people out there that really don’t seem to be able to grasp the critical need to support Mayor Allan Mansoor’s agenda.

Naming past chiefs of police and other counties’ law enforcement officials does not carry any weight, since times and conditions change. Those currently in office are assessing the threats and remedies for today’s problems.

No question that curbing illegal immigration is mainly in the hands of the federal government. That said, it is still up to individual communities to give their law enforcement people the tools that will assist in that effort.

I, for one, am much more comfortable with Mansoor’s agenda than Councilwoman Linda Dixon’s “Return to Insanity” agenda.

While respecting otherpoints of view, I would strongly suggest that those in opposition become educated on the issues. That accomplished, I think the soundness of Mansoor’s agenda would become obvious.

Remember folks, the whole issue here is how to keep Costa Mesa as safe and crime-free as possible.

JOHN STRATTON

Costa Mesa

Return to Reason a return to the distant past

Anyone that belongs to Return to Reason must still be living in the 1970s.

When I was a kid you could go to the store, park or just ride your bike around without having an adult. Nowadays that is not possible (and by the way that was in the 1970s and ‘80s). You cannot do that anymore in any city.

We need someone strong to lead us, and Return to Reason is not the answer. We can’t go backward and that’s what they want to do. They are old-school and we need new ideas, not old. And they should move out of this wonderful city that I have lived in for 37 years if they want to take us back to the ‘70s.

We need more people like Jack Hammett to step up and give support for a strong leader in Mansoor.

CLARK CHAPMAN

Mesa del Mar