Mailbag:

God equals religion. “Secular,” as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, means “denoting attitudes, activities or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis.” Where was Wendy Leece educated? Does she not know what “secular” means? Her “In God We Trust” crusade (“Leece: ‘In God’ is about unity,” Wednesday) is just another example of her attempt to impose religion in government.

The Founders were very clear regarding religion in government — it should remain separate. In fact, it was one of the reasons they fled England in the first place.

While I do not begrudge Leece expressing her religious beliefs (she is entitled to that), I do take offense at her attempt to force her beliefs on the rest of us. Her religiosity is one of the reasons she lost her school board seat. It seems she may be headed down that same road because she just can’t seem to help herself when it comes to her faith.

Mike Aguilar, Costa Mesa

Don’t fix health care if it isn’t broken

The Aug. 8 Daily Pilot features a letter from a Bob Schmidt (“Article lacks balanced coverage,” Mailbag) that totally misses the point. He takes the Pilot to task for featuring articles about the citizens of our country who are terribly concerned about the proposed health-care plan. I wonder whether Schmidt has actually read the plan. As a senior citizen (age 79), I can relate my own story to illustrate the point. I received a new heart at age 69. Under the proposed guidelines, I would never have been given a new heart, certainly in time to save my life. So I would have died. So what, you say. However, let’s look at what I’ve been able to do in the last 10 years because of my new heart. I have started three new companies (all without stimulus money) and created hundreds of new jobs. That would not have happened if I hadn’t received my heart and been around to do the work.

In fact, my wife and I have written a new book, “Never Give Up!,” which is a guide for survival if one is faced with a catastrophic illness.

We have the finest health care in the world. Sure, it has faults, but those can be readily fixed. The stated objective of the Obama proposed plan is to virtually eliminate Medicare. That will be a death sentence for millions of Americans who made this country great.

Schmidt, the Pilot was not out of line for publishing the concerns of informed citizens. We are facing the determined push of those who want our country to be socialistic, and killing a bunch of our “useless” senior citizens along the way.

Richard S. Stevens, Newport Beach