Letters

Skateboarders are leaders of tomorrow

In response to Jan White's letter about the town of Los Gatos vs. skateboarders in the April 7 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, I applaud her. I applaud her not only for her mockery of the automobile driver who, because of his own inattention behind the wheel of his potential death-machine, somehow felt threatened by the innocent toiling of a few skateboarders, but also because it seems that she is one in the handful of adults who understands not all skateboarders are hooligans.

They are not a gang. They are not vandals. They are merely players in the game of life who, instead of being the high school football captain or the all-star baseball pitcher have decided to spend their time exercising not only their body, but their mind as well, practicing that one trick until they finally land it.

It is a shame that the town has not built a public facility yet for all of its "extreme athletes" to utilize, as some of its neighboring cities such as Santa Cruz, Campbell, Palo Alto and Mountain View have. I, as a tax-paying, skateboarding and adult resident of this lovely town of Los Gatos believe the time has come for us to cast all differences aside and bring into focus what is most important--the youth of today.

Remember, today's youth will be tomorrow's leaders, and we should treat them with due respect if it is expected to be received.

Ryan Fassler
President, Fast Lane Records

Sometimes, call to arms is the only solution

It is important to remember that when living in a community of people, or a community of nations, or in a conventional family, evil destructive behavior cannot be tolerated. When conversation fails, forceful and thoughtful "tough love" action is necessary.

With regard to the situation in Kosovo, "ethnic cleansing," particularly in the brutal manner as now being done, is intolerable, and one must act to stop it. Conversation and entreaties and warnings have not been accepted. A bully must not be allowed to continue with repugnant trauma-creating behavior.

If it continues, all that we hold dear is lost. We cannot enjoy our lives so long as brutal suffering continues to occur in other parts of the world.

We cannot accept another Holocaust. We must act in a manner similar to what we are now doing. Arresting and trying Milosevic and thus terminating his bad behavior is one goal.

Saddam Hussein should be arrested and tried for crimes against humanity. Prompt deterrence of Hitler, necessarily done by arms, would have saved much suffering. Implementing an arrest the first time will mean some loss of life, but arrests will become easier after procedures are established.

There are definable occasions when one should shoot to halt bad behavior, such as: if torture is about to occur, or if you are about to be shot, or if another human being is about to be shot, or if one's family is attacked, and the occasion has been preceded by many verbal remonstrations, and there is a weapon available. If any of the foregoing, one must shoot to stop the potential perpetrator from impermissible behavior. With mass murderers and tormentors, artillery is needed.

Only after an example of forceful deterrence of barbarism is made, for all to see, can the world's humanity progress to the higher levels for which we all yearn. In other words, human rights are essential to democracy and peace, and are essential to the human race's effort to reach higher levels of beauty.

Charles Walton
Los Gatos

Big questions deserve answers in proportion

Several times while reading Dale Bryant's op-ed piece, "Why is everything so big all of a sudden?" in the April 14 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, I had to look up to the byline to be sure this wasn't a guest column by Andy Rooney. Like Dale, I find myself speaking in that same tone of voice more and more as I get older, railing against all the perceived outrages in the world. (What "perceived"? They're real!)

I know the questions were by and large rhetorical, but I have an answer to some of them, anyway. It's quite obvious, really.

We need huge SUVs, truck chassis and all, in order to haul freight home from those shopping forays to Costco while still having enough power to lug around fuel for the one-mile-per-tank mileage they get.

And monster homes are required in order to warehouse all those vats of mayonnaise, casks of peanut butter, crates of 16-ounce cans of sugar water, and 100-pound gunny sacks of wheat-enriched sugar flakes.

And then we, of course, oppose passionately big box retail coming to our town and pushing out those cute little local shops that can't compete with Costco, anyway.

Uh oh, there I go again. It's a struggle to keep focused on the big picture. After all, what does it mean in the context of the 15 billion years since the Big Bang? And that's another thing! Why did it have to be a big Bang, anyway? Why couldn't it have been a Petite Pop?

OK. OK. I'll go quietly. ...

Mike Abkin
Los Gatos

We should know how much water is in the pool

Any government profession of a budget surplus is probably fiction, but, if true, this unconstitutional undeclared war by Arkansophist Clinton is being financed by money due Social Security recipients who are being cheated of it. If for no other reason, in opposition to this administration's military misadventure, that should be self-serving enough to get millions of contributors to the SSA off their haunches in outraged protest.

From 1950 to 1992--42 years--our troops were deployed 14 times. From 1993 to 1998, our troops have been deployed 28 times, while our military capabilities have been scaled down. Thanks to Clinton.

"The cautious seldom err," said Confucius. What might the ancient Chinese sage say today? "Wise man does not dive off high board until he knows how much water is in pool."

As in any other enterprise, when it comes to force of arms, a clear goal and its pursuit demands forethought. What is our goal? How do we expect to achieve it? How are we going to finance it? What will be required of us if we do achieve it? How long, and at what cost, are we willing to pursue it, if we are not achieving it?

Size and strength can do some things, but not everything. An elephant can whip a mouse, but it hasn't happened. Vietnam was a mouse. We were the elephant.

Soldiers wouldn't be needed to finish wars if politicians didn't start them. And there would be no wars, if it was universally agreed upon that no new wars can be started until the previous ones have been paid for.

Hell hath no fury like a draft-dodger commander-in-chief with access to the War Powers Resolution allowing him to bypass Congress and the American public.

Will a draft be re-instituted, if this madness continues? Undoubtedly.

Will there be draft resisters? Undoubtedly. In droves.

Will they have to run for cover to Canada? No. Why? Because they can't be legally prosecuted by any fair-minded court in the land; our president having set the precedent for dodging military service.

Vern Hansen
Los Gatos

Town treated candidate badly

On April 5, we attended a Los Gatos Town Council meeting for the hearing on the $1,350 fine Donna Courtright received because her campaign signs were out of compliance with the Los Gatos sign ordinance. What we heard was discouraging.

This hearing could have been avoided if the caller from the town of Los Gatos had told Donna Courtright where the signs were located. From the council discussion it seems the signs were picked up by Los Gatos promptly after notification and shortly before the election.

Donna was almost the last to be heard at the council meeting, but Mayor Jan Hutchins' comment to her that she should hurry and present her case because it was late and he wanted to leave, was uncalled-for.

From the discussion it seemed the exact town sign ordinance is unfamiliar to everyone on the council. It seemed their concern was to vote for denial of the requested waiver, (a vote to collect the money) and to get home.

Some questions remain. What was the specific problem with the signs? Did opposing campaigners move the signs from legal spots to illegal spots?

What happened to the old signs? Why is there no requirement for a written notification? Why did the council avoid action to correct the current ordinance?

Shirley and Bob Becklund
San Jose

Police Report

Writers reflect post-Vietnam search for new values in harsh world

Wedding: Linda Overshiner, Terry Hunter

New In Town: Manaz

Picture From the Past: Los Gatos railroads

Sports Briefs

Los Gatos Little League season officially opens

LG athletes compete in CCS Top 8 Track Classic

Los Gatos swim team defeats Monta Vista in league meet