Orange County Voices

Kenneth L. Khachigian has joined John McCain's presidential campaign, and therefore the bimonthly column he has written for the last 2 1/2 years is being discontinued for the time being. We plan to invite various writers to contribute periodic columns in this space.

Dixon Gayer thought the politics of 1960s Orange County cried out for a voice of moderation. So he invented one. Gayer was an admittedly liberal columnist writing in conservative Orange County when the ultraconservative John Birch Society was a political force in the region. He created the Webster Quimmley Society, named for a fictitious hero whose motto was "Sanity and Freedom," which gained Gayer a measure of national attention for his satirical response to his political opponents.

"It was all there. . . . We thought it was rhetoric. They meant it, and we must stop it." --Rabbi Arnold Rachlis of University Synagogue in Irvine * "This goes against all the teachings of the Torah and our sages. . . . This is unforgivable." --Rabbi Yitzchok Newman of Hebrew Academy in Westminster * "For me, it's been devastating that a Jew killed another." --Clarita Karlin, 65, of Laguna Hills * "He'd given everything to the state of Israel."

A group that includes former state lawmakers, high-profile attorneys and veteran former newspaper reporters plans to launch a nonprofit online news organization to provide watchdog and investigative journalism in Orange County. The Voice of OC, which will get its start with $140,000 from the Orange County Employees Assn., hopes to fill a void left by shrinking staffs covering the county at the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times, said Joe Dunn, a former Democratic state senator from Santa Ana who will chair the outlet's board of directors.

Robert Fraser's opinion, ("Killing Off Our Flora and Fauna Endangers Our Quality of Life," Orange County Voices, Dec. 17) illustrates what is wrong with the environmental sciences. Fraser advocates the preservation of endangered species habitat and opposes reform of the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, he supports his position by relying on a lack of evidence rather than proven facts. Because there is no evidence for a certain proposition, it must be true. Fraser claims that today only 5% of coastal sage scrub (CSS)

Mark R. Matthews states that illegal activities will accompany adult businesses ("Cities Must Take a Stronger Stand Against Adult Businesses," Orange County Perspective, Jan. 14). Other than the unsupported opinion of Janet La Rue, he offers no proof of the relationship of adult businesses to illegal activities. Nor does he provide any evidence of the magnitude of this "problem." Yet he advocates municipalities single out businesses catering to a sexual theme and pass ordinances of doubtful constitutionality with the express purpose of making it too expensive to fight, forcing those business "somewhere else."

Laguna Niguel and other South County areas have unique features. But the reality is that the special qualities will be lost unless steps are taken now to preserve them. Some people may say Laguna Niguel environmentalists are anti-development and place them in the category of radicals and extremists. Not true!

Once again, the question of whether Orange County should adopt a charter or remain a general-law county has been raised. Since this issue has been studied and considered in the past, it might help to see what was learned in the most recent study and why the recommendation was made that the county not adopt a charter. To understand the arguments about a county having a charter, a few basic legal facts have to be recognized. Legally speaking, counties are subdivisions of the state.

"Dr. Osborne, may I take an incomplete grade in this class?" asked one of my students in a trembling voice. He explained that his National Guard unit had been activated. He looked scared to death. I told him of course he could take an incomplete; for an instant I saw my own two young sons and flashed on the hundreds of thousands of American soldiers poised for combat in the Arabian desert. This incident got me going. It was time for action.

The current moves aimed at re-establishing Orange County as a full participant in the regional planning agency, the Southern California Assn. of Governments, are good news for the Southland. Orange County was a founding member of the association 26 years ago, and in recent months its vital influence in determining regional affairs has been sorely missed.

Re "Hawaii Flights Approved, but Don't Pack Yet," Feb. 7: So Bruce Nestande thinks that South County opposition to an El Toro international airport is irrational. What about those who are opposed to John Wayne's expansion? Are they irrational as well? Anybody who does want a new or expanded airport to destroy his community is irrational, Bruce. And I'm not being paid to promote this view, as you are. KURT PAGE Laguna Niguel A reminder to Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Cynthia P. Coad regarding the proposed Hawaii flights from JWA: Better take a flight aboard the airline before permitting such flights.

Re "FAA Builds a Stone Wall Around El Toro," (Orange County Voices, Jan. 21): NIMBYs continue to repeat the Big Lie, over and over again. In this case, it is Leonard Kranser, telling us El Toro airport "is unsafe, unneeded and unwanted." The safety of El Toro airport is not the purview of Kranser or any other highly biased South County NIMBY. Rather it is a decision for the Federal Aviation Administration. How is it that these NIMBYs who are so against air traffic in Orange County (sporting "NO JETS AT EL TORO" bumper stickers)

Re "Orange Unified School Board Has Abandoned Conservative Agenda" (Orange County Voices, Nov. 5): Bill Lewis has been on the board since 1991, but now he is getting a taste of his own medicine from his fellow board members. He blames the demise of the district on the abandonment of conservative principles. Contrary to what he says, it seems that it is the insistence by this current board on partisan conservative politics that has put it in such a state that "there is no evidence of a turnaround in the near future."

Re "It's a Dirty Shame About the Beach," Aug. 27 Orange County Voices: Lorraine M. Scott's frustration in regard to contaminated ocean waters is quite poignant. Here in Southern Orange County, the Clean Water Now! Coalition has continually protested the grievous disparity between postings and closures. Combine her comments with the recent findings of human viral matter in Back Bay of Newport Beach and the dilemma is clear: The state of California saves you from yourself when it requires a riding helmet for two-wheeled vehicles, yet does not restrain residents from entering waters that have acknowledged bacterial and viral pathogens.

Professor Francis J. Beckwith's July 30 Orange County Voices column about abortion was fascinating. He is a strong advocate of the rights of the unborn. However, one must conclude that once they are born they become fair game for the likes of George W. Bush. Bush has presided over record numbers of executions in Texas. Often the defendants were denied any semblance of due process. Appointed counsel have often slept during trials and generally performed in such incompetent and inept ways that it should shock the conscience of a sincere right-to-life advocate.

Re "Peachy Idea: Giving Parents a Few Plums," July 23: Bravo to Orange County Voices columnist Jenny Bioche for pointing out the obvious, at least to us parents, and especially those who stay at home full time. I have long wondered why we, as the supposed leader of the Western world, have failed to keep pace with Europe and the inventive strategies they have developed and implemented to assist families. However, I must question Bioche's statement that "we're a country that is over-focused on children and under-focused on parents."

In the beginning there were lobbyists. They were about the only source of technical information available to California Assembly members before Jesse M. Unruh became Speaker in 1961. Under Unruh's leadership, the Legislature added professional consulting staff, providing an independent source of expert information. From this staff pool grew a new generation of legislative professionals, many of whom were elected to office and became leaders in their own right. Among them are Lt. Gov. Leo T.

At the tea party in "Alice in Wonderland," Alice is baffled at the number of place settings per number of guests until the Mad Hatter explains: "It's always tea-time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles." "Then you keep moving round, I suppose?" said Alice. "Exactly so," said the Hatter: "as the things get used up." Here in Laguna Beach, and all over Orange County, things are getting used up. I have a number of friends who have dealt with that problem by the Mad Hatter's method.

Re "Gender Gap, Republicans and Abortion," July 9 Orange County Voices: Rarely do I find myself steaming just because I disagree with the opinion of another. However, I made an exception in the case of Eileen Padberg's column. I am pregnant and from the moment I saw my daughter's tiny developed body in a sonogram, and now as I feel her move, kick and even hiccup within me, I know she is not just a part of my body, she is a separate, live human being. ANGELA O'NEIL Costa Mesa Eileen Padberg says that white, male Republicans would be outraged by any attempt to eliminate the right to bear arms and to religious freedom.