Online-only letters

Immigration

Don't force sympathy for illegals

At a time when Americans are getting laid off left and right, your newspaper tries a sob story about some Latinos losing their jobs ["3 Latino workers sue Auburn firm," Times, Local News, Aug. 5]? Why do I get the feeling these were illegal immigrants? Why do they have any right to sue? Why aren't the companies investigated for hiring these men instead of Americans?

Please write your sob stories on issues that count: the thousands of legal, law-abiding Americans out of work because illegals work cheaper.

— Janice Gammill, Graham

A part of American history

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, California was the mecca for the nation's poor and hungry ["Immigrants aren't welcome here," Times, guest commentary, Aug. 1]. We are all familiar with the "Okies" who flooded California from the Dust Bowl that was then Oklahoma. They were joined by refugees from the Texas Dust Bowl, as well as unemployed workers from other states.

The influx was so great that California was actually refusing admittance and set up border guards at all entrance points to stop them. How many of California's elite today are descendants of those "illegal" immigrants?

— Rudy Upchurch, Woodinville

FCC ruling

Internet use an issue of property rights

Apparently, The Times wants the Internet to be "an open platform and a conduit to commerce and creativity" for everyone except the people who actually provide access to it ["FCC warns Comcast: Keep the Internet open," Times, editorial, Aug. 2] In the ruling, which you supported in your editorial, the Federal Communications Commission basically told those who supply Internet access, "Put up and shut up!"

The fundamental issue at stake is one of property rights. An individual's right to free speech and action does not extend to use of another's property. An Internet service provider has the right to determine how bandwidth will be allocated on its network, just as its customers have the right to switch to another provider.

Just as we would not say someone's home should be "an open platform" to anyone who wants to use it, we should refrain from similarly expropriating Internet service providers' private property. Otherwise, the only parties with truly free and open access to the Internet will be the FCC.

— Ryan Krause, Chicago

War veterans

Have courage; oppose the government

In an article dealing with Vietnam and Iraq veterans, I found, as a Vietnam veteran myself, their stories to be incredibly self-serving, with little or no introspection given as to why they should have needlessly suffered ["Iraq, Vietnam veterans find common ground," Times, News, Aug. 4].

Larry Criteser, a Vietnam veteran, said being in Vietnam "was one of the most horrible experiences of [his] entire life." Likewise, Cpl. John Joss lost a leg as a result of being blown up by a roadside bomb in Iraq. At no time in the article did any of these veterans ever express outrage at the U.S. government for having placed them in that untenable position in the first place.

Not to be undone, Lt. Col. William Prior, the current commander of the Manchu brigade, lauds the service of Vietnam veterans. One has to wonder why military personnel who blindly and willingly accepted orders to kill people who never threatened anyone in the United States should be showered with praise.

It would be far better that, instead of reading a paean to American militarism, one could see in print a story about those military personnel who had the wisdom and courage to say "no" to illegal and immoral wars of aggression.

— Clifford J. Hutchins, Rochester

Tourist talk

Seattle road signs confusing

I'm just finishing up a weeklong visit to your wonderful city. The food, the sights, the people — everything was superb! Well, except for one little thing: The road signs to your highways are among the worst I've seen in any North American city.

For example, imagine you're on Denny Way by the Space Needle. Head west and, strictly using the signs, try to find your way onto Highway 99 heading south. You'll find it impossible. Is there a thriving trade in Highway 99 signs I'm not aware of?

Similarly, finding one's way out of downtown onto Interstate 5 is pretty much hit and miss. If you're a pedestrian and keep seeing a car with out-of-state plates circling and circling, know that it's yet another lost tourist!

— Robert Werner, Vancouver, B.C.

ESTA hurts tourism

With the American economy in the toilet, one might wonder why the Department of Homeland Security is implementing the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), making it more difficult and less attractive to travel to the United States from many countries. The affected countries include seven that fall into the top 10 per capita income worldwide: precisely the kinds of tourists you want coming to Atlantic City, N.J., instead of going to Monaco.

The ESTA acts as a deterrent to legitimate casual travelers but seems highly unlikely to form any greater barrier to terrorism (whose adherents are determined, to say the least) than currently implemented methods.

Why is the government wasting time and money on a system that works against the best interests of the people? Isn't it the responsibility of the bureaucracy to pull the country out of the economic hole we've stumbled into?

— Mathew E. Reuther, an American abroad, De Kwakel, Netherlands

Traffic-circle death

Teenage girls at fault

I can appreciate the seriousness of Brian Keith Brown's guilt in the death of James Paroline, but we're focusing our attention on a scapegoat ["Community defines day at the Beach," Times, Local News, Aug. 5]. We need to go back to the root of the problem: the three impatient, quick-tempered and disrespectful teenage girls who bullied an old man over a traffic cone.

The girls need anger-management counseling and their fair share of punishment. For had they not decided it was their moral obligation to harass their unsuspecting neighbor as he innocently attempted to beautify their neighborhood, Brown would not have felt morally obligated to jump to their rescue in what he considered to be a legitimate and noble act. They were the catalyst for this whole scenario, and they are just as responsible for Paroline's death.

To be perfectly honest, I am more frightened of meeting this gang of teens on the streets than I am of Brown. They are more dangerous because of their rage and their inability to deal rationally with a benign situation. I feel sorry that Brown was caught in their web and enticed into acting on their behalf.

In fact, I am more angry at those girls than I am at Brown. So please, let's give credit where credit is due, and remember those awful girls were the ones who started the problems that resulted in the loss of a life.

— Laura Morzov, Shoreline

Judicial race

Make judges appointed positions

I consider myself to be very knowledgeable about politics and political campaigns, especially at the local level. I would guess that I'm in the top 10 percent of the people in Washington as far as how much time I spend studying candidates and issues both in your newspaper and online before deciding how to cast a vote.

That said, I admit that I am utterly unqualified to determine who should be elected as judges in our municipal and state courts. I don't have time to research if a candidate is one of the finest legal minds of our generation or a recent law grad who just squeaked by on the Bar Exam.

I truly believe that only a tiny fraction of voters in Washington use anything other than the dart-board approach when electing judges. So the only thing that might sway a voter is name recognition, and the only way to gain name recognition is to spend money on ads and signs. It logically follows that a judgeship is one of the few elected positions in our state that can be bought.

It is time to end the farce and make judges appointed positions. Both Gov. Christine Gregoire and opponent Dino Rossi, with the advice of the state attorney general and representatives of the State Bar, have the integrity to appoint only those who are truly qualified to serve.

— Kevin Barry, Issaquah

High-school math

Algebra II requirement misguided

Washington state recently made Algebra II a requirement for high-school graduation, starting with the class of 2013 ["State: More algebra a must," Times, Local News, July 25]. I agree that every child should learn to read, write and understand math before graduation. However, this new requirement is unfair, excessive, unrealistic and misplaced.

First, not all students have a fighting chance to pass Algebra II. Some kids just don't "get" math. The stated goal to "make sure that college is an option" is admirable but irrelevant. Not everyone is college material, and that's OK.

Second, not all students need Algebra II. I've had a successful 20-year career with Fortune 500 companies and still don't use polynomials.

Third, what's the cost? Will kids who fail Algebra II be required to stay in high school? Will teachers simplify the course and inflate grades just to get students through?

Finally, the requirement doesn't address the root causes of low math scores, which includes inadequate elementary-level drills. An Algebra II requirement comes too late for students with poor skills in arithmetic.

I believe that a renewed focus on math fundamentals in elementary schools would serve the state far better than the Algebra II requirement.

— Bill Whitmore, Auburn