Elephant rides at the Sana Ana Zoo; the pope’s views on condoms; California’s sinking Republican Party

Elephant talk

Re “Zoo defends its elephant rides,” Nov. 22

I do not often agree with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, but in the case of the group’s opposition to elephant rides at the Santa Ana Zoo, it has it right.

I have always thought a zoo’s goal is to provide a healthy, protected environment for the animals, one as close as possible to their natural habitat. Bringing in elephants from outside the zoo just to have humans ride around on them is not that.

Selling elephant rides crosses a line between public education and entertainment — entertainment at the expense of animals.

One does not have to ride an animal to be “struck by its power and majesty.” If you really want to respect the majesty of elephants, give them their space.

Elisabeth Mills

Santa Monica

The pope and prophylactics

Re “Pope says condom use OK in few cases,” Nov. 21

Condom use in certain instances can be a first step in moralization — that is, realizing that sex has consequences can be the starting place for becoming moral.

The pope points out that fixation on condoms as the only way to stop AIDS promotes the “banalization of sexuality, which, after all, is precisely the dangerous source of the attitude of no longer seeing sexuality as the expression of love.” In other words, casual sex and promiscuity are the real problems behind AIDS, and condoms won’t fix that.

You also can’t accuse the church of doing nothing for AIDS victims. Catholic facilities treat 25% of AIDS victims around the world, and in some areas the statistic is as high as 40%.

It is the liberals, and not the conservatives, who are twisting Pope Benedict XVI’s words

Mirjana Coccia

Santa Paula

It saddens me that the pope gives no consideration to women having sex with their partners who do not know they are infected.

I compare the pope’s attitude to those who believe that if they do not educate their children about safe sex, perhaps their children will not experience sex.

Inexpensive condoms save millions of dollars in medical costs. and heartache. I find comfort in knowing that not too many people at the age of sexual activity listen to the pope.

Margarita Avina

Whittier

Hopefully the pope will extend his understanding of “responsibility” to include the necessity of birth control. Many people are having children they don’t really want and cannot feed, clothe or care for properly.

The population explosion should be a concern as well, and we have a responsibility to the Earth, which we are plundering.

Eileen Schenck

Riverside

Republicans in a blue state

Re “State’s GOP is sinking fast,” Column, Nov. 22

George Skelton suggests that the state GOP “drop the demagoguery about illegal immigrants because it scares off the fast-growing Latino electorate.”

In his Feb. 2, 2009, column, Skelton admitted that the 2.6 million illegal immigrants in California cost the state well over

$5 billion a year.

Is Skelton now intimating that it is more important to win an election by pandering to one ethnic group simply because of its growing political influence, even if it is at the expense of the overall interests of the nation and state?

Jim Redhead

San Diego

The demise of the GOP in California, in contrast to many other parts of the country, offers a unique opportunity in social experimentation. With the Democrats completely in control, it can now be seen whether the social, economic and political theories of that party are able to produce a better state.

If the state’s problems can be solved in the next few years, and if the rate of growth in California exceeds that of other states, the Democrats will be entitled to all the credit.

If not, the fault belongs to George W. Bush.

David Goodwin

Los Angeles

California is the most progressive state. On everything from technology and science to environmental causes, we are in the forefront of most of the modern-day innovations.

So it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that we shamelessly avoided Republican leadership when the rest of America embraced it.

For future reference, political groups cannot be anti-liberal, anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-environment or anti- Hollywood and expect to obtain power. With the defeat of Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina, we proved that we can’t be bought. For that, Californians should be very proud.

Kyle Laurent

Newhall

Environmental activists

Re “An ethnic split on environment,” Nov. 20

It’s unsurprising that Latinos and Asians, among other statistical minorities, are more concerned than whites about environmental destruction.

Immigrant populations have more family and friends in other countries. Consequently, they are more likely to learn about environmental crimes committed outside our nation’s borders. Since many of those crimes are the responsibility of multinationals enabled by American coddling, it’s natural for immigrants to be skeptical about the notion that pro-corporate environmental policies will actually benefit anyone other than the corporations themselves — a notion touted by Republicans.

Warren Senders

Medford, Mass.

Had your poll included African Americans, it would show similar strong environmental justice concerns.

A recent report by the California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund also confirms that these strong values make Asian voters an untapped political power for environmental change. Past polling revealed similar results for Latinos.

Asian and Latino leaders have a long history of environmental leadership. Rep. Hilda Solis wrote the nation’s first environmental justice law. Rep. Judy Chu fought to remove cancer-causing chemicals from consumer products.

Solving the tough environmental issues requires a focus on those urban and minority communities most affected by pollution and on increasing their voter participation.

Warner Chabot

Oakland

The writer is CEO of the California League of Conservation Voters.

Tardy apology

Re “Echoes of the Holocaust,” Editorial, Nov. 20

The apology by France’s national railway, SNCF, is too little and too late. My uncle was one of the people transported by the SNCF to Germany and a concentration camp. The only reason for the apology was a future contract.

That aside, why wouldn’t California award its high-speed rail contract to an American company that will provide thousands of needed jobs here? In the long run, this would be far cheaper than awarding a multibillion-dollar contract to an overseas company.

Adam Mekler

Pasadena

Web wonder

Re “Kosher Internet for the pious,” Column One, Nov. 20

I have to admit that you had me fooled for a while. I thought I was reading a selection from George Orwell’s “1984.” Or was it about Chinese restrictions concerning Google? No, it’s only extremist religion once again raising its absolutist head.

Isn’t it possible that an intelligent Orthodox Jew can decide for himself what is appropriate content without having a picture of Big Brother staring at him from the computer?

Maybe not. The flock is meant to follow; no thinking, no questions.

Lawrence Kosberg

Los Angeles

Gobble — gulp!

Re “Fresh turkeys get a warm welcome,” Business, Nov. 20

I was saddened by the words of Mary Pitman, owner of a farm that “raises” turkeys, who said, “It’s cute how they talk in unison when they get excited.”

I wonder how “cute” she thinks they sounded as they were being slaughtered for Thursday’s meal.

Melinda Levinson

Los Angeles