Sounding Board -- BARRY SAMUELS

I would like to start off by declaring that I have never met

Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee Jim Ferryman, Pilot

columnist Steve Smith or the editors of the Daily Pilot.

The comments by Smith were absurd (“Who needs soap operas when you

have real life,” Oct. 6). As I read the Sunday editorial, I became even

more agitated (“When the going gets tough, leaders are responsible,” Oct.

7). Writing for a local newspaper does not give them the right to convict

a man before he has a trial. While Ferryman has admitted to a mistake, he

will have his day in court. If convicted, he will be fined and will be

subject to criminal punishment.

By Smith calling for Ferryman to resign because of the zero-tolerance

policy of the school district and potential problems the district will

have as a result of Ferryman not resigning, he is forgetting one

important fact: Ferryman is of legal age. From numerous photos I have

seen in your paper, I have to believe Ferryman is over the age of 21.

High school students, on the other hand, are not given the legal right to

consume alcohol.

I do not support anyone’s decision to operate a motor vehicle while

intoxicated.

Recent studies have indicated using cellular phones impairs the

operation of a motor vehicle in a manner comparable to driving under the

influence of alcohol. My own conclusion is that smoking, eating, talking

or any other behavior that distracts the driver can lead to accidental

deaths.

Smith writes: “Ferryman will have failed at least two serious tests of

character. This first test involved drinking the drinks that put him over

the top.” When he writes this, he is making known his personal bias

against consuming alcohol. While Smith has the right not to consume

alcoholic beverages, why does he feel the need to judge those who do?

If the editor of the Daily Pilot is so concerned about the impact that

alcohol is having on Costa Mesa and Newport Beach youth, why do they

continue to run advertisements for restaurants, bars, stores and events

that sell alcohol to customers? Those customers then get into their cars

and navigate our streets. The difference between those people and Jim

Ferryman is that he had an auto accident and was caught.

How many people leave the Orange County Fairgrounds after consuming

alcoholic beverages? The Costa Mesa Police Department is directly across

the street from a facility that encourages drinking, driving and buying a

gun, yet nobody seems to care enough to stop that problem. Gary Monahan,

a Costa Mesa City Councilman and former mayor, owns and operates an Irish

pub. What is the message the citizens of Costa Mesa send to their

children? I believe they strongly support the right to drink alcohol.

By encouraging Ferryman to resign or worse, calling for his removal,

is fanaticism, not the solution. As a reader of the Pilot since 1988, I

am calling for Smith to resign because of his irresponsible comments

about a man who has dedicated endless hours of his time to contribute to

the community. What does Smith do, but sit at his desk and try to create

controversy?

As I turned the dial on my radio to National Public Radio on Oct. 8, I

was informed that President Bush had announced that the bombing campaign

in Afghanistan had started. It hit me then that Ferryman has some pretty

recognizable people in the Driving Under the Influence club.

With Bush having a large approval rating, the American public has sent

a message loud and clear to us all. That message is that we all make

mistakes. Human beings are not perfect. Let’s judge a man or woman by

their accomplishments rather than tear them down because of one mistake.

I am sure that Ferryman is going to rebound from his mistake and will

continue to do the job for Costa Mesa.

* BARRY SAMUELS is a Costa Mesa resident.