Fighting party politics

To even attempt to draw a comparison between Newport Beach’s Fourth

of July policies and those of Saddam Hussein’s rule and the hammer

and sickle of Stalin’s Russia is completely offensive to those who

died during those regimes. And for the Pilot to lead its top story of

the day by alluding to that in the first graph is beyond ridiculous.

As a veteran of many Fourths of July in the “War Zone,” I’ve

managed to survive unscathed. It’s all the morons who come in from

the “909” [area code] that cause the bulk of the problems. You can

still party and have a good time while acting responsibly. If the

police have to arrest the drunken knuckleheads, so be it. The

additional revenue certainly doesn’t hurt the city, and maybe it will

discourage the out-of-towners from coming down and ruining the fun

for everyone else.

MIKE MCNIFF

Costa Mesa

Brian Clarkson’s bloated rhetoric about alleged parallels between

the Newport Beach Police Department and Saddam Hussein points to a

badly diseased mind. He and his fellow jerks ought to find a better

way or a different place to have their destructive fun. I totally

support the city’s policy.

DAVID H. WALLACE

Newport Beach

It is hard for me to understand this group’s point. Have they

forgotten what happened in Huntington Beach when so-called party

people went wild from all of the drinking?

The Newport Beach City Council shows great leadership. Please do

not change your minds on this issue; you have my support.

FRED LEVINE

Newport Beach

The city of Newport Beach is finally reacting appropriately to the

very dangerous and miserable tradition of Fourth of July in West

Newport’s “war zone.” I lived for three years at 33rd and Seashore. I

spent my Fourths of July not picnicking, enjoying the beach, watching

fireworks or barbecuing with family and friends, but protecting my

home and property. I have had my yard urinated on, my barbecue

lighted by strangers to cook their food on, my shrubbery used as

garbage cans, my front porch and side patio invaded by people I have

never met. Last year, my upstairs balcony was barraged with M-80s.

I, too, oppose further ordinances and laws and restrictions on

residents and their freedoms. However; freedom is not free; it comes

with responsibilities and a price. The police, highway patrol and

sheriff’s office has tried for years to control the “mob” and what

comes from hours in the sun, drinking and drugging.

Unfortunately, we cannot “close” West Newport off to nonresidents;

it is illegal to do so. Therefore, we need to make it a less

desirable place for nonresidents to come to on that day. It is just

like they did in Palm Springs for Spring Break and Huntington Beach

for the Fourth of July. This may inconvenience some residents who

choose not to plan ahead and by their liquor in advance, or only

invite responsible guests and refuse to take responsibility for the

behavior of their ill-mannered guests. Perhaps the landlords of these

summer rentals will now more carefully select their week-by-week

tenants if they are heavily fined for their tenants’ bad behavior. As

I said, freedom is not free!

I visited the Web site of Brian Clarkson’s group. It is very well

put together and they have a lot of good information; however, no

where on that site do they talk about solutions to this problem or

talk about the real issue: safety.

It is just a matter of time when this “party” produces a tragic

consequence. What then will be the response of Clarkson and his

group? “Sue Newport Beach and it’s leaders because they didn’t

anticipate it”?

By the way, I do agree with Clarkson and his group about the

helicopters.

BARBARA JOHNSON

Newport Coast