Message could have been a lot worse...

Message could have been a lot worse

As a Jew, I fully support the Fountain Valley High School students

who wanted to wear the Jesus Loves You shirt. First, is their right

under the 1st Amendment to do so. Second, we’ve become far too

thin-skinned. How exactly do these shirts hurt anyone?

I’m thrilled they wanted to send that message by wearing the

shirts. We could do a lot worse in a modern American high school.

MARK COHEN

Huntington Beach

Get cigarette butts off the beaches

I strongly support banning smoking on beaches. The fact that

smoking is a filthy and unhealthy habit notwithstanding, the

practical side of ban is that the beaches would be much cleaner

without the thousands of cigarette butts that smokers carelessly

discard after finishing a “butt.”

The sooner a ban occurs, the better.

BERNIE TORBIK

Huntington Beach

A place where they know your name

Amid the prominence and convenience of the massive corporate

gorillas who relentlessly attempt to purchase influence into every

aspect of our lives (call that advertising ... ), it is a rare treat

to find a locally owned and operated enterprise that can hold its own

against the giants because of pure personality and service.

A few weeks ago, my daughter told me about a little coffee shop

about a half block east of Bolsa Chica on the south side of Heil.

What a treat! Izzy’s, run by proprietor Vicky, is now one of my

favorite spots in Huntington Beach. Every morning, Vicky and Suzanne

remember my name, walk outside to give my yellow Lab Ginger (whose

name they also remember!) a handful of treats -- and serve up the

finest coffee and breakfast I’ve had in the city. And I’m thrilled to

spend my coffee bucks at a locally owned and operated establishment.

Last night, Izzy’s celebrated two successful years in business

with an open house, including free food and drinks for all their

customers. Classy. Personal. Well done! Go get ‘em, Izzy’s!

RICK GREGORY

Huntington Beach

Huntington already has its GOPer

Re: Grudge match, Rohrabacher vs. Dornan:

Hold on a minute. We already have a bona fide Republican now. Dana

Rohrabacher is one who, I’m sure, believes “that government that

governs least governs best.” So what’s the problem? The congressman

hasn’t done anything. What more could a constituent ask of his

Republican representative? So we should ask ourselves, what does

Twiddle Dumb offer that Twiddle Dee doesn’t?

I have an idea, though for Democrats. Find someone open to good

ideas and who is willing to listen and will give us 24 months’ work

for 24 months’ pay. And in the end, if we like the job he’s done, we

ask him back. Bob Dornan will only take us back to an uglier time.

BLAKE H. FINCHAMP

Huntington Beach

No need for the desalinization project

As longtime residents of this city, we are strongly opposed to any

form of a desalinization plant, as is currently proposed, and have

strongly urged that the City Council disapprove this project in its

entirety. The city should be applauded for its efforts in promoting

and encouraging Surf City as a world-class tourist destination and,

as evidenced by the recent development of several attractive luxury

hotels in the immediate area, we have come a long way in

accomplishing this goal.

Aside from the very major issue of existing and potentially

worsening ocean and beach contamination, the introduction of an

additional industrial activity less than a mile from luxury beach

oriented tourist destinations would constitute a significantly

negative land use impact and a step backward. The existing power

plant itself is grossly incompatible with the emerging pattern of

development along this segment of our coastline and, ideally and

hopefully, the plant will some day soon have a city-designated

limited future life at its current location. No additional industrial

activity in this area is needed or justified.

Environmental impact reports are enough! The project should and

must be disapproved!

CHARLES AND MARYANN ROZZELLE

Huntington Beach