MAILBAG - April 22, 2007

College campuses need armed guards

Another tragedy, a senseless killing spree at a school took place last week, this time on the campus of Virginia Tech. It was the deadliest campus shooting in the country’s history.

Sources indicate that the school utilizes unarmed security guards whose major function is writing up parking violations.

I cannot fathom why on earth there are not armed guards on school campuses, by law.

In the immediate future there will, no doubt, be demands for more gun control.

Armed guards at Virginia Tech, in all likelihood, would have at least had the potential for reducing the number of wounded and dead. As it was, the killer was allowed to proceed unhampered to accomplish his heinous deed.

This sort of mayhem can never be totally prevented. Some nut case determined to maim and kill, even at the loss of his own life, will always present the possibility of evading even the best possible preventive measures.

But more gun control is not the answer.

Voices are already calling for “healing,” but healing can only truly begin when the justifiable anger leads to action — having appropriate security measures in place — that ensures events of this nature are less likely to occur.

Don’t become distracted by the hysteria of the gun control lobby and allow it to drown out the voice of reason.

Let’s put would-be killers on notice that all appropriate deterrent measures are in place, and demand that college campuses be made more secure by the implementation of security practices that include trained, armed security guards, and whatever other preventive measures that logic demands.

ILA JOHNSON

Costa Mesa

Don’t allow a treasure to be bulldozed

You don’t lose a treasure like the one-of-a-kind Port Theater — you restore it, especially since there are so few examples in Corona Del Mar (“Fate unclear for historical Port Theater,” April 17).

Who needs nondescript boutiques and office buildings where there’s already many leases? Look at the Lido Theater as a shining example.

ROGER KEMPLER

Laguna Beach

Does the Pilot know more than it lets on?

I am the president of the Harbor View Hills Community Assn. Parks commissioner Debra Allen lives in this neighborhood.

She says that she has no conflict of interest because she has an appraisal that says development of the park site north of the library as a park or as a city hall would not affect the value of her home.

You seem to doubt her appraisal (Fair Game, “All signs point to a vote,” April 13).

Do you have some information that building a city hall on the park site will decrease property values in Harbor View Hills?

BUD VOLBERDING

Corona del Mar

City hall behind the library makes sense

I wanted to tell Daily Pilot Publisher Tom Johnson that I enjoyed his article on the city hall (“All signs point to a vote,” April 13) and that we very much would like the city hall to be built behind the library.

There still is a lot of room for a park there. My husband has lived in Newport for more than 50 years, and I’ve lived here for more than 45. So we’ve been around this area for a long, long time. I see no reason why there’s an argument about where the city hall should go.

There isn’t enough room here, right here by Lido where we live, and it’s ridiculous to even think about rebuilding it there; to spend all that money on new property when they have a perfectly good piece of property behind the library.

They could share a parking lot there and still have room for some sort of a park.

IRENE AND THOMAS TUPMAN

Newport Beach

Fewer planes at JWA would help animals

The beautiful bobcat, Babe, featured in the April 19 Upper Newport Bay Update (“New bobcat family at the bay”) reveals much about a wild animal study conducted by the Nature Conservancy, University of Colorado, and the U.S. Geological Survey that focuses on finding out how close to civilization bobcats and coyotes can exist on fragmented open space land.

This is important because domestic pets are at risk, and the wild animals are or were spooked by airplanes from the past Marine Corps air station at El Toro, the voted-down El Toro international airport, and the nearby John Wayne Airport that sends planes over the animal habitat and nature preserve.

The owners of El Toro, Irvine and Lennar Corporation, may have to open an international airport at the former Marine Corps air station in order to make some money.

The sooner they turn on the lights at El Toro, the better it will be for the animals.

DONALD NYRE

Newport Beach