Letters for July 12, 2001

Bites revealed!

Re “The Skinny” (SN&R Capital Bites, July 5):

You must be angry that your despicable game didn’t work. Trying to sic an FBI-listed terrorist group [Jewish Defense League] on the Northern California Council of Conservative Citizens (NCCofCC), in order to get a story on me, must be the lowest you’ve ever sunk. Do your homework, guys, because if you would, you would know that I make it a point to know my enemy.

Please do not insult my intelligence with your moronic assertions that I tried to “recruit” you and your fellow News & Review staff as new members. When you walked into the door I knew who you were. Maybe you should have told your photographer to wait around the corner, because we immediately recognized him since his last try to take pictures of me.

Then, you leave a half-hour before the meeting started and then write: “the small pathetic group.” In fact, we had an awesome turnout. Also, let me point out that the NCCofCC has hundreds of supporters, which can’t always come to Sacramento for a meeting.

If you would have stayed for the entire meeting, you would have realized that everything you’ve ever written about us are lies. Of course, you didn’t want that. Calling us a bunch of “Fascist nutballs” is a gross misrepresentation. Our members are patriots who support the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I am sure you remember those two documents, because you always quote them when it benefits your sick audience. Of course, in your world, these two documents don’t apply to people like us.

Walter F. Mueller
Sacramento

Editor’s Note:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation does not list the Jewish Defense League as a terrorist organization. An FBI spokesman told SN&R it has no such list, nor has it condemned the JDL in any way.

OK, nuts with balls

Re “Rain Dance” (SN&R Capital Bites, June 28):

The Sacramento News & Review reports about Walter Mueller and the members of the Northern California Council of Conservative Citizens (NCCofCC) with astounding inaccuracy, completely devoid of any essence of objective reporting or independent thought! I mean, come on; “fascist nutballs” spewing “the most vile and dangerous type of propaganda.” The SN&R also took great pleasure in verbally bashing Harvey Taylor of the Institute for Historical Review (IHR) with such hollow criticisms and irresponsible characterizations, such as claiming that the (IHR) denies “the Holocaust of WWII ever happened” or that they believe it was just another “Jewish conspiracy.”

The reality is this: the state of California European/Americans is now a minority at 47.6% of the state population. Whites in the Golden State account for over “three-quarters of the deaths state-wide while accounting for barely a third of the births.” So is it beyond the realm of rational thought that the NCCofCC would put together a European/American Culture Council? Ever heard of the NAACP, the Urban League, MALDEF or the Jewish Defense League? Hmm … I wonder why it is you feel that it is OK for everybody but whites to collectively pursue their own group interests? As for the IHR, has anybody at the headquarters of the SN&R ever read any of their material or been to one of their meetings? Welcome to the real world!

Robert Lawley
via e-mail

Dream on!

Re “Energetic Dream” by Brian Northere (SN&R Guest Comment, June 28):

Energetic Dreams don’t solve problems. Mr. Northere proffers solutions to the “power crisis!” Unfortunately, they are, for the most part, pipe dreams.

The proposal that fuel cells will power fuel cells by extracting hydrogen and in turn using hydrogen to create power is nothing short of a perpetual motion device. A pipe dream.

The use of tidal action to produce any significant amount of energy would not only be cost prohibitive, but cover enough of the coast as to have a huge effect on the tidal ecosystem.

While hemp may be a renewable resource, it certainly wouldn’t be a blow to the fossil fuel industries. It most certainly would be a boon to the hated Archer Daniels Midland.

Furthermore, although hemp is biodegradable, it most certainly degrades into CO2 and methane. What about reducing the greenhouse gas effect?

Poets may dream of creating electricity from walking and bike riding with sidewalks and highways. By definition, energy-absorbing roadways would be unable to produce energy.

While we could reduce some reliance on fossil fuels to generate power, wind, solar and geothermal are already a part of the power grid. The use of any or all of these has practical limits due to their nature.

The one power source that is safe, renewable and efficient and currently available is nuclear power.

Mike Sarkisian
via e-mail

Baby bully

Re “The Power Principle” by Stephen James (SN&R Cover, June 21):

I am writing in regard to your article on Andre Douyon. As a teacher at Hiram Johnson, I have had the misfortune of working under the hostile conditions imposed by this man whom one of your readers accurately described as an “authoritarian megalomaniac.” At least that reader can be thankful to have been subjected to his bullying tactics for only the duration of one college course. Those of us who will have to return to the domain of “Baby Doc” (as he is not so affectionately known by some people on campus) in the fall, and for who knows how long, are not so lucky.

While I felt that your article was suitably scathing, I thought your readers might have gotten the impression that those who are opposed to this man are just whiners who don’t want to face real reforms. So I’m writing to tell you and your readers that the incidents cited in the piece were just a few of the many, many examples of Douyon’s authoritarianism, rudeness and outright hostility that the Hiram Johnson faculty staff and students were faced with last year.

One example has to do with the school’s renowned Aviation Academy. This is a program that enables students who are willing to meet high academic and behavioral standards the opportunity to get their pilot licenses upon graduation, at no cost to the student and minimal cost to the district. It draws some of the best students in the area to our school, many of whom even come from more affluent, prestigious districts to attend our school and be a part of this program. During this past school year, Mr. Douyon decided, on his own, to close down the Aviation Academy. The head of the academy was not consulted in any way or even notified by the principal—he found out from the students! The reason Douyon gave, when pressed for an explanation by outraged students and their parents, was that the academy had not met the goals it laid out upon its formation. A request for statistical data to support this claim went unanswered. Is this what Douyon calls “reform”? At the last faculty meeting of the year, the director of the academy, who is retiring, stood up and told us that this last year had been the only bad one out of a 20-year career in education. He received a standing ovation.

When Mr. Douyon leaves Hiram Johnson (and the sooner the better!) I imagine there will be a standing ovation then, too. But it won’t be one of support.

Name withheld upon request
via e-mail

Insignificant others

Re: “Fairness Over Divisiveness” by Eric Astacaan (SN&R Guest Comment, June 14):

Section 3, subsection 6 of Assembly Bill 25 (Migden, et.al.) is a blatant violation of the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, and therefore null & void. It creates special privileges not accorded to all, reserved for homosexual and elderly couples.

As one half of a loving, long-term domestic partnership between a woman and a man, our rights guaranteed by the Ninth Amendment, I will staunchly oppose this unconstitutional bill, before passage, and should it be signed into law, after as well.

That Lisa and I choose not to ask for the “privilege” of a marriage “license” is no one’s business. That the state attempts to accord special rights to selected groups is everyone’s business.

Milton John Kleim, Jr.
Citrus Heights