A few takes on Surf City issues

Russell Snider

I have to say that I am in agreement with John Boag’s comment that it

is the primary responsibility to ensure that the atmosphere of

schools is conducive to learning (“School board right, code should

stand,” Dec. 18). How a few teenagers expressing their views publicly

(which the last time I checked was allegedly guaranteed by our Bill

of Rights) is disruptive to the learning process I am not certain.

While it is certainly disruptive to some as it relates to

photography, I don’t see the big deal. Luckily for the residents of

Huntington Beach, not to mention the students, they have school

boards to protect them from selfish students.

Last time I checked, the “separation of church and state,” which,

by the way, is not in the Constitution, was designed to protect the

populace from any government-forced religion, not to prevent people

from expressing their beliefs.

Now on to the next topic -- city health benefits

I am in favor of the views that the city employees should have

more say in how their health plan is run. In fact, I am in favor of

letting them fund and run their own plan independent of the city. Let

them plan for and burden their costs. Perhaps if they had to budget

for changes in healthcare costs, they would be more careful. Luckily,

there are unions to protect our civil servants from such

responsibility. While I wish I could turn to the city to help me with

my healthcare costs, I don’t believe the kind taxpaying residents of

Huntington Beach would really be open to the fact that I am

disappointed my healthcare costs have gone up. As it is now, I am

expected to figure out how to come up with the money or how to live

with less. Hey, if the job doesn’t pay you enough to afford the

lifestyle you want, and $300 a month makes that big a difference,

look for a different job. Last time I checked, we still live in a

free country, and no one is enslaved to their employer. I am told

they even have jobs available in Foothill Ranch, and I know for a

fact that the supermarkets are hiring (my wife helped me with that

one). There are jobs that pay better and have better benefits.

Goodness sakes, one might even look for a more efficient means of

doing their “city work” and creating a business from it. Wow, save

the city money and start your own business. I know it’s probably way

too much to think possible, though it would seem that much wealth has

been created through people believing that the impossible is indeed

possible.

A moment of silence ...

I can certainly appreciate Mark D. Bixby’s right to express his

view and actually found some humor in it (“A moment of silence,

please,” Dec. 18). Imagine us all taking a moment of silence to

reinforce and uphold our beliefs in nothing with the atheists of the

world. I don’t believe City Hall’s intent is to exclude anyone.

Rather, it would seem they are allowing people who would feel

offended to take solace outside the chambers while others express

their beliefs. How excusing one’s self from an invocation and

returning upon its completion is excluding people from their right to

participate in our public forum is beyond me.

As Bixby duly noted, should someone have differing views they

could certainly express those views in public comment. If one were to

look closely at those who risked their lives to found this country,

one would see some very interesting facts. Of those who signed the

Constitution for example, 53 of the 55 were Christians who openly

confessed their faith. Interestingly enough, these Christians were

the ones who fought to ensure the state did not force religion (and

religious taxation/persecution) upon the masses, which the

Constitution seems to have effectively done. Let all the

Zoroastrians, Tongvans, Wiccans, Hindus, yes and even atheists come

forth in support of their beliefs (or lack thereof) and provide their

input in our public comment as well. It is a free country and their

right, just as it is Mayor Cathy Green’s right to hold an invocation

over the meeting of which she is in charge.

* RUSSELL SNIDER is a Huntington Beach resident. To contribute to

“Sounding Off” e-mail us at hbindy@ latimes.com or fax us at (714)

965-7174.