Letters

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SUDDENLY, COX WANTS SANDBOX

R. Scott Moxley and Anthony Pignataro make a serious mistake to suggest that “whatever Orange County voters wanted,” the Navy might attempt to avoid the parkland mandate of Measure W by selling the property “piecemeal to private developers” (“Size Matters,” March 29). The Navy is firmly committed to honoring Measure W in letter and in spirit. Selling the base property doesn't mean otherwise. Selling the base property is the best way to ensure it will be developed for parkland. The sale will end its status as federal property. Like all local property, it will then be subject to local zoning. The zoning applicable to the former base property is Measure W. As the story points out, that could change if the city of Irvine annexes the property—at which point, the zoning intentions of Irvine would become paramount. Fair enough, but I think Irvine Mayor Larry Agran and the rest of the city's officials are as good as their word on this. They want a park, too, and they know that's what the people voted for. That means that any buyer must use the property mostly for parkland and open space, with only those supplementary uses permitted by the local zoning. Moreover, in return for the right to develop those supplementary uses, the zoning authority can extract the necessary commitments to develop the park, helping move us from dusty runways to the kind of landscape featured on Measure W brochures. At my urging and that of our other local elected officials, the Pentagon has stated explicitly and repeatedly that it will honor the results of the countywide vote on Measure W. We now have a plan—Measure W—and it is being implemented exactly as the voters intended.

Representative Christopher Cox
U.S. Congress

R. Scott Moxley responds:Cox is disingenuous when he describes the Navy's swift, post-Measure W election announcement as meaningless. If local government does not own the base, it can't lease valuable park perimeter land to businesses. Without lease income, the massive park can't be built and maintained—short of raising taxes. As the eight-term Newport Beach congressman surely knows, that isn't going to happen. Finally, Cox never once advocated a park at El Toro before the election. Why should we trust his claim that he is fighting for a park now?

THE NEW BEST LETTER EVER TO COMMIE GIRL

So let me get this straight: Rebecca Schoenkopf is all pissed-off that she didn't get interviewed by VH1 or asked to judge or present an award at the Orange County Music Awards, even though by her own admission, “Out of the 65 artists nominated in various categories, I never heard of 43” (“Dude, Where's My Envelope?” April 5). How embarrassing is that? Who the hell does she think she is? Just because she travels around to a few clubs and writes a lame-ass little column that focuses mainly on stupid bands she has crushes on gives her no credibility whatsoever when it comes to Orange County music. Get a grip, Rebecca. You have no damn clue what is going on in the OC music scene, and you never will. Stick to writing your crap, and stop thinking you are an expert in anything other than pathetic, self-centered, pompous dumbasses like yourself. You will be forever doomed to writing your self-involved little bullshit columns on toilet-paper rolls in your cat-feces-infested motel room long after OC Weekly finally wakes up and fires you.

Mary
Rancho Santa Margarita

Rebecca Schoenkopf responds: That is the best letter EVER!

GIVE US YOUR HUDDLED MASSES, YEARNING TO DRINK CHEAP

I just read Commie Girl's column about the Huddle, and I would like to say there is not a problem with white supremacist activity there. I have seen people there from all races, religions and backgrounds. Sure, on occasion, we see someone who eagerly displays his anti-Semitic views to others. I welcome anyone into the huddle for a great evening with real people—like Carlos, who plays flamenco guitar; Gus, a mechanic from Pep Boys; Rachel the Goth; Brian at the dartboard—who just happens to be Jewish—and Dave the big friendly guy singing with Jimi Hendrix and watching his New York teams get beaten on TV.

Andrew Lothian
via e-mail BIG, FAT COWS

The Beef Palace may be a fine place to pick up a dismembered cow, but as a source of nutritional advice, Calvin Free is either stupid or lying (Linda Nelson's “Of Meat and Men,” April 5). Probably a little of both. Nelson is “stuck” for a response when Free claims that cattle are fat because they're vegetarians. The obvious truth is that modern cattle are fat because they spend their lives standing around feed lots, ingesting growth hormones, genetically modified corn and ground-up animal parts deemed “unfit for human consumption”—unfit, that is, until those parts have been processed through another animal. Although humans can thrive on small amounts of animal protein (especially if the meat is organic), we can also live long and healthy lives on a completely vegetarian diet.

Thea Wolf
Banning HEY, THAT'S NO WAY TO TALK ABOUT AN ASSOCIATE!

As a former news editor at The Orange County Register, I found R. Scott Moxley's story about former Register reporter Kate Berry interesting but not surprising (“Survey Says: 'You're Screwed!'” March 15). The Register is a place where paranoia is normal, favoritism is way in your face and your best survival instinct is flight. That Tonnie Katz would commission a confidential survey and change the rules when someone's answers make her and her minions anxious is the kind of insidious behavior that passes for normal. Every year brought a new management program, full of helter-skelter whims that distracted people from doing the real job of reporting news.

Name withheld by request
via e-mail