MAILBAG - Feb. 1, 2007

Sailor couldn’t have predicted predicamentI just read the comments concerning the cost of rescuing Ken Barnes, and the closing comment about it having been an “ego trip” caused me to stop in my tracks (“Sailor should pay costs incurred on ‘ego trip,’ ” Mailbag, Jan. 21). I don’t know Barnes. I’m not an expert on sailing or boats, but from what I have read about the story, he set out with a plan and a lot of safety and survival gear. He had a plan A, a plan B and a plan C. I’m pretty sure being almost killed and rescued by kind fishermen was plan Z.

Things don’t always turn out as we plan. He didn’t set out to fail — he set out on an adventure. Sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control. Swimmers need lifeguards; skiers sometimes need search and rescue.

Where would we be if people stopped taking chances because if something goes wrong someone might need to help them? Think of the people through history who set off in search of a dream! Lewis and Clark come to mind. Or perhaps the ancient Polynesians.

How many of us see or do silly “ego” things each day? You see an accident because someone tried to beat the signal, or the teenager was trying to impress someone with his driving ability, or the woman driving while on the phone to schedule a nail appointment is in an accident and hurt. Do you lecture about the cost of saving them from themselves before you help, or do you just help by offering whatever assistance is reasonable (like calling 911 or setting up flares in the street) and then lecture them about how much smarter and safer you are because it didn’t happen to you?

The world is a big place, full of adventure and danger. And sometimes, people need help from others. And when that happens, it is an honor and a duty to do what we can to help someone in need. Feeling self-righteous or sanctimonious at someone else’s expense after a life-threatening situation is not a path I could personally follow; seeing others act or think this way alarms me.

Character isn’t what we do when others are watching, it’s what we do when no one will ever know how we chose to act. I would like to think that the people who saved Barnes did it because they were able to help, not because the world was watching.

Sail on, sailors. There is a great big world waiting to be explored by people with a dream.

MEG TWEEDY

Costa Mesa

Money for dog ad could be better spentRegarding the advertisement with a dog’s picture and “Happy birthday from your godparents,” I can’t believe the Daily Pilot would accept an ad so ridiculous. People who have enough money to buy such an ad in the paper could donate it to a children’s charity instead. It’s most ridiculous that the Daily Pilot would even accept such an ad. I’m really disappointed.

SANDRA BASMACIYAN

Corona del Mar

Someone still missing from Hall of FameI read with interest the new inductees to the UCI Athletic Hall of Fame (“UCI Hall of Fame to add four,” Jan. 23). Still to this day, I cannot understand why track and field and cross-country Coach Vince O’Boyle, who has received numerous awards and has been there now in his fourth decade has not been added. That is an absolute travesty. Vince should have been one of the very first in the UCI Hall of Fame.

DAVID MARTINSON

Costa Mesa

Council should encourage city’s youthI strongly disagree with the City Council’s decision to discontinue the youth in government program (“Youth program axed,” Jan. 18). I think they should be doing everything they can to encourage our young people to be interested and involved in the government process.

GRETCHEN CANNON

Costa Mesa

City hall near library makes perfect senseI want to comment on a letter on the Forum page by Ron Hendrickson, (“Consider land near library for new, central city hall,” Jan. 25). I think his letter — saying how wonderful it would be to have a central city hall on the land near the library and have a park — makes so much sense. I hope other people are applauding that as well.

BARBARA WALLACE

Newport Beach

Give thanks for your life; protect other livesFor the 34th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, thousands converged on Washington, D.C., to protest the court ruling that, like the Dred Scott Decision before it, devalued and designated an entire class of people as nonpersons, unworthy of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In the Dred Scott case it was black people, in Roe vs. Wade it is the unborn. In essence, it became legal for a woman to abort her baby for any reason, up until the time the baby becomes viable. But we now know that time period has been extended to any time before birth and even to the procedure known as partial-birth abortion.

You won’t see the throngs in Washington and across the nation marching and demonstrating on behalf of life on network television, or read about it in the mainstream print media.

It is astounding to me the number of people in this country who have never lived when Roe vs. Wade was not the “law of the land.” Not as astounding, however, as the fact that nearly 50 million have had their lives cut short by the decision of nine men in robes.

Like the infamous Dred Scott decision, Roe vs. Wade will eventually be overturned. The tide is turning. Recent polls show that fewer than 50% support Roe vs. Wade. Those born since Jan. 23, 1973 can be grateful their mothers did not decide to end their lives prematurely.

In many cases, it is these very same people who are stepping up to the right-to-life cause because they realize that many who would be in their age group, their peers, did not survive. When that realization hits them, it really resonates with them.

If you are reading this, rejoice — your mother chose life.

ILA JOHNSON

Costa Mesa