Mailbag: Local theater directors make it on to ‘best’ list of 2009

I love reading the “end of the year” lists “” and one online list recently caught my eye. The site is examiner.com, and included in the list of Best Theater Directors in Orange County were two locals: Andrew Barnicle (Laguna Playhouse) and Steve Josephson (Gallimaufry Performing Arts). Sometimes (especially when I see empty seats in the theaters) I wonder if the people of Laguna Beach realize how lucky they are to have such wonderful theater right here in town. Congratulations to Barnicle and Josephson “” a well-deserved mention for some terrific work this past year!

COLLEEN MCHUGH

Laguna Beach

Bring troops back from Middle East

If we had stepped up the security on our institutions, borders and airports rather than sending our troops to the Middle East, we would probably be safer and richer than we are today. Military intelligence will tell you that if you have a kill or maim ratio of one of yours for 20 of theirs you can’t lose. If the ratio is the other way, you can’t win! This is the situation we have created by sending our troops in harm’s way.

If that money and manpower was spent here on our homeland security and national and social issues, we would be experiencing an unprecedented rise in our standard of living, and our moral responsibility. The terrorists have succeeded with their goal of bringing our country to its knees. They have bankrupted us; killed or maimed thousands of our men and women in uniform; prevented us from accomplishing social issues; and alienated major religious groups throughout the world.

MICHAEL R. EVANS

Laguna Beach

Unionized transit drivers are safer

Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach should resign from the Orange County Transit Authority Board of Directors. He does not represent the millions of citizens who ride the big OCTA buses, Access buses and Metrolink trains operated by OCTA.

The driver who texted numerous times before his Metrolink train crashed and killed 20 or more people in Los Angeles worked for a drivers’ service and like OCTA access buses and Metrolink train drivers, he was paid much less and had fewer benefits than the union drivers who drive the big OCTA buses.

In April, the contract with these union drivers end. Will Moorlach want to end this contract and replace them with drivers who barely make a working wage and have few benefits? Who would you like to drive the bus, access bus or Metrolink train you are riding on?

ROGER CARTER

Laguna Beach

Laguna deserves homeless problems

People in adjacent cities are laughing at the hypocrisy of Laguna Beach liberals, who formerly advocated for the rights of the homeless in other people’s towns, but now seek to protect themselves from the deluge of homeless people trying to move into their town.

They came for the free soup kitchens, the free clinics, the free shelters, and a tolerant police force that allowed them to sleep wherever they wanted. They also came to pee on your lawns, defecate on your sidewalks, drink on your beaches, fight in your parks, steal from your restaurants, frighten your children, and harass your residents. And the American Civil Liberties Union says they have every right to do this! I thought Laguna Beach loved the ACLU.

JENNIFER MARKS

Laguna Woods

Political correctness causes American deaths

With the starting of the New Year, please make a resolution to demand the end political correctness. Just think of the more than 4,000 innocent people killed by political correctness. Every one of those recent attacks, including 9/11, could have been prevented by stringent profiling; not just in airport searching, but by the detailed investigation of suspect people. On top of that, think of all the crimes that could have been prevented if we hadn’t tied the hands of the police with this insane PC fad. End PC, the life you save may be yours.

DAVE CONNELL

Laguna Beach