Diversity on TV
Editor:
Are you kidding me? The Directors' Guild places "The Big Bang Theory" on their worst list for diversity (SMDP, 9-18-14)?
The show offers three female stars, one acknowledged homosexual and a Jewish creator/producer. And still that is not diverse enough?
This screams out for a sarcastic "Bazinga!"
David Long
Santa Monica
More than a landmark
Editor:
Santa Monica Airport is more than a historical landmark. It is the first responder for emergencies and life-saving transplants, a place of refuge for all WLA residents, and currently cuts down on airport noise & pollution, based on current guidelines within Measure D. This allows Santa Monica residents to preserve these critical issues, and lets the voters decide whether to close this Airport removing our safe haven, while creating another land redevelopment. Measure L.C. leaves this decision solely to seven members of the Santa Monica City Council. The rights of the voters are both necessary and paramount to maintain the democratic society that so many people lost their lives for.
Marie Espino,
Santa Monica
Editor:
Call me a cynic, but I'm always suspicious when I hear the same phrase being repeated by different folks promoting the same political agenda. And even a superficial review of local news websites and newspapers covering the airport issue reveals one particular assertion repeated again and again, specifically: "Most voters in Santa Monica support the airport."
This opinion was included in the letter from Michael Kent in the SMDP Sept. 20-21st edition, and can be seen in countless other online comments and letters to editors over the past few months. But no matter how often it is repeated, it is never supported by any evidence. No polling. No facts. No hard numbers.
In other words, it's just a baseless assertion.
By contrast, here are some hard facts: according to figures released by the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), the total number of donors with Santa Monica addresses who donated $100 or more to the measure D campaign is … three.
Yes, three people. This so-called majority in favor of the airport sure are tight with their money, eh?
A suspicious man might conclude the point of repeating the same assertion again and again is to lull the voters into thinking that the upcoming vote is a foregone conclusion so they might as well stay home and not bother to vote.
Gee, it's almost like there's a big lobbyist advising the pro-airport crowd on how to win the PR war…
The other baseless assertion in Mr. Kent's letter is that if we upset the FAA by litigating to close the airport it could backfire and result in SMO becoming a hub for a commercial airline. What a risible claim. Again, completely without foundation and, I suspect, one that originated, like the baseless assertion mentioned above about the airport's popularity, in a strategy session of Arno Political Consultants, the PR firm hired by the deep-pocketed, out-of-town pro-airport faction. According to figures revealed by election disclosure laws, Arno has received in the region of $100,000 to advocate for Measure D, almost completely from out-of-town sources.
My dear departed father always advised me that a man is judged by the company he keeps. With that in mind let us consider that Arno's clients have included the NRA, Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds, Occidental Petroleum and various casino interests. I think SMDP readers can judge for themselves whether or not we should view the utterances of such a company - or those of its proxies in the media - with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Vote no on D. Vote yes on LC.
Victor Wilson
Santa Monica
