Dunn's propaganda

Re: Mike Dunn's May 8 letter, "How to help public schools":

As a dispassionate observer, I wish to comment on the inherent illogical and strident tenor of Dunn's views.

What Dunn labels as "propaganda" is, in essence, an attempt to demonize those views that contradict his own. Therefore, any serious attempts to apply objectivity to his cause are obliterated.

His partial statement, "If the schools promoted traditional family values compatible with our community standards and our faith," ironically sounds like the very same type of propagandizing he charges his opponents with. Apparently, logic and irony are two things that prove elusive for Dunn.

Furthermore, his comments beg several questions: Whose traditions? Whose family values? What community standards? Whose faith? His purposeful ambiguity on these issues reveals his own deceptive attempts to impose his subjective beliefs onto the local public schools.

Dunn obviously has an agenda, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with public education. Rather, he has attempted to foist a combined corporatist-religious agenda upon perceived heretics who reject his inquisitional methods. His cryptic comments on religion and declaration that "Sacramento must make it easier for business to make a profit" allude to this fact.

Whether or not he succeeds depends on the level of power afforded to him by his allies and weak opponents.

With the persistence of infighting and acrimonious speech, will the students end up being sacrificed for the school board members' personal ambitions? This would certainly provide a convenient vehicle for the dismantling of our public education system.

Perhaps Dunn would care to apprise the students, parents and voters on what constitutes his real agenda. Clarification, not obfuscation — enlightenment, not indoctrination — would lead to more productive ends.

— Hampton White, Newbury Park

Who runs metal market?

If you haven't heard about the theft of manhole covers not far from here, perhaps we all want to think about it now before we wake up and start finding not only those missing, but whatever's next, perhaps our lampposts and street signs. Is our city the next to be stripped in the middle of the night?

With thieves going after the wiring in construction equipment, how long can it be before we run out of our houses one morning on the way to work and find the rims and tires missing off our cars? Our society won't last long if we can't even turn our backs without the very fabric of our lives being absconded with in the night and sold for scrap.

So, who are these people who don't apparently even give a darn about our world and our society? I asked myself this, and my mind immediately wandered to when we recently cleaned out our garage and an overloaded truck appeared out of nowhere with occupants who spoke no English except for the word "metal."

It was all we could do to keep them from carting off our lawn mower. "Sorry, we need that."

As the truck clunked precariously off, two things occurred to me:

— These guys aren't going to pay any taxes on that stuff.

— Do either of them live behind the false wall in my neighbor's garage?

If there's one thing I've learned in life, it's that anything can happen if you let it.

— Anthony Harper, Simi Valley

Spiritual silliness

Re: Clair Tenney's May 4 commentary, "3 weeks in India: I will never be the same' ":

Reading Tenney's commentary, I was struck by its profound spiritual silliness.

The spiritual aspect of India is one of the most destructive forces that keeps Indians wallowing in abject poverty and misery. The superficial look Tenney had of India is more of a fantasy visitors conjure up to satisfy their own spiritual desires.

I have been traveling to India for more than 10 years and find nothing spiritual about it. Yes, there are many religions and gurus and ashrams one can utilize to dull the agonies of daily life in India.

I recently saw India's most famous guru speaking to several thousand women. He spoke slowly and softly in order to make his words seem more profound. He advised the group to never treat their men like vegetables or they would become vegetables.

The thunderous applause and squeals from the crowd left me baffled. I then realized it wasn't what he said, but how he said it. There was a rhythmical quality and profoundness to his voice that would make a shopping list seem biblical.

This is nothing more than a simple form of hypnosis.

Not one peasant Tenney met would hesitate to trade his or her life in India for one in the U.S. This is not to say there is nothing to be learned from them and their culture, but they have far more to learn from us.

Indians are not more enlightened than Americans. They seek solace in every religious icon or guru that comes their way in order to dull the agony of their existence. This makes them fertile ground for being used and abused forever, or until they are enlightened by education and a solid dose of reality.

— Tom Ion, Moorpark