I have been to countries

Where I have seen soldiers

Walking around

With guns on their shoulders

Or places where people

Looking for favors

Snitch on their family,

Friend or their neighbors

Some people with little

Constitutional protection

Have seen their enemies

Overturn an election

There are lands where a woman

Is killed in disgrace

For going to school

Or not covering her face

On returning home

From my treks through the world

I’ve thrilled at the sight of our flag unfurled

My heart was warmed and filled with cheer

Knowing that it couldn’t happen here.

Or could it?!!

Geraldine Forer Spagnoli

In Letters to the Editor in Surfside News on Sept. 24, a piece of infantile doggerel was published that appears to have been scraped off a toilet stall from a public restroom. The letter, entitled, “Poem Polemic,” is written by P. G’Bur, who does not appear to be a registered voter in Malibu. In my opinion, it may well have been written by someone other than the stated author. Using the English language to demean and savage our mayor and others with such statements as “she’ll snatch your first born” and “set fire to your hair” is beyond loathing. Whoever wrote this piece of adolescent prattle has the moral backbone of a chocolate eclair. How does mean-spirited deprecation of our neighbors help our struggle for slow growth, protection of the environment, and prevent PCH from becoming a 27-mile parking lot?

I ask the question: “Will Carolyn Van Horn, Tom Hasse and Walt Keller repudiate such gutter slander?” I call upon them to renounce this debasing defamation. I find this type of political barbarism beneath the contempt of all of us who have worked so hard in election after election to help Carolyn, Walt and Tom get elected. I will be ashamed if any of our elected leaders stand by and do not denounce this personal slander. If Carolyn, Tom and Walt are silent on this issue, as a diligent supporter of all three, I can only say that their silence will be deafening. I am only reminded of what Joseph Welsh said to Senator McCarthy during the Army hearings in 1954: “Have you no shame?”

Ken Kearsley

I must have blinked and missed it. Sometime, somewhere, something happened. Mayor Joan House turned into a bad guy, at least according to the Sufside News “letter to the editor” writer named P. G’Bur.

You might well wonder why it is people get upset by a letter to the editor, particularly from someone no one ever heard of, who doesn’t appear to be a registered voter here in town and, as far as I know, has never participated in anything in Malibu.

People are upset because they’ve seen it all before and they know what comes next. It starts with a letter to the editor from someone no one seems to know very well or at all, always includes a little character assassination, usually a few marginal lies and a few outright distortions. It always ends up telling you who the newly elected bad guy is and how that person is busy consorting with the evil empire, which is (and you can fill in the blank — the Malibu Bay Company, Pepperdine University, the Kissel Company, The Malibu Times or just some typically generic land rapers/high rise developers who want us to be Miami Beach).

The attack almost always includes the charge that there is someone behind the scenes manipulating the strings. In this case, the chosen puppet master is Sharon Barovsky, which is sort of an interesting charge. I’ve known Sharon a number of years, and if there is one thing that she isn’t, it’s some behind-the-scenes person. I’ve never known her to be hesitant to tell anyone, straight out, exactly what she thinks, and what she supports and what she opposes. So what’s this all about?

Why are the political waters of Malibu continuously being polluted and who’s doing it? Go back for a minute and think about the previous enemies of the people.

First there was Larry Wan, with Sara Wan behind him manipulating the strings. The story was that both were out to sell out to the developers. So what happened? He went on to become a statewide officer of an environmental organization dedicated to protecting the coast, and she became the vice chair of the California Coastal Commission.

Next it was that land raper, Malibu Bay Company puppet Mike Caggiano, who went into the environmental tourism business in Costa Rica.

Then it was Jeff Jennings who was the designated pug ugly. A guy who was probably less personally political than anyone who ever sat on this council became the sinister political manipulator and all around environment-hating bad guy.

Well, this time out, Tom Hasse beat Jeff Jennings. Everything should now be OK. After all, they (Keller-Van Horn-Hasse) supported Barovsky, maybe not with great enthusiasm, but certainly over Jennings. After all, Joan had previously run on a ticket with Walt and Carolyn, so it would be fair to say all were in agreement. So what happened? Why all this sudden nastiness? There is nothing particularly hot on the political agenda right now that I can see.

I’ll tell you why.

Normally this garbage doesn’t start until we get within hailing distance of the election booth, which in this case would be the year 2000. But Malibu is changing while America is changing, and I’m fearful for the worst. Usually people get elected, then spend most of their time trying to govern and, at the very end of their term, turn back into a pit bull in anticipation of the election. Not so anymore. Not so in Washington, in Sacramento or, unfortunately, in Malibu. Today it’s one continuous election campaign. There is no longer a rational middle, there is no longer a bipartisan approach to problem solving. It’s all pretending, posturing, attacking and very little problem solving.

A case in point. The council just spent three hours at the last council meeting fighting over the contract for Charmlee Park. Why so long? Because they don’t trust each other. Because they have no shared vision. Because there are a few people involved in the negotiation who have taken it upon themselves to decide how it all should be, and the rest of us be dammed. And most of all because Walt Keller and Carolyn Van Horn are planning on running a candidate of their choosing against Joan House. They’re beginning the process of softening her up and every issue becomes a battleground for the election.

Well, I’m issuing a challenge to P. G’Bur and all of his or her ilk. Come out of the shadows. Show yourself. If you want to attack someone, go ahead, but we want to interview you. Who are you? What have you done in your life? Why should we give you any credence? Why do you attack anonymously?

We’re looking forward to meeting you.

The following letter was sent to Governor Wilson

I am a resident of Malibu and currently serve on the Board of Directors for the Malibu Road Home Owners’ Association. I am writing this letter in hopes of expediting the repairs with regard to the current road conditions of Pacific Coast Highway.

It appears as though CalTrans has misled the business owners and residents in Malibu in claiming three lanes would be available during peak traffic times. Although this would not completely alleviate the problem, it would help to ease the traffic flow during peak hours. This has never come to pass.

Being a home owner and resident in this area, these land closures are a constant challenge during commute hours. However, the problem is much more complex than just an inconvenience to people within the community.The economic future of Malibu and the safety of its residents are truly in jeopardy unless something is done.

This persistent traffic problem is causing a severe economic impact on the businesses in Malibu. Many of them are struggling through the usually busy summer months and will not be able to endure the winter rains and added road problems. As you are aware, Malibu is notorious for mud slides and flooding in the winter and firestorms in the fall. If we had a fire like those we have experienced twice in the last five years, the results would be disastrous. Since PCH is the major artery in this area, residents would not be able to escape and emergency crews would be unable to get in. Since Malibu does not have its own hospital or 24-hour emergency care facility, the current situation for handling medical emergencies is simply unacceptable.

As a community, we are asking you to utilize your power as our Governor to open at least a third lane on Pacific Coast Highway. The problems on this transportation route impact the entire state through the loss of sales tax revenue generated by the Malibu business community. We fear the continued closure of these lanes will cause great economic peril and a potential loss of life due to the lack of an escape route.

Thank you for your prompt attention and response to this matter.

Cindy Schofield

I have been living in Monte Nido now for about a year and a half.

During that time there have been three traffic fatalities in Malibu

Canyon that I know of. Does anyone know the actual number of

people who have died on this road? Something tells me the real

number might deter me from ever using the road again.

Since moving into the canyon, I have become a huge fan of the speed

limit. Sometimes I feel like a turtle crawling through the canyon at a

feeble 45-50 mph. I politely use the turnouts to allow people to

resume their average speed of 60-70 mph. I have seen cars coming

at me in the wrong lane around blind turns more times than I can

count on my fingers and my toes. I have seen a woman in a Range

Rover with a child in a car seat cross the double yellow line heading

into the tunnel because she couldn’t tolerate me moving only 50

mph. I’ve seen teens in Mustangs, men in Mercedes on cell phones,

all screaming toward oncoming oblivion, just to shave a minute off

the canyon.

It is not legal to pass between Piuma and PCH on Malibu Canyon. The

heck with legal, it’s not SAFE. In fact, it’s insane.

I recently had a conversation with a CHP officer patrolling the

canyon. He is tired of cleaning fatalities off the road up here. I won’t

repeat the conversation at this time, but know this. . .

Crossing the double yellow line to pass on a curve or bridge with

oncoming traffic in sight will more than likely buy you a Reckless

Driving charge. A Reckless Driving conviction means JAIL time.

Happy motoring.

C. Kaller

P.S. I’m not the lady in the Crown Victoria. I’m the guy in the red

Porsche.