BOTH SIDES NEEDED

I am a resident of Altadena and have been silently following the issues at the library. I would like to think that a publication such as Pasadena Weekly would write a story that includes ALL facts and not just from one side. If you interviewed library Director Mindy Kittay’s attorney, why didn’t you interview the library’s attorneys?

I think you know (or hope you would know) that several years ago there was an article in your publication that covered what was going on inside the library with the employees, which was directly related to Kittay and her treatment of staff. I recall that the journalist who covered that story did reach out to the board and got comments from them. Did you revisit this article and look into the facts behind that?

I assume your journalist did research and found information on Kittay and her past issues at other libraries.

What kind of journalism is this if you aren’t presenting the story of both sides involved?

While I have not been vocal in the community, I have spoken with folks — on both sides of the fence — and have learned that the issues within the Altadena Library were predominantly  caused by Kittay which started in 2015. I also understand that Kittay did some great updates in the library (physically) and that some of those funds to do that were already in place by a grant that the previous director had started.

In case you would like to follow up your article with some information from the board, here is a link to a Pasadena Now article by Betsy Kahn, the Library Board president. I sure would like to read about both sides of this issue. pasadenanow.com/main/opinion-betsy-kahn-moving-altadena-library-forward/#.W5KfpFVKiUk.

ANETTE WILLIAMS

 ALTADENA

(Please see page 8 for a related story.)

HARDLY CIVIL

With all this civility talk in Washington, DC let’s not forget that the “civilized” political class, including Presidents Bush and Obama, as well as the late Sen. John McCain, spent little time cutting back our foreign interventions into every other country while ignoring major concerns in the United States.

They also bailed out the big banks, and they expanded the administrative state at the expense of the American citizen.

Meanwhile, the stunning lack of civility during the McCain funeral procession on TV and during his funeral was disturbing and disappointing. The media pundits and the speakers at McCain’s funeral spent more time vilifying President Trump and his policies instead of eulogizing McCain. Was it for lack of anything to praise about the senator?

He was a good father, from what little Meghan McCain shared about him, but he was a terrible senator, attacking climate change with unjust alarm while fighting to open up our borders and silence our freedom of speech. Not a legacy worth praising, in my view.

His repeated efforts to frustrate President Trump’s agendas on immigration, health care and individual liberties was deeply disappointing, motivated by personal animus and not principled opposition.

For the record, there is nothing wrong with being uncivil to save Western civilization and America’s political traditions of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. President Trump may be crude sometimes, but he cares about all of us and our country — and that’s what counts.

– ARTHUR CHRISTOPHER SCHAPER

VIA EMAIL

ALL ABOUT MONEY 

The time to combat dangerous rhetoric was 30-plus years ago when right-wing radio first gained in popularity. The media could/should have nipped the rhetoric in the bud. It was over the line of yelling fire in a crowded theater. But it generated ratings (money). 

However, one would think the media would have drawn a line during the 2016 campaign when dangerous rhetoric was directed at them. But pursuit of money will likely continue to preclude any unified action. Dangerous rhetoric isn’t the only thing the media should curtail; too many shysters are given a forum for theater, lies, phony outrage, baseless contentions, etc. Though cutting shysters off completely isn’t realistic, at a minimum the media needs to call “bullshit” more often than they do.

As for the masse — for God’s sake, people, turn on your bullshit detectors.

– DAN JACOBS

VIA EMAIL

LETTERS WANTED:

Send letters to kevinu@pasadenaweekly.com. To share news tips and information about happenings and events, contact Kevin at the address above or call (626) 584-1500, ext. 115. Contact Deputy Editor André Coleman by writing to andrec@pasadenaweekly.com  or calling (626) 584-1500, ext. 114.
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