READERS RESPOND

Thank God for freedom of the press and the First Amendment! Editors can insult a group of people while reminding them that they have no realistic chance of responding. (“And, no, we don’t need to hear from the handful of liberals out there.”)

In the Last Word on Sunday, the editors of the Daily Pilot let us know that they don’t like liberals and that they somehow think George Clooney made fools of them.

Evidently they decided to get back at Clooney by insulting the “handful of liberals” living within earshot. They cite some quotes from Clooney and then declare “We rest our case.”

What case? That George Clooney is a liberal? It appears that the editors are so terrified that George Clooney would even think of moving to the conservative bastion known as Newport Beach that they must have wet themselves. Well a couple of great editorials like that should make that bad old liberal think twice about moving to this little corner of heaven. They might even help scare the remaining handful of liberals enough to move out.

“We know you [liberals] live here. We just don’t know why!” Is that a threat? Should Homeland Security be notified?

GUY REIN

Newport Beach

If the Last Word in Sunday’s editorial column (unsigned, therefore assumed to be a staff contribution) was a joke, it was both sophomoric and in bad taste. If the anonymous editorial writer meant it in all seriousness, it displayed his or her ignorance.

Guess what. In the United States of America we are entitled to have varying opinions, or does the writer assume that Orange County is above that? In either case, joke or serious, we pity such narrow-mindedness. Shame on you in either case for placing this ignorant piece in the editorial column.

JOAN MARGOL

Newport Beach

Your Sunday editorial the Last Word is incomprehensible, and arrogantly dismissive. You are showing your true colors ? the John Birch Society ? along with your unreasonable fear, or hatred of foreigners and strangers. It is the extreme right wing’s mantra. For your information, there are more than a handful of liberals in Orange County, and you are hearing from one.

With your xenophobic editorial, along with the “Minuteman” agenda, you seem to hope to rid Orange County of Mexicans (illegal or otherwise) and liberals. Unfortunately for you, Proposition 187 was thrown out by the normal residents of California. So far, the United States still has the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which include freedom of movement. Hence, liberals in Orange County. I would be ecstatic if George Clooney would buy a house in Orange County, especially right winger John Wayne’s digs!

A few years ago, prior to this xenophobic editorial, I actually congratulated the editor while picking up some old Daily Pilot editions. I congratulated your “fair and balanced” (a liberal term) reporting, even though I did not agree sometimes. I think you purposely published this particular editorial because you need constant controversy to increase failing readership. You got it.

PEGGY CALHOUN

Newport Beach

We are three of the “handful of liberals” in Newport Beach who are referred to in your Sunday editorial. We’ve all been living here since 1951.

I guess we must have gotten in before the border was closed. You ask why we live here? ‘Cause we love it, although we get pretty testy when we read editorials like the one in Sunday’s paper.

MONA SWAIN, JOHN SWAIN

AND ANDREA LINGLE

Newport Beach

I can’t remember the last time I read such an asinine, small-minded and ignorant editorial. Will your next proposal be putting a fence around Newport Beach to keep out all those awful people not like you?

When your civil liberties are being abused, phones being wiretapped, your children and grandchildren sent to die in George Bush’s disaster of a private vendetta, your taxes hiked through the sky to pay for his huge folly, you’ll be very sorry you didn’t feel it appropriate to give fellow Americans a voice or welcome more liberals in to your perceived private enclave as neighbors.

BRENDA MCCROSKEY

Newport Beach