RICHARD ALATORRE

Re "Judge Says Test Shows Alatorre Using Cocaine," Sept. 30:

The popular agreement among the public at large is that a politician's
personal life is his own, thus any personal turmoil is not up for public
judgment and conviction. Alatorre abuses illegal substances and this most
certainly affects his ability to make decisions, cope with stressors and
lead. What are his views on educating children about drugs, giving needles
to heroin addicts, criminalizing drug use and enforcing prison time for
drug use and dealing? What about what to do with parents/guardians who are
addicts?

Can we trust his ability to make a decided, trustworthy vote? Henry Lozano,
who is chief of staff to Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), abandons his
child and takes no financial responsibility. How does this impact his views
on deadbeat fathers, child support payments, custodial issues, the
responsibilities of fathers and the rights of mothers? He disregards his
own child and we expect him to have our own children's needs in his best
interest? Aren't those issues our business?

CAROL SOUDAH Glendale

First Alatorre wanted us to believe that the powder under his nose is
dandruff or Doritos. Now he wants us to believe that the laboratory got his
drug tests wrong.

How insulting to his city and his constituents. Get rid of him.

SUSAN THOMPSON Los Angeles

Here is an idea. Since Alatorre will probably either resign or be allowed
to keep his job, just as Mike Hernandez was able to, why not have both of
them tour our schools with the LAPD and DARE to explain to our
schoolchildren why drug use is so destructive? Make it court-ordered and
mandatory, one day a week, for the rest of their terms. Since the
credibility of the Los Angeles City Council has pretty much been destroyed
by the cocaine councilmen, maybe the DARE punishment might restore some
credibility to these idiots. The hypocrisy--can you imagine what the
children must think?

How in the world will they take DARE seriously when they see it's OK to use
cocaine, and still keep your job? Where is the outrage from the other
council members?

KENT DELROSSO Culver City

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Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson