Letters to the editor - Sunday, July 15

Calendar reveals unselfish behavior

To Rosalee Barnwell Hinton, who wrote a scathing letter on Sunday the 8th about the grandmothers who unselfishly posed for photos for a calendar to benefit a great cause: How dare you say that these grandmothers feel the need to prostitute themselves?! It was a photo shoot and nothing more, and done in GOOD TASTE as well! Where do you come off to judge these wonderful women who gave their time to do something GOOD for a GOOD cause! You see nothing more than you would in a full bathing suit on any of the photos, and I give them a lot of credit for doing this!

Religious beliefs encourage helping others and being unselfish; you probably have done nothing in your life to unselfishly help someone as they did, so I wouldn't be too quick to judge those that do.

I didn't see you do anything to raise any money, and saying to ask God, and ye shall receive brings back the old adage: "God helps those who help themselves"!

DOREEN HOFFMAN

Carson City

Bush guilty of hypocrisy in Libby pardon

I find it disingenuous for George W. Bush to claim he commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence because he found it "excessive." Where was his concern when he ordered the deaths by the state of Texas of over 130 death row inmates in his tenure as governor " often with callous disregard for irregularities in the trials that resulted in those sentences? Libby had his day in court, was convicted by a jury of his peers (except maybe they weren't members of the corporate elite), sentenced by a federal judge, and had the decision upheld on appeal. So Libby gets to continue to appeal, which means he doesn't have to talk about the facts he is privy to regarding the executive branch's (Dick Cheney's) collusion in the outing of a CIA agent working to fight against weapons of mass destruction getting into irresponsible hands. Where's the justice in this? Very smart of Mr. Bush " the record doesn't get set straight, and he can pardon Libby completely upon leaving office.

Oh, and by the way, most Americans don't agree with his actions. Fully 72 percent of Americans opposed a presidential pardon for Libby according to a recent CNN poll. Oh, well, don't let the facts ever get in the way of good ol' boy politics for this administration.

MARCIA BENNET

Dayton

Hillside flag important to many

Ms. Howe, that flag was built by hundreds of patriotic citizens! It pays tribute to the thousands of Americans who have given their lives for this country and the many thousands of innocent lives taken by terrorism. The flag is serious business to the rest of us patriots. You have no right to call yourself an American if you think so little of our flag. But being an American who loves my flag, I will always defend your right to shoot your stupid mouth off!

MIKE ROACH

Carson City

A neighbor lends a helping hand

We love America and the Fourth of July at our house, but my dogs HATE the fireworks. So, we drive out of town (my dogs love car rides!) The two doggies are loaded up, car windows down, garage door open. Oops, I forgot my wallet. Run back into the house. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. FIREWORKS BEGIN. Run back to the car, but only one dog in it. Oh, no! Brandy is out panic-running. Ask some neighbors "Did you see a dog run by you?" "Yes. Yes. That way." Spent 45 minutes driving around the neighborhood; no luck. Came home, and there's my Brandy inside her own house. She came home, and some neighbor let her back in the house/yard (left the garage door open).

Thank you, Shadowridge neighbors!

BARBARA L. DURANTE

Carson City

Farirness doctrine would be unfair

Why is it so many of our congressmen and senators don't believe in a free market place? Senators Feinstein, Kerry, Clinton and several others are "reviewing" the Fairness Doctrine for radio and television. The free-marketplace tells us that the consumer will decide which television and radio programs will thrive and prevail and which will wither and die. The well- financed Air America radio station did not attract an audience and therefore failed financially.

The above-cited senators are concerned that conservative talk radio has too much of a voice in America and that the far left isn't getting equal time. The senators want to meddle in it by introducing the Fairness Doctrine, whereby radio and television stations would have to give equal time to persons with another view on any subject. Contrary to the name, it wouldn't be fair by any stretch of the imagination.

It's funny how our congressmen and senators name bills that have the exact opposite consequences of what the bills name infers. The Fairness Doctrine wouldn't be fair; the Immigration Reform Bill wouldn't really reform immigration issues, it would simply parole criminals into the United States with a clear path to citizenship gained at the expense of honest people who are attempting to immigrate to the United States employing legal, but slower methods.

On a related note, isn't it funny how our own esteemed Sen. Reid has employed the misnomer in an attempt to soften the coming blow on the Immigration Reform Bill? Sen. Reid exclaims we don't have 12 million illegal aliens in the United States, we have "12 million undocumented Americans" here in the United States." I'm sure Harry is likewise convinced that our prisons don't house convicted criminals; they're probably just "misunderstood persons" in his view.

On a final note, I believe English is the official language of the United States, and; it sickens me to see dual-language signs in the major box stores and even in smaller stores like cell phones retailers. Try going to Mexico and look for a store with Spanish-English signs; they don't exist. Wake up, America!

RON LANDMANN

Minden

Follow the rules in crosswalks

I have been led to believe that crosswalks are just that, crossWALKS, not bicycle crossings.

On Sunday a policeman, riding a bicycle across Hwy 395 in front of the capitol building at about 3:30 p.m. caused the traffic to stop for him by using the crosswalk. Maybe someone should remind him that he is not above the law and that if he is going to cross the highway on a bicycle he should WALK it in a crosswalk. Either that or go to an intersection like a vehicle and cross there when he has the light.

JIM TERBORG

Minden

Christians should leave judging to a higher power

This is in regards to the letter Rosalee Hinton wrote titled "Calendar Girls should repent."

I struggle with my Christianity on a daily basis. I try to forgive people that have wronged me. I try not to judge or condemn and at times I fail miserably. But my God is a loving God, so it brings me much comfort that he forgives my hypocritical ways.

My struggle with Christianity is not with the people who commit crimes, even heinous crimes like sexual predators or murderers. My struggle is not with people who don't go to church. My struggle is with people who claim to be Christians that I struggle with.

I struggle because of Christians like you, who think God is happy with your self-righteous, judgmental, condescending ways. Can you answer me one question? How can you expect people to repent as a nation for 12 grandmothers (who you said were prostitutes) making a calendar for one of their loved ones who has cancer?

I would rather see you repent for bearing false witness on these lovely ladies (after all it is one of the Ten Commandments we should be following). Whenever I feel I'm better than someone and I have the right to judge, I always pertain to my favorite verse in the Bible, Matt: 7; verse 5. It states: "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

SUNNI ENCISO

Carson City

Baring their souls for a friend in need

If the Calendar Girls project offends you so much then DON'T BUY IT.

I was not part of this project nor do I even know these women but I admire each and every one of them. To put it simply they are baring their soul for a friend who is gravely ill.

In the meantime, why don't you go to some corner and pray to your God to just give you the money to take care of this woman and her family. We will see who can come up with some tangible assistance first.

I think those women have so much courage and heart. Good for them for not waiting for some manna from heaven to just rain down on them.

In addition, I think that they must have a grand sense of humor and God will bless each of them.

JEANETTE SUPERA

Carson City

Our Tax Dollars at Work

The first piece of mail I received after America's Birthday was a letter from the Office of the Attorney General. It was the decision regarding a complaint I filed on Jan. 10, the day after the first school board meeting of the year. It seemed to me the Open Meeting Law had been violated at that meeting in the agenda item, "adoption of policies and bylaws," and I asked the Attorney General's Office to investigate.

Now I can only think, "What's the Point?" Part of the letter reads, "Since the statutory deadlines for enforcement have expired on this complaint,this letter is issued as a guideline to the public body for development of future agendas." There is a 120-day limit on the AG's office from the date of the alleged violation. Why was that time limit disregarded? These delays without an apparent reason seem to destroy the checks and balances system we allegedly have in place to protect transparency and accountability.

Senior Deputy Attorney General George C. Taylor informed me in early May he had rendered his decision. That seemed to me like a long time to view a two minute exchange; he then added he would have to re-review the video, send his report to a peer review committee, and then send it on to Attorney General Masto for approval. I learned that he was swamped with complaints; adding mine had come to the top of his pile of work because I called.

The remainder of the letter addressed several practices the school board agendas contain stating clearly they are in violation of the OML because agenda items such as "Staff Reports", "President's (Superintendents) Report" etc. are not "clear and complete" statements of topics on the agenda. On page three, the letter reads, "the (school) Board's use of 'Adoption of policies and bylaws' is far too generic and not reasonably calculated to inform the public of which policies and bylaws are to be considered.' ..."

The rendering of this decision in July is disturbing. This stall was not even clever. I thought justice was blind. And, it left the school board free to conduct business in a disingenuous way for six months.

This complaint was the second one for the school board; the first also was treated with a gentle "slap on the hand." Truly, if a strong and timely decision had been issued some of the complacent and stagnant demeanors of board members may very well have been improved. Why is the public always spoofed and manipulated? Let's put some dignity and integrity into this board and throw away the partisan rubber stamps they wear defiantly.

ANN BEDNARSKI

Carson City