Letters

Again, it appears the Nevada Appeal has a tough time getting a grip on reality.

Reading the article concerning the sale of the old hospital building, and then looking at the poll question, it was clear to me that the writer of the poll question and the editor who approved it have lost contact with reality.

Having worked with - and against - those public agencies and private developers for the purpose of protecting the rights of private property owners it was clear that the Appeal does not have any considerations for private property - presumably unless the property belongs to the Appeal or the "elite" members of the editorial board.

After documenting so many abuses by Carson City of the legal protections of the NRS, which are afforded private-property rights over the past five-plus years for which I have conducted research, I was again amazed at the lack of thought and intelligence behind a poll question. The Texas company is a private concern, and as such, the property is private.

Lacking proper legal proceedings, neither the Appeal nor any citizens of Carson City have any rights, real or imagined, to dictate what should or will be done with the old hospital property. The Texas company may determine which course of action for future use is best suited for the property.

Perhaps the Appeal Editorial Board can run an editorial to explain just what it thinks the term "private property" means.

DENNIS JOHNSON

Carson City

Media shouldn't sensationalize important issues

After years of not being involved in the process of politics I felt propelled to action by the sheer ineptitude of George W. Bush. And then Barack Obama inspired me.

I signed up for CNN's Political Ticker because CNN has always had the reputation of being honest and seemed like an organization devoted to the journalistic principles of not manipulating their audience nor injecting their personal agenda on the public. But I guess I was wrong to think so highly of CNN.

Every time I simply read the headlines in their e-mails, I am sickened by how obviously they are trying to turn this presidential race into a series of tabloid stories. They have trivialized themselves and in the process, trivialized the importance of the future of our country by turning red states against blue states, black against white and Democrats against each other. Please ask yourself if some blown-up story by any news organization could determine how long we stay in Iraq and whose son or daughter will die in Baghdad on any given day because they could not be more responsible when reporting the news. We want a change in politics as usual, and while we're at it, let's demand that news organizations straighten up and fly right as well.

AMY CRATES

Carson City

Environmentalists to blame for gas hikes

As I filled the gas tank on my truck the other night, I couldn't help but wonder "Who do I thank for these high gas prices?" As I thought about it, I was stuck on whom to put the blame on. Then as I read the Appeal's letters to the editor, the one from Larry Brewer titled "Drilling should take precedence over environmentalism" answered my question. Mr. Brewer hit the nail on the head.

If I were a member of OPEC, I also would charge as much as I could get away with for a barrel of oil. Why not - the environmental groups springing up all over the United States are the ones who are blocking oil production here. Of course they also have their left- wing Democrats supporting them.

Look at what is going on in western Nevada. The Appeal had an article on the "land grab" that the supporters are claiming to be an environmental issue. Now the article didn't mention any specific nongovernment groups that were behind this. I would say it is one of the following or all of them, like Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society and Natural Resource Defense Council. All of whom have some very strong lobbyists in Washington and in our nation's capitals. If it were to pass, how long would it be before Las Vegas is up here looking at pumping water to the south? If we continue to put left-wing Democrats in Congress or the state levels, we will be selling this country and our state down the river. We will be considered a Third World country that is dependent on food and oil coming from someplace else. We are a strong nation and should remain that way.

BILL PYATT

Dayton