Letters to the editor

Relocating retirees don't pay their way

Once again I read about how Douglas County can prosper by attracting more senior citizens. The county must have learned from looking north at Carson to see what the Gray wave of carpet baggers have done to that town.

Look at the services provided to one group of people who don't want any higher taxes to pay for the services they require. They've more than likely retired here from somewhere else (California) where they contributed to the growth of those communities.

I have no problem caring for those who have been here 20 -30 years and worked to build the community but coming here to get more and give less while they use the infrastructure that was already in place. Carpet Bagging.

Carson has great senior services like a center (newer than the Boys and Girls Club) and buses ( Don't the kids have to walk if you live 2 miles from school?) and new low cost housing (Same High School built in the early 70s).

Some progress!

ROBERT FRANCIS

Carson City

McNutt Field is the right name

As a "solid baseball fan," I find the suggestion to change the name of McNutt Field to be fairly ridiculous. Ron McNutt devoted over 30 years of his life to Carson High's baseball program, elevating it to prominence in Nevada. Several years ago, the decision was made to recognize his significant contributions by naming the field after him for all that he had accomplished, including the professional development of several MLB stars, including Matt Williams, Donovan Osborne, Darrell Rasner and countless others.

After several years of retirement from Carson High, he remained active in the youth baseball community, taking teams abroad to compete on an international playing field. Now that an opportunity has been presented for him to return to HS baseball coaching (an opportunity not extended by Carson High), Mr. McNutt's talents and expertise have been recognized by another local school, apparently to the chagrin of an uninformed reader, who now howls that his name should be stricken from Carson High's ball field.

His accomplishments resulted in the decision to commemorate him for what he has done, and in no way should that limit what he may do in the future. It is ludicrous for the reader to confess her ignorance about the game, yet express her indignation over McNutt getting on with his life and passion elsewhere. He deserves our respect and appreciation for what he did for Carson over his career, and he certainly deserves our best wishes moving forward, no matter where that may be!

FREEMAN JOHNSON

Carson City

Clean up after dogs, please

Many of us regular users of Riverview Park and Mexican Ditch trails appreciate the city's allowance of multi-use trail users, including us dog owners. To accommodate dog walkers, the city provides "poop bags" for our convenience. Unfortunately, even with access to the bags, some of us do not clean up after our dogs. In fact, along certain parts of the trail, our beautiful, public nature trail has the ambiance of a dog toilet. Please take the time to clean up after your dog(s). Your consideration will be greatly appreciated and enhance the trails for everyone. Thank you.

MARTA ADAMS

Carson City

Carson's Mervyn's store was special

I just read your article on the closing of Mervyn's in Carson City. Very sad. When Mervyn's opened for business in March of 1983, I was privileged to be their first Store Manager. My associates considered the store as a FAMILY. We had FUN and became real FRIENDS. Those were my 3 "Fs". It was true. It was a great job working with such loyal individuals. The store was one of the most profitable in the company, at the time. What loyal customers. My six years of leading such great people will never be forgotten. The store will be sorely missed.

BARRY THACKSTON

Spirit Lake, Idaho

Narcissists are OK as long as they produce results

Dr. Keating alleged that "It is common for leaders of companies, politicians, movie stars, world leaders, professional athletes and even some religious leaders to have what is called Narcissistic Personality Disorder." Her conclusion was "If we do not hold our leaders in check we, as a country, will become more and more narcissistic."

My fresher idea is that we as a country continue to applaud and reward those who achieve and who excel. If you do not like the way business, government, movies, sports, or religion are run put in the effort to make them fit your vision. This is the old American way. Making excuses for people like " "Narcissists play on our insecurities: They are experts at telling us what we want to hear, and their self-confidence comforts us" " does not serve any useful purpose. These types of thoughts undermine the human spirit. They take away personal responsibility. They tell people that they are weak and powerless.

Holding back those who achieve and placing labels on them to make underachievers feel better is not good for this country. Our international competitors welcome our efforts to weaken ourselves. As long as a leader is winning and not blocking the way for someone better I will tolerate narcissistic behavior.

JOHN MCKENNA

Carson City

Be careful of which 'truths' you believe

There is a scurrilous e-mail presently being circulated claiming that Obama removed the American flag from the tail of his campaign jet and replaced it with his own campaign logo ... a shameless and brazen attempt to cast doubts on his patriotism. Fact: the two flags previously on the tail were the registered logo of North American Airlines and since the jet is no longer part of the North American Airlines fleet, the logo had to be removed. Wonder what's on the tail of McCain's jet ...?

Those of the "Swift-Boat" mentality are really scary ... they specialize in innuendoes, half-truths and downright lies ... to them, TRUTH is whatever promotes their agenda at the moment ... these are the same 'loonies' that put Bush and his cronies in charge eight years ago and now are slithering out of the wreckage of the worst administration in U.S. history to once again spread their venom among the politically naive. They are truly dangerous people who, I believe, pose a far greater threat to our country than any foreign terrorists!

JOHN O'Neill

Minden

The insured should not support the uninsured

National health care plan? Never! We are tired of government passing legislation that is unconstitutional. No where in the limited powers of Article I Section 8 is Congress permitted to pass such a law. If there are 43 or so million uninsured in America, let the states individually pass their own health care plan. If a particular state does not want one, so be it. That is its right and it is not right to force most of the 300 million insureds to have to readjust their lives to accommodate a small percentage, many of whom do not have nor want health insurance. For heavens sake Congress, let us alone to run our own lives. Both candidates, John McCain and Barack Hussein Obama, as senators, swore to uphold the Constitution and neither of them deserve the White House if they approve any bill that is not within the "limited powers."

Wake up America. You're losing your liberties one by one ... and fast!

BOB SHAW

Carson City

McCain's supports of veterans is only talk

Robert L. Blakely of Genoa wrote in a relatively lengthy letter (published August 12) that "John McCain is my man." Well, I will cancel out Mr. Blakely's vote because "Barack Obama is my man." Mr. Blakely, who attended McCain's recent "town hall" gathering in Sparks, offered absolutely no policy reasons in support of McCain. Instead, he simply mentions McCain asking "the former military people in the audience to raise their hands." Well, Mr. Blakely, I and my wife, as well as numerous others I know, are also military veterans supporting Obama, not that aged, lying warmonger. McCain's record of support for veterans is abysmal (check it out).

Mr. Blakely also praises McCain's "attractive wife, Cindy," as if a credible candidate for president needs an "attractive" wife, not, apparently an ordinary-looking spouse. While I agree that McCain's captivity in North Vietnam qualifies him as "a true hero," he has done nothing heroic since his release 35 years ago. Perhaps you didn't know this, Mr. Blakely, but shortly after returning to the U.S., McCain dumped his first wife (who had been caring for their children during his years as a P.O.W.) after she was injured in an automobile accident. Then, following an affair, he married the younger, more "attractive" Cindy, who happened to be from a very wealthy family and could, therefore, fund his initial run for Congress (check that out, too, Mr. Blakely).

A third Bush term via McCain would be an unmitigated disaster for this country and the entire world.

JEFFREY L. RUSSELL

Minden

Be careful of taking on Iran

Our Congressional representatives Dean Heller, Shelley Berkley, and Jon Porter co-sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 362 to effectively place a total blockade on Iran. That is a virtual declaration of war, but a pussy-footing way of doing it, not exactly what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they handed to Congress the responsibility of declaring war.

It smacks of the same subterfuge as the discredited Gulf of Tonkin Resolution that started the senseless Vietnam War. It isn't too strong language to call it disgraceful.

A Senate version Resolution 580 is pending. So far Senators Reid and Ensign have refrained from co-sponsoring.

When a country is blockaded they are clearly justified in defending themselves, as Iran undoubtedly will do.

We the people deserve an open Congressional debate on declaring war on Iran. Americans will suffer greatly from the consequences, risking millions to die in their homes from the world disruptions in supply of oil products which will affect delivery of food and clothing, as well as heating our shelter next winter.

What are they thinking? Let them first convince us that Iran has the power and conviction to attack us. If they are quivering in their plush Washington offices at the Iranian bogeyman, or are fanatics determined to start a religious crusade. Many of us are not. Let them convince us openly and forthrightly.

JACK VAN DIEN

Carson City

Not even the Iraqis want us in Iraq

The Iraqi President has expressed a desire for Americans to leave his beleaguered country. Whether this is for domestic consumption or not does not matter, because I can't imagine that Iraqis want the U.S. to permanently occupy their land.

To have the world's largest embassy there is enough to assure us a huge presence, not to mention the security contractors, Black Water et al. Therefore, it seems to me that McCain's need to "win" is absolutely beside the point. Whether we call this win/lose/or draw, the time has come for American military troops to leave Iraq with all due haste, and we, the American people, should assist this withdrawal with our vote for Barack Obama.

ELIZABETH I. RISEDEN

Carson City