LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

With the money situation being tight nowadays, I was just thinking back about a couple months ago when we were doing our Christmas shopping. It seems to me that for those of us who really enjoyed the atmosphere of the stores that included Christmas as a real time to celebrate, we should remember them in these lean times and spend our money at their stores in the off-season. Just an idea. If the other stores didn't care too much about how I was feeling then, I don't feel any loyalty to how they might be feeling now.

SHARON WOODING

Carson City

Illegal immigration at the core of many problems

Two months ago, in a column accusing Americans of virulent immigration discrimination against documented and undocumented workers, the writer, Elizabeth Reville, stated that the illegals were working menial jobs to feed and clothe their families, fight for this country (aside from the fighters), facts which do not negate illegal status!

Yes, there are those who hire illegal workers for cheap labor, which is why we want the government to do its job and prosecute offenders.

Likewise, if those of us who use drugs did not, it would mitigate the problem. As the black population can attest to, there has been discrimination and today, even some of those, perversely, use discriminatory protest as leverage to wring sympathy for their cause, as does the aforesaid writer.

Her comparison of the United States to Hitler, Nazis and Germany's Socialist authoritarian government, which considered those not genetically pure, deserving of life, is an insult to this humanity! Nor do we gather 'em up and gas 'em! We deport them.

True, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and not equivocally dismissing the possibility that our enemy was also within, we gathered them up, basically precluding any at-home battles. They or their descendants were eventually compensated.

So if Americans are so terrible, why do the illegals keep coming?

Those immigrants, who are savvy enough to fit into this society by learning the language and obeying our laws, manage to accomplish what other immigrants have accomplished.

The writer wants to equate our national security efforts with discrimination and color bias. There is a big difference between discrimination and addressing an illegal immigrant invasion, which is what this constitutes! It is not discriminatory to protect oneself against those who break our laws. It is a basic right.

To correct a problem, logic dictates one begins at the core of the problem. In this case, that core is the illegal immigrant!

Worse, campaigning politicians, caring more about their political futures than the security of this nation, complicity, promote amnesty, (impunity for breaking our laws), expecting citizens to sit still while illegals feed off our educational system, our healthcare and Social Security.

If we dare protect what legally belongs to us, they not only march in protest, but arrogantly threaten to take over our country, and taunt us by placing the United States flag second to that of their own country! Does that sound like someone who wants to become an American citizen? I think not!

How does one correct such a problem? One stops the flow of and deports illegal immigrants! Case closed!

MARY SANTOMAURO

Stagecoach

What makes Clemens' lie so special?

What part of this insanity do I not understand? It's OK for former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to lie before the Senate. It's OK for top leaders from G.W. himself, V.P., Secretary of State to constantly play the "fear card" with lie after lie and yet our noble government is wasting time, money and effort to hang Roger Clemens for lying under oath. Oh yes, our government can also blow the cover of a CIA operative because her husband had the integrity to disagree with the War in Iraq.

This is a wonderful way to teach future generations about honesty, integrity and our warped sense of what's right and what's wrong.

JOEL FLAMENBAUM

Carson City