Letters to the editor 4-11

Douglas resident should visit North Korea

I work in Douglas County. Last week a reader wrote a letter to the editor blaming the Obama administration for many things. I'm not sure if the reader is aware of this, but the people of the United States and Nevada voted Barack Obama in as president, even if Douglas County did not.

That's the democratic process, and that is the will of the people. I'm not sure if the reader is aware that most U.S. citizens are not wealthy, white, male, conservative, elder, estate holders like in Douglas County. If he does not like the democratic process, than perhaps he should move to North Korea.

DAVID SCHLESSINGER

Carson City

New format, local business

spotlights well-received

I really like the new design of the Nevada Appeal and I think you made a good decision.

Also I would like to commend you on all the front page articles spotlighting many of our local businesses. I feel you are doing a good job of promoting our town, especially in these difficult times.

CAROL PITTS

Carson City

Looking to China for

answers to the drug trade

The current chaos in Mexico, particularly along our southern border, should cause a second look to be taken at our alleged war on drugs.

I served in three wars and in all of them large numbers of our enemies died. The only people I see dying in this one are the drug traffickers who kill each other in turf wars and the poor souls who find themselves addicted for one reason or another.

Our state and federal prisons are bulging at the seams with drug pushers, to the extent that some states are being forced to release prisoners early.

Guess what they'll be doing when back on the street?

I'd like to suggest a new tack. Our government might want to send a delegation to the People's Republic of China to find out why they have almost no illicit drug problem. The answer will only be repugnant to drug traffickers and the American Civil Liberties Union.

In China, drug pushers are brought before a court and, if found guilty, are summarily executed. I'm sure there are many parents who've lost children to this scourge that would be more than happy to help send the pushers to their reward. I lost two distant cousins to drugs in the '60s. I'll even provide my own gun. There is one irrefutable fact about the death penalty. It cures recidivism.

FRANK LOGUE

Gardnerville

Punishments for similar

crimes should be similar

Just out of curiosity, when a business sells to underage minors, who chooses the punishments? Granted the crime should be punishable but fair.

One business such as 7-11, a small family-run business gets punished by the inability to sell alcohol for a week, but a large business such as the Nugget gets a slap on the wrist by having to close one bar. Wow, bet that didn't phase them at all. Where is the fairness in punishment for the same violations? Each should have the same. Totally unfair.

KYMBER HARRELL

Carson City

No matter the disguise,

you can't mask hatred

The group spewing religious hatred near the high school does not represent my God. They mirrored similarities of extreme Islamic Jihadists. Christian young people brainwashed to hate. No matter what disguise, hatred is hatred.

These young people were not portraying the image of Christ in the scriptures they were reading. Jesus never condemned. We're condemned already by the default of being human. Jesus, in purest love, died to take that condemnation away. Christians become "Christ-like" because their old nature is killed and they receive a new nature that is receptive to the Holy Spirit's teaching. One cannot be Christ-like then portray hatred and condemnation such as these young people believe.

The church's Web site is hateful; their God has become small, and America may be doomed, but not by God. God gave the gift of choice and will never take it away. He wants people to choose to want him. We are condemned by choosing to leave God out of our lives. Read the if/then statements of the built-in consequences in Exodus and Deuteronomy; read about the downward spiral in Joshua and Judges when people don't choose God.

We are heading the same way; not because God hates us - we condemn ourselves. The biblical God loves sinners, but hates sin.

Like the extreme Islamic Jihadists, these people have created their own brand of hateful Christianity. People must understand the default status of their lives.

They have put God beyond their reach, but no one is beyond God's loving reach.

JOYCE GALE RAMOS

Carson City