Say a prayer for our fallen comrades
As Monday is Memorial Day, I hope that we can all stop long enough to say a prayer for our fallen comrades.
For me they're 52,000 plus on a wall in Washington, D.C., I don't have the intestinal fortitude to visit the wall because I break down in tears just thinking about it. Too many of those names were close friends.
I also cannot forget the fallen heroes of Korea, the two world wars, Afghanistan or Iraq. To their families I want to express my sincere condolences. These young men gave their lives for our freedom and we can never repay them.
I think the following sums it up correctly:
"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you ... Jesus Christ and the American soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom." " Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel Jr., USAF.
I use this as my signature on all my e-mails and I think it is fitting to share with everyone.
DOUG JERNIGAN
Carson City
Mother's message too important to overlook
As difficult as it is for anyone to stand up and speak during a funeral of a loved one, it is almost impossible for grieving parents to do so.
When Martha Angulo stood up and spoke about her son Rene at his funeral, I thought she was very brave and her message is too important not to be mentioned. She spoke directly to all of the kids at the funeral and told them to listen to their parents, stay in school and get a good education.
She did this in Rene's honor and she challenged the kids to "do it for Rene." Bless your heart Martha and Martin, you raised a wonderful kid.
GAY BURNS
Carson City
Budget cuts pinch class offering options
With state budget cuts to education, local schools must look at how to make the current budget.
Some ways to cut down costs are to eliminate certain classes. Carson High School is forced to cut down on the classes it will offer next year based on enrollment interests for the coming school year. Some of the classes they are cutting are AP or Advanced Placement classes along with honors classes, most of which are taken by students looking for a challenge in their studies.
Because the school is choosing to cut these classes, it leaves many honors and Advanced Placement students out of the classes they would like to take for preparation in future career goals or for an interest they have in those particular subject areas. There are also too many students needing regular courses, so those types of courses cannot be cut further than they already are.
The only option left is to cut the courses that can be a challenge for students and that often go deeper into certain subject areas. As an honors and AP student, I am disappointed that the cuts have to be made in those more advanced types of classes. There should be equal opportunity in the school system for all to get an education or classes that interest them.
Overall, I think the schools do a good job of offering a wide variety of classes, but one area they could do better in is looking at not cutting so many honors and Advanced Placement courses.
JACOB FLANSBERG
Carson High School student
Higher taxes translate to higher purchase prices
The state Legislature imposing a tax on businesses has been in the news several times lately. Although it is called a business tax, it is the most inequitable form of sales tax that can be imposed.
Businesses really don't pay taxes, they just increase the sales price of products or services to pay their tax burden. In cases where there is both wholesale and retail prices, when the wholesale price is increased the retail price can double.
Consequently, when it comes to buying things the rich and poor pay the same tax.
The Legislature could correct this inequity by issuing people, classified in the poverty category, free picture identification cards that could be used to obtain tax-exempt purchases.
donald w. cunningham
Carson City