Letters to the editor Dec. 16

Dream Act rewards those who broke the law

Once again our federal government is pushing a plan without considering the outcome. I am speaking of the Dream Act, a plan for the youth who were brought to this country illegally by their parents and/or came on their own.

The offer is if they enlist into the armed forces or attend a college, they will be able to achieve citizenship.

I see this as rewarding people for breaking the immigration laws and a hard slap to the faces of people trying for years to become American citizens through the proper channels.

My friend Jose's father is second generation from Mexico and he explained to me that he was proud to become an American as a way to thank this country for the better life for his family that his beloved Mexico couldn't offer. He explained to me that besides the right to vote and receiving Social Security benefits, there wasn't anything else he couldn't receive by staying an illegal, including social services.

I do understand that the immigration issues need to be addressed and solved, but I do not agree on rewarding anyone for breaking the laws.

As my friend's father explained to me, it took him six years to become an American citizen. There were times he almost gave up, but he became a proud American, and if anyone who is here illegally truly wants to become an American, they can.

Donald Jackson

Carson City

Foothill residents should expect wild visitors

I would like to add a few points to Robert Field's great letter in Tuesday's Appeal. I was at the Dec. 4 meeting in Reno and had to listen to a commissioner ramble on about, "it's not safe to take out the garbage in Lakeview."

I've lived in Carson City for

40 years, and other than one or two isolated incidents, have never seen a bear in what you would call the metropolitan area. Lakeview is way over the hill going to Reno and, mind you, in the foothills of the mountains. That's bear country. People should realize that once in awhile, wildlife will roam around that area. The same goes for anybody living in the foothills. I'm sure anyone living in those expensive homes in Lakeside or Carson's upper west side can afford a bear-proof garbage can.

All in all, I've seen several deer, two bears and one mountain lion in 40 years living in Carson.

I've been reading with interest about the two little bear cubs rescued. All I can say is my hat's off to these dedicated people who work hard and spend a lot of money to rehabilitate helpless animals.

It makes a lot of sense, doesn't it, all that time and money so a hunter can blow them out of a tree in the impending hunt next fall? That's what I call skilled marksmanship, huh?

Hounds should be outlawed in the hunt so the bears will have a little more of a chance, and not be sitting ducks.

Robert J. Satter Jr.

Carson City

Chain reaction of Reid's online gambling move

Sen. Harry Reid is a genius. He has killed a bunch of birds with one stone.

By attaching the bill to make online gambling legal, he has paid his debt to the gaming industry. If it passes, Grandma can now sit at her computer and lose her Social Security check online without leaving her home. That keeps her out of the car and off the roads. She will need to buy less gas for the car, giving her more money to gamble with.

This makes us less dependent on foreign oil. It also gets Grandma out of the smoke-filled casinos, protecting her from second-hand smoke. Since fewer people will physically go to casinos, they can cut back on employees, bringing down their overhead, increasing their profits.

Way to go, Sen. Reid.

Larry Pederson

Carson City