Letters to the edtor Nov. 28

Distant call for help for Carson's homeless

I'm not a resident of Carson City. I don't live anywhere in Nevada. I am a random person who lives almost 2,000 miles away.

Over the past several weeks, I've gotten to know several residents of Carson City over Twitter. They aren't politicians or business people. They are the homeless. And tonight, I had a Twitter conversation with one - Rocketman7777 - who is concerned that he will freeze there on the streets of Carson City as the temperature drops to about 6 degrees.

I met Rocketman7777 through "We Are Visible," a program that helps the homeless connect with the world via social media. I talk to Rocketman7777 several times a week. I read about the homeless shelter closing in Carson City. And tonight, he laments, with cause, that not even the churches are open to save him from the cold.

These people aren't faceless, nameless nobodies. They're people. They're our brothers and uncles and, in this economy, former neighbors

Is there nowhere in Carson City to go, and no one who sees them?

Chrisa Hickey

Chicago

Mother seeks information on daughter's whereabouts

As the mother of (Carson City woman reported missing) Stephanie Baxley, I wish to correct the original reports concerning her intentions. Yes, Stephanie is still missing. Prayerfully, that will be remedied soon.

We believe Stephanie to be alive based on David, Tim, Max and Alan's days of boots-on-the-ground, investigation and personal search for her in and around the Carson City area. We ask that anyone knowing her whereabouts or who has information concerning her present condition please anonymously call the sheriff at 887-2007 with this vital information. It will be kept confidential.

I wish to publicly thank and commend the Carson City Sheriff's Department, family, friends, volunteers, aerosquadron services, trackers, handlers of scent dogs, city and county employees, and all of Stephanie's fellow workers in the hospice community for their assistance given to me and my family in our desperate attempt to locate Stephanie.

Whatever is troubling Stephanie can be resolved and worked out with the embrace of her entire family who is standing by. The efforts of the Carson City residents are clear indications of how much Stephanie is loved, honored and appreciated throughout her years of community service.

Margaret Baxley McIntosh

Southern California

Sheriff did his job with drunk driving arrest

I am writing this in response to the to the article on Nov. 18, regarding Manuel Pina. First off, driving with twice the legal limit, no valid license, no insurance, on top of being here illegally, shows he has no respect for this country's laws - not when he came here and not now.

His sister-in-law wants to scream foul now that he has been caught. Her first mistake was voting for Mr. Furlong. Now that he is doing his job, she doesn't like him. I say it is about time he did his job. I, as an American, expect our laws to be upheld. If Ms. Pina wants to say something shady is happening at the Carson Jail relating to Hispanic people, she needs to look at the facts.

If Mr. Pina had any concern for the law, he would have used some of the 20 years he has been in this country to become legal, he would carry insurance and a license like everyone else has to by law, and most of all, he would not have been driving with a blood-alcohol of twice the legal limit. If she wants to look into shady dealings, find out why he was O.R.ed.

Furlong did his job and I.C.E. did theirs.

Carol Kneese

Carson City

Death panels by any other name just as deadly

This is in response to two opinions appearing in the Appeal on Nov. 23: First, that there is no death panel in the healthcare bill, and by watching FOX News Network, you are being duped.

Well, Mr. Stotts, I do believe you should read the health care bill before stating an opinion of such magnitude. Throughout the bill, it states that it is absolutely necessary to control costs. Of course, the administration touts fraud and misuse of the current Medicare program and, no doubt, it exists.

Members of Congress have known for some time that fraud is prevalent, but have done nothing to curtail the practice. They themselves have admitted to this. With Obama's appointment of Donald Berwirk as head of the new health care system, he is an advocate of controlled costs and the "Value of Life" policy and the application of such to those who are critically ill.

Just because the words "death panel" do not appear in the bill, it does not mean the intent is not there. Remember the words "Value of Life." How much are you worth?

Secondly, Mr. Dunn, what the Republicans are saying is, use the stimulus money to pay for extended unemployment benefits. The money is sitting there, why keep raising the debt with new bills? Every man, woman and child is already $35,000 to $45,000 in debt to the government. That's why I voted Republican, sir.

Royce Tuckness

Carson City

Dems dished up some 'narratives' of their own

Nice narrative, Mr. Paslov. It was quite entertaining to read your commentary on the power of narratives to twist the truth. Whether you choose to call them lies, innuendos, half truths or rumors, it's all the same. They are used to associate a person with something negative in order to bring them down.

The part of your opinion that I found most amusing was that you associate all that with the right wing and/or the Republicans. Until this last election, I didn't know much about Angle or Lowden. Now, when their names come up, the first thing I think is crazy or chickens. Kind of reminds me of "I can see Russia from my front porch." That was an example of what you and your leftwing Democrats did when you created your own narratives for these folks.

I guess that's just politics. We want everyone to think we are above it all and that they aren't. We want to define one party as a big scary thing while we try to conceal our own monsters in a closet. The problem is, those nasty little monsters always manage to get out and ruin things for the rest of us.

Walter Owens

Carson City