Letters to the editor for Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015

Animal activists go too far against clubs

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada completed another fundraiser (22 straight years) very successfully. For the past few years the club has auctioned off a donated puppy, much to the delight of attendees. The puppies auctioned are still with the loving families that won the bids in prior years. A $500 puppy package comes with the bid to be sure the puppy receives all necessary shots. This year, however, the puppy was returned to the donor.

Animal activists launched a bullying campaign against the club for daring to potentially mistreat the puppy by auctioning it off. They inundated the club’s website and Facebook page with hateful invectives. They harassed club volunteer board members and staff with emails and phone calls.

The club made the mature decision to pull the puppy from the auction. This fundraiser contributes 20 percent of the annual operating budget of the club and is critical to its operations. The club could not take a chance on this bullying affecting the success of the event. I think it is a shame that fanatics can have this effect. I’m not being critical of all animal activists, as I know many who are fine people. I do think those fanatics who attack the Boys & Girls Clubs should think before they act.

Larry Messina

Former Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada board member

Statham attacks unlawful liberals — just a dream

Wow, I think I heard that Nevada Appeal columnist Bo Statham is going to do a column in which he takes to task President Obama and all the mayors of sanctuary cities, like he did Kim Davis, the elected county clerk in Kentucky. After all, they are all elected officials and have in one way or another ignored parts of the federal immigration laws. I don’t think any of them used religion as a reason, though, so maybe it was just their personal beliefs or agenda.

Oh, wait, you’re telling me that it was just a dream I had and this really isn’t going to happen? Well, that is disappointing.

David Knighton

Carson City

Have guts, vote for Trump

Finally, another chance to vote is here. The only question that matters is, do we want change, or do we want more of the same? The difference this time is we have an opportunity to go a step further and dump the traditional crap and turn to a candidate who has no political baggage and does not owe any favors to anyone for any reason. The bottom line is, do we have the guts to do so?

Donald Trump is saying exactly what most people have been thinking for at least the past 10 years. Sure, he is not a polished politician, but he knows how to get things done, and he is not afraid to step on a few toes to do so. A few so-called leaders in this country need to be “slapped around” a little bit and brought down to reality, and Trump is the man who can do this.

We have just been through eight years of how bad it can get and now we can get more years of it getting worse or we can draw the line here and start rebuilding this country to where it is supposed to be. Even the worst day for Trump would be twice as good for this country as any day of the past eight years has been.

If Trump does not get the nomination, he has vowed to support the one who does, and we should, too. We must — this country depends on it. Have guts!

Kelly Madigan

Carson City

Stop the ideological jihad

Clark and Washoe county Republican Committee chairmen are perpetrating a fraud on their members by pandering to the 2 percent of the population who is LGBT.

This “community” is actively attacking the religious freedom of the majority of Americans for the crime of objecting to same-sex marriage.

Thanks to this ongoing establishment ideological jihad on voters of conscience and morality, millions of the Republican Party base have either left the party or sat out critical presidential elections, taking their energy, money, and shoe leather with them.

Lynn Muzzy

Minden

ESL In-Home program needs volunteers

I have been drawn to images of Syrian refugees attempting to flee their war-torn country. I am taken aback to stories my own parents told of a similar experience in attempting to flee their European homeland during the invasion of Hitler and their journey to Ellis Island.

Our country is built upon the ability for all to have an opportunity to be law-biding contributors, adding to our economic growth. Being able to converse in our country’s language opens the door of citizenship, which opens the door to a higher level of employment.

Enter the ESL In-Home Program of Northern Nevada, a nonprofit serving Carson, Washoe, Douglas, Lyon and Churchill counties. Through volunteers, we offer a variety of services, such as ESL tutoring, GED preparation and U.S. citizenship study.

As children have the opportunity to learn English in schools, adults in the child’s family are often left behind. In teaching adults, we provide them with the ability to help their child with homework, school activities and communication with teachers and pediatricians.

Our tutoring style is primarily on a one-on-one basis or in small groups of 3-4.

The ESL In-Home Program has more than 800 adults wait-listed to learn English language skills. I invite you to be a solution that will better a child, a family and ultimately Northern Nevada.

Do you have 1-2 hours/week to spare? Do you want to be a part of a positive change and one that is life changing? Call me at 775-888-2021 for one hour’s training at your convenience on how to teach English as a Second Language.

Florence Phillips

Executive director of ESL In-Home Program of Northern Nevada