Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
LETTERS: Augustine must go -- the sooner, the better
To the editor:
State Controller Kathy Augustine broke election laws in winning re-election to her $80,000-a-year job. Found guilty by the Ethics Commission, she acknowledged in writing that she willfully violated the law. Asked to resign for the good of the state, she refuses, knowing the only way to remove her from office is by impeachment.
We're fighting a war abroad to construct and preserve the integrity of honestly elected officials, and human lives are being lost in the process. Ms. Augustine should not be permitted to exercise a double-standard at home. By refusing to resign, she publicizes her success at dishonesty by staying on a job to which she was not rightfully elected.
The impeachment process should be over in about an hour and a half. This is a real embarrassment for the state if it isn't done immediately -- special session not excluded.
DON WENDT
LAS VEGAS
Worse than Gore
To the editor:
If the pointy heads that constitute the Review-Journal editorial board actually think President Bush won Thursday night's debate with Sen. John Kerry ("Tone-deaf Kerry loses crucial debate," Friday), same heads must be buried deep in the same Syrian desert sand where the phantom Weapons of Mass Destruction lurk. President Bush's performance was even more embarrassing than Al Gore's in 2000. A total meltdown.
ROLIN ABRUMS
LAS VEGAS
Kerry and Vietnam
To the editor:
Glen Gillette wrote in a letter that Sen. John Kerry is not qualified, nor eligible, to hold public office of any kind, according to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ("Kerry not qualified," Saturday). What a delightful bunch of obfuscation. The entire Vietnam War debate between the candidates boils down to the fact that Sen. Kerry went and President Bush didn't. End of story. The rest is noise.
CHANDLER LEVRICH
LAS VEGAS
Bush crumbles
To the editor:
Sen. John Kerry has said before that President Bush lives in a "fantasy world of spin." On Thursday night, that fantasy world began to crumble.
Bush appeared angry that anyone would dare to challenge his view of the facts. Faced with the reality of the mess he has created in Iraq and challenged for repeatedly misleading the American people, he retreated, falling back on his trite slogans over and over and over. What was even more graphic was picture after picture of President Bush pursing his lips and his I-wish-I-were-somewhere-else demeanor. He wasn't taking this debate seriously, and it showed.
What a disgrace for all Americans to watch this president.
DALIA MILLER
LAS VEGAS
Cabdriver slaying
To the editor:
Many Las Vegas cabbies, including myself, support prosecutors' decision to seek the death penalty against James Scholl in connection with the August slaying of cabdriver Pairoj Chitprasart. Mr. Scholl has displayed no remorse in this horrendous crime and even bragged about setting Mr. Chitprasart on fire to others. The Clark County district attorney's office needs to show people that crimes against Las Vegas cabbies will not be tolerated.
BEN MERLISS
LAS VEGAS
Veterans hospital
To the editor:
The letter to the editor by veteran Ralph McKeighen ("Too long a wait," Friday) should be sent to each and every government official, especially those who are running for office.
Is it a viable idea to have our city, state and federal governments buy or lease one of the now-defunct hotels and convert it to a hospital until 2009, when the new veterans hospital will be finished? It would seem that these rooms have full facilities, the kitchen is in place and the former casino area could be turned into exam rooms and treatment areas.
EILEEN SCHENCK
LAS VEGAS
Fatherless youths
To the editor:
In his letter to the editor, 17-year-old Jeremiah Dial ("Father figures," Saturday) states that he was raised by a single mother. "Because my father is not in my life, I have missed out on certain things. ... Our government should develop some type of program where individuals would be paid to step in and serve as that father figure."
After about three decades of the government (family courts) in the lives of families, the failure is widely known. After routinely awarding one parent custody, and ordering the other parent to be a visitor and a financial slave, the sad results are millions of fatherless and seriously dysfunctional children.
A study by the American Psychological Association confirmed that children in joint-custody arrangements have fewer behavioral and emotional problems, higher self-esteem, better family relations and better school performance than children who are subjected to sole-custody arrangements.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 63 percent of youth suicides and 90 percent of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes. In 1992, the U.S. Commission on Child & Family Welfare reported that 90 percent of father disengagement is caused by "obstruction of access by a custodial parent anxious to break the father-child ties."
The answer is less government in children's lives. It is time for noncustodial parents to have equal rights.
ALAN R. DiCICCO
HENDERSON
The writer is president of the Coalition for Family Court Reform.
Williams offensive
To the editor:
I attended Andre Agassi's Grand Slam for Children on Saturday. I was totally offended by Robin Williams' appearance. After reading Norm Clarke's column on Sunday ("Williams aims venom at Bush"), I was further offended.
Mr. Williams' profanity-laced comments, both during the auction and his performance, while OK for an adult audience, were totally out of line, especially with a large group of children from Agassi's College Preparatory Academy in attendance. I have never seen Mr. Williams perform live before, and probably never will again.
Mr. Williams owes apologies to a lot of people for his performance, especially Mr. Clarke and the children of Las Vegas. Mr. Clarke, I would like to apologize to you for what you had to go through just to do your job.
Mr. Agassi, you can do better. Please find someone else for next year's show. It's for the children.
SKIP BOTHWICK
LAS VEGAS
