There are some positives to Yucca Mountain

In response to Sean Whaley’s Wednesday story, “State to keep battling Yucca”:

Most of the opposition to the Yucca Mountain project is based on ignorance. I’m hoping the Review-Journal will allow the public to know the truth about radioactive groundwater underneath Yucca Mountain.

That groundwater is already radioactive, and has been for 70 years since the underground testing in the 1950s. What Nevada is actually trying to keep out of the state is the billion-dollar-a-year industry disarming nuclear warheads. That was originally part of the deal. Nevada accepts the nuclear waste repository and gets an industry that generates $1 billion annually. An industry that doesn’t depend on tourism.

Instead, the industry is still in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and employs thousands of people with $40-per-hour jobs. Did you know the waste from their program is then transported to Nevada? It is stored at the National Security Site (not inside the mountain) along with the other 1 million tons of radioactive waste that is already there. How is keeping the waste outside the mountain supposed to make it safer?

We are already getting all the negatives associated with the waste storage. With a little bit of education, the people of Nevada might accept the positives, too.

David Bender

Las Vegas

Giving up?

I am looking forward to seeing the level of contributions to the Clinton Foundation in 2017. It should be eye opening.

Albert Lindahl

Las Vegas

Veteran parade

Nov. 11 was Veterans Day. Originally Armistice Day, it was meant for remembering the horrors of World War I, the “War to End All Wars.” What we have today, though, seems more like just another three-day weekend, another opportunity for selling cars and, finally, to honor veterans.

Well, most veterans here in Las Vegas, anyway.

A contingent of around 15 veterans and family members marching under the name Veterans For Peace in the Veterans Day parade were assaulted by parade organizers, bystanders and Metro police. Our crime? Calling for an end to endless war. With banners and chants calling for peace, we proudly marched down the street remembering our pledge taken to defend and protect the Constitution. The First Amendment guarantees all citizens freedom of speech.

Except in the Las Vegas Veterans Day parade.

Halfway through the parade, organizers threatened by messages of peace surrounded us with motorcycles and golf carts. Like they were herding so much cattle, they tried to stop us. Unsuccessful, they called in Metro. Overreacting to the situation, officers approached us from behind with sirens blaring while the Cub Scouts marching in front of us looked on in disbelief. Despite our pleas and the display of our permit to march, we were forced to take to the sidewalk where bystanders tore up one of our banners.

By now, the parade had ended and we returned home in shock and disbelief that we who had served had been treated with such disrespect and disdain.

Shame on parade officials, Metro and the violent bystanders. Shame on Las Vegas. Shame on America.

Don Kimball

Las Vegas

The writer is with Veterans For Peace.

Generous benefits

The Clark County Commission has just OK’d hiring 70 more cops (Wednesday Review-Journal). The shortage of cops is a recurring problem that does not go away when the economy slows.

One of the reasons for the shortage is that the cops are allowed to retire at a relatively young age with an overly generous pension that can exceed six figures every year. The same situation exists for our firefighters. In addition, the salaries received by both the firefighters and police officers are among the very highest in the nation.

All of these factors combined are a rip-off of the taxpaying public.

Richard P. McGarrity

Las Vegas