LETTERS: Fire Department aims to soak public
To the editor:
Once again, the Las Vegas Fire Department displays its contempt for the rest of us. Already one of the highest-paid fire departments in the country, and having abused taxpayers with overtime and charity collection schemes, it now dictates emergency medical response terms for the city (“City to AMR: Shut up and drive,” Glenn Cook column, Sept. 7 Review-Journal).
This is a department headed toward “We’ll leave you to die on the street if you don’t pay us what we want,” and they know it. Not too many years ago, it was common to see Fire Department personnel in uniform in the supermarket checkout line. Not anymore. Chief Willie McDonald should give it a try. Put on your fine uniform (with lots of gold braid, I’m sure), and go stand in line.
By the way, didn’t we pay for that fine uniform? Make it a point to treat Fire Department personnel the same way they treat you — with utter disdain.
GRAHAM H. TYE
LAS VEGAS
Biblical good works
To the editor:
Henry Spalding’s letter concludes: “Good deeds can be done by anyone. Christians don’t hold the patent” (“Good deeds, minus God,” Sept. 8 Review-Journal). Very few people would disagree with that. However, the rest of his snarky, simplistic attack on Christianity demands a response.
He was abused by nuns as a boy? I suspect that was a few raps on the knuckles with a ruler or being yelled at, but he uses “abused” to attempt to gain sympathy for his arguments. Let’s get into some of those: Indians, Eskimos or black people on Noah’s ark? Dominant genetics and geographic separation led to different groups of people having different characteristics, but there is really only one race, the human race, and scientists today say that all humans descended from one original couple.
Mr. Spalding said it was clear that “the Bible was written by homophobic, woman-hating, slave-trading men who didn’t like bacon or shellfish.” It’s not clear to me or millions of Christians. The Bible is not homophobic; it just states certain sexual mores that some disagree with. Nor is it misogynistic. Christianity elevated the position of women in the ancient world from property to human beings, with rights and dignity and equality in God’s eyes.
As for slavery: Sure, it existed everywhere in the ancient world, though it was different than chattel slavery that we had in this country. But the New Testament book of Philemon urges a slaveholder to release his slave, and it was Christians such as William Wilberforce and innumerable abolitionists in this country who eventually eliminated the practice!
Furthermore, there were about 40 authors in the Bible, with occupations ranging from physicians to princes to scholars to fishermen. Many scholars think St. Paul’s letter to the Romans is the most profound piece of literature ever written.
As for money, just go downtown and see what Christians are doing. Look at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army, to name a few. I don’t see the Humanist Association doing much down there. The Bible, sermons and prayer have done more good in the world than anyone can imagine. They’re not excuses for doing nothing, but the greatest motivators for good deeds the world has ever seen.
GARY STRABALA
LAS VEGAS
Soccer stadium
To the editor:
My wife and I moved here from Southern California in July, and we have been most impressed with so many things, including the Department of Motor Vehicles’ cellphone system, foresight in building roads, the parks, and more. However, the thought of paying taxes for a downtown soccer stadium for a team owned by a private company is so California, and so wrong.
There is no reason to mandate that citizens pay for a facility that will generate profit for a small group of private citizens, but leave any losses to the taxpayers. When did that idea become a good one? When I opened my businesses, I went to family, friends and a bank, then I repaid my loans.
I would implore the City Council to forgo the personal perks that I am sure are being offered in exchange for the trust of your constituents; it’s a change from the norm, but it would be prudent for so many reasons. Please don’t emulate all the worst of both Washington, D.C., and California, two places that are essentially broke.
GREG SCHERR
LAS VEGAS
