Appetite for growth killed the cougar
To the editor:
Once again another wild creature has been slaughtered, and for what ("Decision to kill cougar brings slew of complaints," Friday Review-Journal)? Greed is why this animal had to die. If not for the irresponsible management of growth, this animal would still be alive today.
It is not heinous enough to outgrow your means and then come into rural Nevada and want to pump out our precious water so growth in the Las Vegas Valley can continue. That is sheer greed.
Wild animals are being killed daily in the valley due to your encroachment into there habitat. You people have a lot of blood on your hands and you are no better than Michael Vick.
You saw this day coming and still did nothing about it. That is worse than what Michael Vick did. Shame on you.
GEORGE E. ROWE
CALIENTE
Religious bigotry
To the editor:
Regarding the religious bigotry against the Roman Catholic Church found on the Las Vegas Strip on New Year's Eve, as shown in a picture in the Jan. 1 issue of the Review-Journal on page 8A, I am deeply surprised and offended by the placard displaying the words, "Roman Catholicism is of the Devil. It will send you to Hell."
As religious zealots were flashing their ignorance of and prejudicial feelings to the Roman Catholic Church, I, at the same time with 25 other Roman Catholics, was caring for street people in the homeless corridor just north of "Glitter Gulch," as we do every Monday evening.
Having been ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Reno, now into my 34th year, I feel strongly that religious intolerance in the Silver State or anywhere must be found unacceptable, especially in this country, which is founded on the principle of freedom of religion.
Roman Catholicism has information classes in her 18 parishes in the Las Vegas Valley, and I would invite those with hostile views to consider attending one of them rather than spending New Year's Eve ridiculing a religion.
I hope and pray that this New Year 2008 will be a year of peace and joy for all people who sincerely seek a truthful relationship with God. Religious bigotry has no place in the life of a person of good conscience. Shame on those who displayed religious hate on the Strip on New Year's Eve.
The Rev. JOHN B. McSHANE
LAS VEGAS
Like dogs
To the editor:
Pavlov, who conditioned dogs to salivate when they heard a bell, would be proud of how the oil companies conditioned us to paying $3 or more for gasoline regardless of market conditions.
A couple of years ago, they nudged the price of gas to $3, let us taste it, and then dropped it for us to sigh in relief.
Then it began the see-saw, back and forth between over and under $3. They've finally fixed it at $3-plus, saying it would never drop below that mark, regardless of the price of crude oil.
Now they are gleefully predicting, gosh, it could go to $4 a gallon. And thus begins the next cycle of conditioning.
I do have a question: If the oil companies are Pavlov, what are we?
PHIL COLLINS
LAS VEGAS
Let's wake up
To the editor:
All presidential candidates in my memory promised change. They promised that Washington would be cleaned up by the new sheriff in town. Has that ever happened?
They make promises in such a way that we hear one thing but they deliver something else.
Be careful when they tell you that all Americans will have health insurance. The key word there is insurance, not health care. Just like they passed laws that require all drivers to have insurance, promising that would drive the cost of insurance down. I am still waiting for that to happen.
Candidates have promised that Social Security is high on their list. Like the first national bank was high on Bonnie and Clyde's list. They have stolen the money and did not go to jail for it.
Ross Perot warned and warned of the deficits. At the time he was an idiot. Now he is a prophet.
When are we going to wake up? When are we going to vote for someone who has good ideas and not some panderer who buys votes with tax dollars? The truth is an enemy has taken control of our political system and we are asleep.
EDWARD J. FINLEY
LAS VEGAS
No Bush/Clinton
To the editor:
After 20 years, we've had enough of the Bush/Clinton dynasties.
If we don't break this chain, we may soon be asked to choose between Chelsea and Jenna!
MARY E. MARTIN
HENDERSON
