Don’t buy the ‘judicial hellhole’ label
To the editor:
Last week, the American Tort Reform Association released its annual "judicial hellholes" report for 2007. Nevada was featured prominently. But do not be fooled by the association's propaganda.
The American Tort Reform Association is funded by big corporate CEOs from the insurance, pharmaceutical and tobacco industries. These are the same industries that want to eliminate all that holds them accountable when they put a dangerous product on the market or unfairly delay and deny insurance claims for disaster victims.
Each year, this report is supposed to list the jurisdictions that, according to ATRA, have a history of producing verdicts that are so-called "plaintiff friendly." But some of the claims made in these reports have been questioned, are false or are formulated using fuzzy math and data. In 2006, ATRA officials issued a correction to their 2005 report after a reporter discovered that the group wrongly attacked the state of West Virginia for a lawsuit that wasn't even filed in the state.
This year, with the inclusion of Clark County based on so-called "judicial misconduct," again shows ATRA's faulty fact gathering. Many of the judges in the cited articles mentioned have been cleared of any alleged wrongdoing.
As attorneys we fight to make sure that individuals who are injured due to no fault of their own can receive justice in the courtroom. In a year when ATRA's chief funding sources have forced the recalls of thousands of toys, hundreds of thousands of pounds of produce, and millions of automobiles, the public should be issuing their own report called "perilous products" not reading about "judicial hellholes."
George T. Bochanis
Victoria Coolbaugh
CARSON CITY
MR. BOCHANIS IS PRESIDENT OF THE NEVADA TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION. MS. COOLBAUGH IS THE GROUP'S DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
Religious belief
To the editor:
Responding to columnist Geoff Schumacher's excellent Dec. 16 critique of Mitt Romney's speech, Craig Pyper describes secular humanism as a "religion." It has been said that calling secular humanism a religion is akin to calling baldness a hair color.
Humanism advocates the practice of ethical behavior (reason, altruism, etc.) for the greater good of humanity, without promise of reward or punishment in any afterlife.
Mr. Pyper illogically equates humanism with the unhumanistic acts of the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. While the Nazis were actually quite religious, there is absolutely no evidence that the acts of those totalitarian governments were related to a lack of religion or that they would have been less cruel if they were religious. They could be more appropriately compared to the religious government torturers of the Spanish Inquisition and the religious fanatics responsible for the 9/11 attacks.
In an attempt to justify the imposition of religion in government, Mr. Pyper cites an alleged quote from Thomas Jefferson. It's ironic that he chose Jefferson, who was quite clear in stating his belief that freedom does not require religion and that religion may even inhibit freedom. This is manifested today in those countries that have fundamentalist theocracies.
Regardless of statements made over 200 years ago, our nation today is composed of those with many different beliefs (or non-beliefs) and governments should not represent or endorse any one of those beliefs over the others. The only connection government should have with religion is to assure that the right to privately practice one's beliefs, is protected.
Mel Lipman
LAS VEGAS
THE WRITER IS PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION.
Honoring Rogers
To the editor:
In his Dec. 2 commentary, Review-Journal Publisher Sherman Frederick denigrates a recent speech given by university Chancellor Jim Rogers to the Las Vegas Northwest Rotary Club.
Jim Rogers spoke to the Rotary Club and made an impassioned plea to halt the budget cuts proposed by Gov. Jim Gibbons for higher education. Mr. Rogers explained, very persuasively, how ruinous these cuts would be to higher education in Nevada and to the state in general.
Mr. Frederick stated, "Nevada's budget woes stem from overspending, not under-taxation."
But had Mr. Frederick actually attended the speech by Jim Rogers, he would not have made such a statement. It is widely known that Nevada is 49th in the nation on spending for public education while Nevada is third in per capita income.
The fact is that Jim Rogers has raised millions of dollars through private donations and given millions of his own money to higher education. Mr. Rogers is working for a dollar a year as chancellor in an effort to improve public education in Nevada and to keep Nevada from falling further behind.
It appears Mr. Frederick's column was driven by ideology and not facts. Repeating falsehoods, ad nauseam, does not, and will not, make them true.
By the way, Mr. Frederick, many, many Rotarians do not share your view of Jim Rogers; the Las Vegas North Club, for example, is honoring Jim Rogers as Distinguished Citizen of the Year at its annual gala in February.
CLIFF W. MARCEK
LAS VEGAS
