LETTERS: Police union serves up foul sandwich

To the editor:

Detective Bryan Yant’s shooting of an unarmed, small-time marijuana dealer in 2010 cost him his job on the street and the citizens of Las Vegas $1.7 million (“Problem cop gets weighty position,” Sept. 21 Review-Journal). Apparently, a little in-house feud between Sheriff Doug Gillespie and Chris Collins, executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, will land the indestructible Yant a cozy perch within the police union, counseling other officers about on-the-job shootings.

Mr. Collins put it this way: “He’s a huge asset to the union. … When he goes out in these situations, he can tell somebody that it’s like biting a s--t sandwich.”

I think the family of Trevon Cole and the taxpayers of Las Vegas are on a steady diet of that sandwich.

JAMES GATES

LAS VEGAS

Lauding Lois

To the editor:

We should all thank Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian for her willingness to take a stand against the downtown soccer stadium proposal. If bonds are issued, interest must be paid to the bondholders, and if the bonds default, taxpayers will likely be liable.

All of the figures given so far on this project must be discounted, because there is no basis for how many people will attend, depending on whether the stadium is specific to soccer or not. Specifics are not given on costs of property, building the stadium, operating costs, etc. The figures are always larger than estimated.

Put this issue on the ballot and let all the voters decide. There are not enough answers for a few people to decide for so many.

LILLIAN HEINZELMAN

LAS VEGAS

NFL and justice system

To the editor:

Last week, I saw the news conference with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressing the bloodthirsty media about the Ray Rice assault case. I have to wonder what has happened to our society when we have the commissioner of a major sports league providing mea culpas for not inflicting enough punishment on a player for an off-the-field incident.

One simple question: Where is the outrage against the prosecutor? In this case, the local prosecutor undeniably saw the videos — both inside and outside the elevator — and gave Mr. Rice the option of “going to classes.” Yes, that’s right, going to a class. Why is there no outrage from women’s groups about that little part of the story? Why is it the responsibility of the NFL to mete out additional punishment? If Mr. Rice were in jail, he couldn’t play football, could he?

Let’s not even go into the area of equal dispensation of justice, depending on your level of visibility. Imagine if a firefighter knocked out his girlfriend in an elevator. Do you think he would lose his job?

The real culprit in this case is the legal system for sending the message that viciously striking a woman is a minor crime. And if you believe the liberal view that keeping the family together is important and that the offender can be rehabilitated by going to these classes, then you agree with the lack of severity in these cases.

The bottom line is simple: The NFL should never have been involved in the prosecution of Mr. Rice, but it was, due to the liberal legal system failing us yet again.

JOSEPH SCHILLMOELLER

LAS VEGAS

Protecting pro athletes

To the editor:

Let’s face it, the NFL’s problem is money. This league is flush with money, and the owners are the real issue. If you’re the owner of one of these franchises, you’re going to protect your pocketbook.

Ray Rice is a good example of this, and Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti — not NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell — called the shots on Mr. Rice. That backfired, and now the dominoes are starting to fall. When major sponsors speak, the owners will listen.

It’s time for the NFL to clean house and ban for life these guys who do wrong, with no exceptions. The league also needs to let college players know that if they can’t handle themselves on campus, they will not be drafted by an NFL team. The owners have to get control of their league. Let the players know they have an opportunity few people get; abuse it, and you’re out.

DAVID MESKER

LAS VEGAS

Bible archaic nonsense

To the editor:

Robert Gardner suggests in his letter that it was God who inspired men to author the Bible (“Biblical research,” Sept. 13 Review-Journal). Did he also inspire them to explain how to beat your slaves and how to sacrifice animals?

The Bible is a bunch of archaic nonsense, much of it barbaric. And if you want to see religious scripture followed and obeyed literally, just look at the beheadings in the Middle East.

Religious people used to dunk people in the moat, drowning them for imaginary crimes such as witchcraft. At least now we can just laugh at them for what they are: pathetic.

ROB BOWEN

LAS VEGAS