Hospital’s treatment of couple inexcusable
To the editor:
A committed, loving couple lost their baby this summer at Spring Valley Hospital. No parent should have to face the possibility of going through such a traumatic event alone, but Brittney Leon did. Although the hospital gladly accepted the health insurance of Ms. Leon's registered domestic partner, the couple were told they would not be allowed to stay together during a time of fear, crisis and loss (Aug. 19 Review-Journal).
Spring Valley Hospital broke a rule that was mandated by President Obama and established by the Department of Health and Human Services last year that ensures hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples. By breaking this rule, the hospital denied the right of a couple to comfort one another, to cry together and to hold one another during their darkest hour.
Nevada law states that registered domestic partners have the same rights, protections and benefits that legal spouses do. However, the hospital staff insisted that Leon's partner, Terri-Ann Simonelli, needed power of attorney in order to stay by her side or to make any medical decisions for her.
Spring Valley Hospital needs to be held accountable for breaking the mandate and Nevada state law. Until then, more couples will be harmed.
What good are protective federal policies or state laws if they are not enforced? If our federal government is not ready for or capable of providing marriage equality, it should at least protect all couples from discrimination when they are at their weakest and most vulnerable: in hospitals.
I hope I live to see the day when complete equal rights are the norm. Until then, my emergency health plan is to tell hospital personnel that my wife is my sister.
TERRA HODGE
MORRISVILLE, N.C.
Whose true colors?
To the editor:
It took only the first paragraph of John L. Smith's Sept. 2 column ("GOP tried to show nation's true colors") to take me from serenity to outrage. Will Mr. Smith report this week that Democrats showed their "darker side" in nominating President Obama for a second term?
At least we can thank Mr. Smith for revealing a bit more of his true feelings about people who don't conform to his idea of America.
ROBERT BASS
LAS VEGAS
A rigged game
To the editor:
In response to your Aug. 29 article, "Nevada delegates stage revolt at RNC":
Wayne Terhune, chairman of Nevada's delegation, said, "My microphone was dead, nobody answered the phone. They just wanted to silence us." Cindy Lake, chairwoman of the Clark County Republican Party, said, "It's really hard to watch. This whole thing is just a show, a slick TV show for Mitt Romney. It's sickening."
"This is the death of the Republican Party," added Wiselet Rouzard. "Future generations will be ashamed of what they did today."
I agree that it was a disgrace to the party. If the Republicans would have allowed Rep. Ron Paul to be nominated from the convention floor, it would have demonstrated that the convention was fair and honest.
When two political parties dominate the election process, they also dominate and control our government. They play good cop, bad cop with the people. There is really no choice. The Democrats win one election and then the Republicans win the next.
We need more choice. However, as long as the people keep voting for Democrats and Republicans, we will get more of the same.
In Nevada, we have a strong third party that won four elections in 2010. It is the Independent American Party, which is the fastest-growing party in the state.
You are wasting your vote by voting for a Democrat or a Republican. They have controlled our government for more than 100 years. How is that working out for you?
TOM JONES
LAS VEGAS
The writer is chairman of the Clark County Independent American Party and a candidate for Nevada's 3rd Congressional District.
Obama campaign blunder
To the editor:
President Obama, and the Democrat Party elite in general, like to crow how they are for the military and their families. As a retired military man, I can remember the days when we looked forward to those three-day holiday periods that, if you were lucky, could be extended to four days. And how our family members and relatives looked forward to these holiday periods. Plans were made well in advance for flights and hotels, creating severe financial penalties if they required cancellation on short notice.
This pro-military, caring Obama campaign group surely wouldn't schedule a campaign stop at a military base during a three-day holiday period, would they? Well, some yahoo in the Obama campaign, who was most likely getting heat about sparse turnouts, thought it would be a good idea to hold a campaign stop at a military base during this past Labor Day weekend. This way they could order a base commander to ensure a large crowd for an impressive photo op.
The campaign stop was at Fort Bliss in El Paso on Friday. While President Obama is not widely liked by the military, I'd venture to say that he is even more unpopular after this campaign blunder. The resentment created by this incident isn't limited to just those troops ordered to be in attendance; it is shared by their friends and family members who won't forget such a narcissistic, selfish, political imposition on their own holiday plans. Nor will it go unnoticed by other members of the military, their families and the millions of veterans in this country who realize what an arrogant, selfish insult this was.
WARREN WILLIS SR.
LAS VEGAS
