If lies about military valor are protected, what isn’t?

To the editor:

In deciding that a citizen has the right to lie about military service (the "stolen valor" law case), the U.S. Supreme Court recently affirmed the right of free speech as it is stated in the First Amendment. That decision, though, now causes me to wonder how much someone can say and have it still be considered protected speech.

Is it protected speech if someone were to say he would like to see certain politicians assassinated? What if he also named names?

Is it protected speech if someone were to say he would like to see a second American Revolution to end what some believe is tyranny?

Is it protected speech if someone were to say he would like to see Speaker of the House John Boehner sworn in as president of the United States next month, even though it implies what must occur before that event can become reality - the simultaneous impeachments, resignations or deaths of both the president and vice president of the United States?

Is it protected speech if someone were to say that he believes certain politicians could be classified as either idiots or liars? (To prevent embarrassing certain leaders of Congress from Nevada and California, I won't name names.)

Other than yelling "Fire, Fire!" in a theater, are there limits to free speech if it is spoken as an opinion, a belief, or wishful thinking now that the Supreme Court has decided it is OK to lie about real or imaginary military service? If so, what are the limits?

Maybe the Supreme Court may have to decide that question, too.

S.G. Hayes Sr.

Las Vegas

Try volunteers

To the editor:

Concerning the recent closure of two North Las Vegas fire stations due to lack of staffing (Tuesday Review-Journal): Try using volunteers.

Volunteer firefighters have been around for hundreds of years. With the proper training, sure, they can do the same job as full-time firefighters.

Of course, the firefighter union will fight this tooth and nail and claim the volunteers will provide substandard service or pose a safety hazard. But check many local fire departments and see how many volunteers love to come to work a shift at the firehouse.

Todd Wheelan

North Las Vegas

Matter of race

To the editor:

Esmael E. Candelaria paints six recent letter writers as closet racists because they oppose illegal immigration ("Hiding behind the law to excuse racism?" Saturday letter). This, because "every one of the last names [of the writers] indicated a nationality not thought of as a 'minority.' "

As one of those six writers, I must respond:

1) I assume that because his name appears to be Hispanic, Mr. Candelaria considers himself to be a "minority"? Because there are black, brown and white Hispanics, how is that a minority? My grandmother spoke German; German-speakers are a distinct "minority" in this country. Does that make me a minority?

2) Why is it that, when all other logic fails them, people have to play the race card?

3) Mr. Candelaria appears to argue that our immigration laws were written by racists because those folks who voted to approve the law wanted to close the gate after they arrived. So can we assume the governments of Mexico, Morocco, Germany, Sweden, etc., are also racist because they have strong immigration laws and they enforce them? And is there no other valid reason to have immigration laws, other than to exclude certain minorities?

4) Mr. Candelaria says he has "encountered people who are blatantly racist." The dictionary says that one definition of racism is giving preference and special treatment to one person or group over another, based solely upon their race. Because Mr. Candelaria appears to be lobbying for special treatment of his "race," I believe he fits the definition of a "racist."

5) For the record, I oppose all illegal immigration, be it from Mexicans, Moroccans, Germans, Swedes, etc. If you want to come to this country, do it legally.

Dave Downer

Las Vegas

Gun runners

To the editor:

The apparent lack of outrage within the Hispanic community over Operation Fast and Furious is appalling.

Yes, an American border agent was killed using weapons supplied to Mexican drug cartels by our own government. But it seems that hundreds of others who could have been murdered by the same collection of weapons have been ignored. This includes Hispanic political leaders, law enforcement personnel, educators, firefighters and innocent civilians.

While civil war rages in Mexico between the government and the drug cartels, we have been helping the bad guys in the worst way possible.

Doesn't anyone care? Do we consider Hispanics to be second-class human beings and their deaths of secondary importance? Could it be that the situation is much worse than reported?

It took a whistleblower to highlight the death of agent Brian Terry. Have other Americans been killed and reporting suppressed for political reasons? Attorney General Eric Holder and President Obama owe the American people - and especially all Hispanics - the complete truth about Fast and Furious.

Larry Cole

North Las Vegas