Negative opinions on Islam serve only to inflame
To the editor:
The past two Fridays in a row, your newspaper has included columns from Diana West of the Newspaper Enterprise Association calling Islam a threat to our collective safety and security. The printing of such opinions serves only to inflame the fires of anti-Islamic sentiments in Southern Nevada, rather than to create the conditions for dialogue and mutual respect.
Folks like Richard Dawkins, author of "The God Delusion," take a certain pleasure in bashing religion due to a certain level of violence associated with the history of religions. There is no doubt that certain religionists, of all stripes, have promoted a certain level of violence within society over the past couple of millennia.
But can we extract from those incidents a clear line of agreement between the Quran and Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" or Karl Marx's "Communist Manifesto"? Ms. West describes all three documents as "blueprints for world conquest." I think not.
It is part of the mission statement of the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada and Interfaith Councils around the globe to "promote activities that encourage understanding and respect among all people, all traditions, all cultures, and all communities."
With respect to our Islamic community, the Review-Journal seems to want to take a different stance, an antagonistic stance.
I would challenge the editors of the Review-Journal to develop a community conversation about these matters and to allow the Islamic community of Southern Nevada, a vital part of our community, to be part of that conversation.
Gard Jameson
Boulder City
The writer is chair of the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada.
QB Obama
To the editor:
In the movie "Heaven Can Wait," Warren Beatty plays a reincarnated NFL quarterback trying to make a team. But every time the ball is snapped at the line of scrimmage, the offensive linemen move away to let the defensive linemen sack the quarterback.
The offensive linemen were supposed to work with the quarterback as a "team" and help him. Instead, they behaved as if they were protecting the quarterback while hoping he failed.
This is comparable to the situation which President Obama is currently facing in trying to work with Congress to find solutions to the many problems currently facing the United States. Mr. Obama is trying his darnedest to correct the sinking ship, but he is receiving no help whatsoever from the conservative Republican Party.
President Obama has even tried to compromise with the Republican Party, hoping to achieve any solutions.
If members of the Republican Party continue along with their reckless disregard for the good of the United States -- solely because they want President Obama to fail -- then this country will sink so badly that no one, whether Democrat or Republican, will be able to bring it back.
The fall of the American Empire is fast approaching.
Wilson J. Matos
Las Vegas
On the road
To the editor:
I read with interest the letter from Reuel Williams ("Waste, corruption," Saturday Review-Journal). I feel the need to clarify and expand on his comments.
Mr. Williams states the president's jobs bill, at $435 billion, would create 1.8 million jobs, thus costing taxpayers $241,000 per job.
What he is failing to take into account is the cost of materials and machinery to go along with the wages. Much of the jobs bill would involve building roads, a part of our infrastructure that has been badly neglected.
In the Midwest, for instance, some county roads have been allowed to return to gravel because the counties simply could not afford to repave them. Should we allow our country to drift into Third World status because we are too cheap to perform normal maintenance on existing infrastructure?
Thus, not only does the $435 billion pay the wages of the 1.8 million workers, it also covers the cost of asphalt, concrete, trucks, paving equipment, etc. All the providers of these commodities will hire more workers, creating even more jobs.
In the end, has our government simply thrown away this money? Certainly not. In addition to the economic boost from the jobs created, the United States winds up with an improved system of roads, befitting the strongest nation in the world.
Rick Tope
Las Vegas
Water use
To the editor:
No one thought Lake Mead would have a drought, but it did. Residents of Texas probably didn't think they would have the drought they have had, but they did. So why does anyone in his right mind not think that the wells in the Great Basin area might someday go dry (Attorney for Mormon church offers dire warning at water pipeline hearing," Tuesday Review-Journal)?
The only reliable source of water on this planet is the oceans. But officials with the Southern Nevada Water Authority say it would cost too much to get water from there.
Looks like we are in trouble.
Edward Carson
North Las Vegas
Got gas?
To the editor:
With all the economists in the White House and Congress advising the president, has not a single one advised him that the price of gasoline is one factor affecting the economy, including inflation?
If he wants to raise taxes on somebody, the taxes on the speculators who raised the price of oil per barrel to astronomical heights should be the ones targeted.
And now is the time that I would be interested in reviving the slogan, "Drill, baby, drill!"
Every time I feed my car, we have to plan where else to cut.
Maybe the first things to be affected are the entertainment venues.
Esmael E. Candelaria
Henderson
