Our ‘hide behind the trash can’ lawmakers
To the editor:
Tuesday's Review-Journal included an article regarding the lax ethical standards of our Legislature ("Nevada receives grade of D-minus"). It also included an amusing comment by Pat Hickey, chairman of the Assembly Republican Caucus, who said: "I think Nevada voters themselves need to grade legislators, and they are invited to do that every two years."
What an idiotic remark. How can we grade you, Mr. Hickey, if we don't know what the hell you're doing? We deserve an accountable and transparent government, not some "hide behind the trash can" legislators with inane excuses blaming voters for not shining the light onto their nefarious activities.
Kenneth Wolt
Las Vegas
Pot and kettle
To the editor:
Make no mistake, I am no fan of Steve Emerson, who was the subject of John L. Smith's Tuesday column ("Fearmonger does little to improve conversation on terrorism"). But there is something ironic when Mr. Smith accuses Mr. Emerson of hyperbole and misrepresentation.
Mr. Smith says Mr. Emerson "is a leading firebrand from the school of thought that goes something like, 'Not all Muslims are plotting terrorist acts, just most of them.' "
What Mr. Emerson actually says is, "Those involved in terrorism are a tiny sliver of the overall Muslim-American population."
Pot, meet kettle.
Mr. Smith's heart may be in the right place, but his foot is in his mouth. If you are going to accuse someone of unjust tactics, don't use the exact same tactics. Take the higher ground.
Harlan Stockman
Las Vegas
Nuke dump
To the editor:
Recent articles and a Steve Sebelius column have ignored a very important fact about the Yucca Mountain Project. The reason Yucca Mountain is still alive is because that site is the "law of the land." That law was passed by Congress several years ago and will be the law until both houses and the president repeal it. That is fact.
The reason it has not been repealed? Sen. Harry Reid knows if he were to try to get it repealed, he would lose that vote.
By the way, Yucca Mountain is not a hole in the ground.
I suggest Mr. Sebelius and others come to Pahrump and visit our very fine museum, as it contains all the facts related to Yucca Mountain, and free of all the political misinformation.
Walt Whittier
Pahrump
Atrocious attack
To the editor:
In response to the Tuesday story, "Attacker kills four at French school":
Rightly, the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas condemns the recent atrocious attack on Jews in France. At a Jewish school, a gunman shot and killed a rabbi and his two sons -- ages 4 and 5. He then chased down a 7-year-old Jewish girl, grabbed her by the hair and shot her dead.
Because of the shootings, our U.S. State Department and state police have stepped up security at synagogues and Jewish schools. Local Federation President Elliot Karp says the local Jewish community is shocked at these brutal murders.
Such evil as this is why Israel and Jews everywhere must be ever-vigilant. This is why Israel is justified to use nuclear weapons to protect its people. And why a "first strike" philosophy by Israel against Iran is being considered.
To those who say Israel is overreacting, I say: When the leaders of Iran say they're going to wipe Israel off the map, Israel has a moral right to make sure that never happens. And when some Americans are calling Jews and Judaism a "gutter religion," that should be of concern to every American.
Let us not forget that during World War II, France aided the Nazis in the death camp internment and murder of French Jewish citizens. Even today throughout Europe there's been a rise in anti-Semitism. Therefore, every Jew throughout America and the world must always remember: Never again!
Clyde Dinkins
Las Vegas
Food drive
To the editor:
In response to your Tuesday story, "Mayor brings food to seniors":
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman is seen in the accompanying photograph delivering a week's worth of food to a man in his home. In the picture, you can see a cable TV remote and a lighter on the counter. So this senior can afford cable TV and most likely smokes but cannot afford food?
What is wrong with this picture?
Annette Tekely
Las Vegas
Get out
To the editor:
With U.S.-Afghan relations already seriously strained after more than 10 years of an extremely unpopular war (for both countries), when will it be more obvious that we need to pull out of Afghanistan?
After Afghanistan's demand that we stop drone attacks and nighttime village raids, the Quran burnings and now the alleged murders of 16 Afghan civilians by a U.S. soldier, the time to leave is now, before things get worse.
Afghanistan clearly does not want us there and the large majority of U.S. citizens do not want us there. So why are we there? After all that has happened in Afghanistan recently, how can our government realistically expect things to get better and any goals be reached?
The damage is done. Let's face it: It's time to go before this turns into another Vietnam, where we are having to concentrate on watching our backs, long after the chance of making any headway has been long gone.
Bob Owen
Henderson
