Police could have enforced gun bill
To the editor:
In Friday’s letters to the editor, Walter F. Wegst made a well-articulated argument that background checks are unenforceable and might lead to government confiscation of firearms (“Gun bill would have been unenforceable”). Still, to the best of my knowledge, we hire police to enforce duly enacted laws, not whine about which laws are enforceable or not.
As for confiscation of firearms, in 1967, I purchased a Ruger revolver and registered it with the North Las Vegas Police Department. That gun is still in the database, and so far, no one from the government has stopped by my house to confiscate it.
MICHAEL HENDERSON
LAS VEGAS
Gestapo not a joke
To the editor:
David Letterman ridicules the German people (Norm Clarke column, Friday Review-Journal) by joking that “Germany is mad at the United States for NSA eavesdropping. This, ladies and gentlemen, from the country that gave us the Gestapo.” I would ask Mr. Letterman: Who on this Earth is best equipped to recognize Gestapo tactics than the people who are tormented daily by that history?
President Barack Obama went to Germany last week to give a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The speech was poorly attended by the Germans and has been panned as lackluster at best. Also during the trip to Europe, Mr. Obama assured the German and French people that nobody was listening to their phone calls or reading their emails. That’s the same load that he landed on the American people a few weeks ago.
Maybe the government isn’t listening, but it knows who you are calling every day. So maybe this isn’t so reassuring to people who heard about, and whose grandparents lived through, the Gestapo era.
JAMES MAGNUSON
LAS VEGAS
Exceeding promise
To the editor:
President Obama made a promise to the American citizens to be transparent; he has exceeded that goal.
We have CIA and FBI drones in the air killing and conducting surveillance. We have the National Security Agency tracking and listening to phone calls and reading the emails of American citizens. We have the IRS attacking and tracking the political affiliations, donations and even the content of the prayers of American citizens. We have the Department of Homeland Security viewing returning veterans as possible terrorist threats to American citizens.
President Obama deserves high praise; he has fulfilled his promise to American citizens.
DAVID BAKER
LAS VEGAS
Immigration solution
To the editor:
As Congress works on immigration legislation, there’s a dilemma, but the solution is so simple that legislators can’t see the forest for the trees.
The dilemma is that allowing undocumented immigrants to become citizens will expand the welfare rolls, which will cost the taxpayers billions. The solution: eliminate welfare, food stamps, Medicaid and all of the other state-sponsored programs for every able-bodied citizen. If you’re able-bodied, it must be your responsibility to support yourself and your family.
When did it become the obligation of the government to support everyone who claims that they are in need? It’s time to terminate this philosophy.
BURTON J. SIMPSON
LAS VEGAS
Make math interesting
To the editor:
The issues regarding education in America nave finally reach a point where we might see some results. I’m the parent of two boys in middle school. They enjoyed elementary school because they were taught basic applications relating to life in general, and they made new friends. Now in middle school, they show total lack of interest.
The apparent reason is middle school includes more serious identification with subjects, especially math. I noticed that although my sons both are having a difficult time with math, they do well in subjects such as computer education, science, physical education and the arts. The constant excuse stated by educators and lawmakers is that parents must help. That goes without saying, but unfortunately most failing students lack general schooling. If our school made math interesting, the results could be quite different.
My observation of how math is taught today is that it’s basically the same as 50 years ago. But now, with 40 students per class, a result of our limited budget, teachers cannot give the student the personal attention needed to comprehend the subject. As a result, the child becomes disinterested and resigns himself to, “I guess it’s just me and I’ll never learn it, so why bother to try.”
The solution to this serious problem: More math teachers, and a better application of the subject. In my effort to help my sons, I discovered they find math interesting if applied to the child’s interests. Also, blend math into the other subjects they like. Physical education is loaded with math principles, and so are the sciences. I’m looking forward to seeing some change.
DAVID CATERINO
NORTH LAS VEGAS
