Protecting the pupfish serves no purpose
To the editor:
In response to Glenn Cook's Sunday column on Ash Meadows and Victor Fuentes' dispute with the government:
I'll bet that Mr. Cook was not advised of the pupfish slaughter at Ash Meadows. In an effort to save the pupfish, a count was conducted, and half the pupfish were squashed, dead. Pupfish were then imported to replenish the stock, at about $50,000 per fish.
As you will remember, we went through this before, about 1973, and it caused the cessation of cotton production in Pahrump Valley. What an achievement.
And, as I understand, there is a 15-mile radius around Ash Meadows that has a restriction on any change in distribution of water, wells and water rights. This effects everyone in Amargosa Valley, in one form or another.
Mr. Cook points out that our government is operating much as Castro's government. The U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife typifies the communist form of government that we face. Mr. Fuentes shall not prevail. Our government will not tolerate that.
We have not visited Ash Meadows for quite some time, therefore we are not aware of the changes. We live about 25 miles from Ash Meadows, but we saw and see nothing but problems. As the bumper stickers stated, 39 years ago, "Kill pupfish!" They serve no purpose, and if the pupfish are not smart enough to live somewhere they would prosper, then let them die.
Species have become extinct for all of history. Man cannot stop it.
Wayne P. Brotherton Sr.
Amargosa Valley
Romney's money
To the editor:
Since the argument against a higher tax rate for capital gains income is that it would take money from the "job creators," it would be interesting to see how much job creation and growth was generated by the Romneys' 2010 income.
Marshall Strange
North Las Vegas
Coyote pests
To the editor:
I was very interested by the recent letter, "Dog days." One does not have to go to the "rural" areas of our county to see the injury and death inflicted upon dogs by coyotes. They roam individually and in packs to search out pets of Sun City Anthem residents. Calls to all officials at the local, county and state levels only get the response, "They were there before you."
The board of Sun City Anthem refuses to take any stance on the subject, as any who protest are shouted down in meetings by members of the "protect the coyotes society."
Franklin D. Fite
Henderson
Cat fight
To the editor:
Is anybody else tired of the cat fight between Kathleen Vermillion and Steve Sisolak? Reading the details of the feud reminds me of two fourth graders meeting in the parking lot after school. I can't believe these are two high-paid politicians who were entrusted by the public.
Then again, the key word here is "politician."
Joe Molinaro
Henderson
Terrible illness
To the editor:
Las Vegas is an amazing place.
In two days, a lawyer who stole more than $300,000 from his clients in less than a two year period (and made restitution of $100 in four years) is "sentenced" by a judge to a three-year program to treat gambling addicts -- no prison time.
On the next day, a priest who stole $650,000 from his parish family over an eight-year period (and has made more than $13,000 in restitution in four months) is sentenced by a judge to serve more than three years in prison.
It could only happen in Sin City where recognizing the incredible scourge of compulsive gambling is "bad for business." Those who are enlightened leaders of the gaming industry recognize this and have made tentative moves to help -- but they, like all of us who live here, need to do more to help eradicate this terrible illness.
FRANK BRUTON
LAS VEGAS
Value of war
To the editor:
I wish all Americans would ask how we, as a nation, have benefited from our major war efforts of the past few decades. I believe almost 57,000 Americans were killed in Vietnam. What exactly did we accomplish in fighting this war?
In the recent war in Iraq I think almost 5,000 of our soldiers were killed. In losing all of these people, what exactly did we gain?
I agree with President Obama who recently asked for a cutback in military expenditures. Our Navy currently has 75 submarines cruising the oceans of the world. Do we really need this many? When was the last time a sub played a real vital role in any of our war efforts? Our country has more than 250 military installations located around the world. No other country is even remotely close to us in this regard.
Good gosh, we have almost 60,000 troops stationed in Germany.
Ron Paul seems to be the only Republican running for president who understands that going to war should not be looked upon in a casual or cavalier manner, but should be undertaken only as a very last resort.
People such as Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity of Fox news are critical of Ron Paul, calling him a terrible isolationist. I ask you, after seeing the results of our war efforts in Vietnam and Iraq, would a little isolationism be all that bad??
GARY MEESE
GOLDEN VALLEY, ARIZ.
