Local teachers should listen to Teamsters
To the editor:
I've belonged to the Clark County Education Association for 22 years. I joined because, coming from Allentown, Pa., I thought it was a "union."
Silly me, a union the association is not. They're quite slick, though. I tried to quit the CCEA, but was a day late. You would think they could come up with a form that could be filled out any time and sent to the association so when that short window of time when one can quit comes, the paperwork could be processed.
I just received the "CCEA Express" today and there was not any mention of the effort by the Teamsters to organize local teachers. Seems to me they could have written something negative about the Teamsters, but they probably want us as out of the loop as much as possible. The Teamsters have taken an interest in us, all aspects of our well-being, and this is a blessing.
I hope that we as teachers unite and seize this opportunity to belong to real union. If we don't, it will surely be a sad mistake.
Sheila Fasching
LAS VEGAS
Chewing the fat
To the editor:
In response to Tony Marovitz's Monday letter, I have one thing to say: Not everyone is obese by choice. There are many individuals who, due to medical conditions, cannot lose weight.
While most overweight individuals do have a choice to change their lifestyle and lose weight, not all can. To arbitrarily declare that anyone who is overweight "can't be bothered to take proper care" of themselves, is offensive and, yes, akin to a racial or ethnic slur.
Because I do not know District Judge Elizabeth Halverson personally and do not know her individual situation, I cannot sit in judgment of her physical appearance.
I would suggest that Mr. Marovitz get his facts straight before making such judgments.
Mary L. Martell
LAS VEGAS
Racial issue?
To the editor:
Leave it to the usual suspects to inject race into the sad Michael Vick dogfighting episode ("Clear divide between the races surfaces in dogfighting case," Aug. 4 Review-Journal). Everyone, black or white, with an ounce of compassion should be outraged by this barbaric animal cruelty called "the sport" of dogfighting. It is illegal for good reason.
When there is no rational defense for the unwise actions of minorities, the accusation of racism always seems to emerge in an effort to silence legitimate criticism.
BRUCE BROWN
LAS VEGAS
Learning trip
To the editor:
Sen. John Ensign's trip is "educational" but at taxpayer expense ("Ensign, Porter traveling abroad during August recess," Tuesday Review-Journal)?
The story notes that Sen. Ensign is going to India with his 15-year-old son. "Educational" must be a "spin" phrase describing when politicians take their family members on a trip by trying to imply that it is in the interest of those who vote.
I suppose I could take my family to Yellowstone and call it educational. It would be, as we haven't been there before. Though I am certain the fine taxpayers of this country would not be particularly excited about paying my way.
By the way, can't this "education" be less expensively explored through the use of the Internet? The answer is pretty simple. American businesses are exporting jobs to India because of the tremendous cost benefit. Especially those jobs that can be handled via voice communication, such as technical support.
JOHN HATCH
LAS VEGAS
Fine example
To the editor:
Having been fed a heaping diet of U.S. failures in Iraq from majority party politicians and the media for at least the past three years, I welcome at least one outstanding, undeniable success for all our efforts.
It is very clear that we have been able to establish our unique brand of modern democratic government in Iraq. Simply observe the fact that necessary political solutions and programs are vanquished by corruption and partisan deadlock in the new democratic government, the same as we experience in the United States.
In addition, just note that with very critical legislative matters demanding action, the Iraq legislature shuts down and the politicians take off the entire month of August for a "well-deserved vacation." Sound familiar?
Seems that when the going gets tough, the legislature just goes!
We have successfully trained their legislature to do what our Congress does. Surely we can't complain about that. But should we be proud?
JOHN TOBIN
LAS VEGAS
High fees
To the editor:
On the subject of high fees being charged by the BLM for various groups using public land (Sunday Review-Journal), the Review-Journal might find some fun asking the BLM to compare the $6,000 they wanted to charge the SUV camp-out group for "processing fees" (which is only the beginning of an event's fee tab), with two other recent charges: a grand total of $6,000 in fees for the Large and Dangerous Rocket Ships festival, and then the $28,000 in fees that were charged to organizers of the recent Dark Skies event.
Anthony Bondi
LAS VEGAS
