Police must have a lot of free time
To the editor:
Las Vegas police Lt. Karen Hughes should step down as the leader of the Vice unit. Her desire to crack down on exotic dancers perfectly represents the failed mission of Metro Vice (Wednesday Review-Journal). This city is in the worst economic downturn in its history, and this lieutenant is spending tax dollars to have our officers chase girls around.
First, we saw the so-called crackdown at the Rio pool, then at the Hard Rock. This was a public relations disaster, as tourists learned of the pool policing taking place at their favorite hangouts. Maybe we can certify our officers as lifeguards so they can do double duty while policing hotel swimming pools.
Second, the public does not support the cost of these police operations. I ask that Metro publish the cost to taxpayers for these pool and dancing crackdowns. I promise the majority of people don't want to pay for Metro to chase around girls.
New leadership is needed in our Vice unit. No more pool police, no more sending in a squad of officers to a strip club to hang out and determine who gives better lap dances. This is not what this city needs or wants out of its Vice unit.
Chris Rasmussen
LAS VEGAS
Past mistakes
To the editor:
It has always been clear that Barack Obama the candidate and Barack Obama the president did not have a strategy for the Afghan war. It is now very clear that we have a commander in chief who has never made the kind of decision necessary to demonstrate leadership, and that he doesn't have the capacity to do so.
We have a president who apparently hopes his legacy will be the "great negotiator." Unfortunately, there can be none. All one has to do is study history. It's all there.
It would do our president well to study the mistakes of the past and not repeat them.
Barry Bender
NORTH LAS VEGAS
Chicago bid
To the editor:
As an American, I am disappointed with Chicago losing its recent bid to host the 2016 Olympics. But I also feel that the correct city won the bid.
Over the past half-century, the Olympics have served to spawn growth and change in the host cities. The economic impact alone on a host city can be astronomical. Brazil is one of the fastest-growing and fastest-emerging countries in the world right now. In much the same way that China benefited from last year's games, I believe Rio will gain from the 2016 affair.
I happened to be in Beijing for the first 11 days of the Olympic Games last year. During this time, the amount of building and growing the city had done to prepare for the event were evident. While security and logistics put great pressure on the city and its government, everyone played their part in making the games a success. With Brazil's status as an emerging nation, I am certain they will be able to do this as well.
This brings me to why Rio was the best choice, and not Chicago, Madrid or Tokyo. All three of the other host city candidates are located in highly developed, rich countries that have recently hosted the games. While all three of these countries are fine places, they cannot benefit nearly as much as Rio from the Olympics.
America has hosted more games than any other country, so it is fair to say we have had our fair share. So I ask that if people must express their anger and disdain, at least show excitement for a place and people who are getting the opportunity that we wanted so badly for our own city.
Shawn Coomer
LAS VEGAS
No standards
To the editor:
Democrats like to brag that they can't be accused of sexual misconduct hypocrisy because they don't lecture others about moral standards -- and how!
Barack Obama's "safe schools czar," Kevin Jennings, encouraged a child to allow himself to be molested; Hollywood Democrats are rallying to child rapist Roman Polanski's defense; and Democrat David Letterman, who joked about sex with Sarah Palin's daughter, just outed himself as a workplace sexual deviant.
Add in ACORN instructing child sex slavers on how to set up their business, and you've got the non-hypocrite Democrats living down to their own moral code, loud and proud.
Lynn Muzzy
MINDEN
Enough, already
To the editor:
The politicians in Washington are so out of touch with reality and with the people who elected them, and they don't really seem to care. When they are asked to comment on the John Ensign matter, they all give the same tired old phrase: "It's a personal matter."
Bull. The part about him having an affair with his best friend's wife, yes, that part is a personal matter. But what about the ethics laws possibly broken, the potentially illegal payouts to the Hamptons, and who knows what other possible criminal acts committed? Don't tell me that's a personal matter. Since we pay his salary, every taxpayer has the right to know exactly what is going on here.
I am tired of these politicians trying to sweep everything under the rug whenever something like this happens. Enough is enough.
TIM HICKS
LAS VEGAS
