Politically correct society protects illegals

To the editor:

I recently returned from a Mediterranean cruise where one of the ports of call was Barcelona. All passengers aboard the cruise shop were told that in order to disembark in Barcelona they had to take their passports (no other ID would be acceptable) with them at all times to be shown to the police there upon demand.

Apparently Barcelona is inundated with illegal immigrants, and unlike other ports, officials there make showing one's passport on demand a requirement.

Not one passenger complained or refused to disembark because of this requirement, nor has any cruise line boycotted Barcelona as a port of call. Indeed, in all the European and Middle Eastern countries I have traveled in, some form of personal ID has been a requirement to have ready to show to authorities upon demand.

Only in our politically correct society has illegal become "undocumented," which in turn becomes "victimized" and lastly becomes "scapegoated," deserving of entitlements.

Susan Levy

Las Vegas

Full ride

To the editor:

I believe the Millennium Scholarship should be re-examined. According to Ed Vogel's Tuesday article, about 60,000 scholarships have been awarded since the program's inception in 1999 -- with only 18,000 students actually receiving a degree. This is not a very good return on the money.

And those who did graduate, are they contributing to Nevada's economy? Do we have any requirements that these students should pay back to the community for their education?

I believe not only in the interest of protecting the scholarship funds for deserving students who will become contributing citizens of Nevada, but that we must expect some responsibility in return for this full ride.

Jan Biggerstaff

Las Vegas

Vital program

To the editor:

I read with great distress the possibility that one of the academic programs UNLV is considering disbanding is Sport Education Leadership in the College of Education. As a professor of sports administration at the University of New Mexico and a former resident of Southern Nevada, I have an understanding of the nature of school-based athletics in Clark County and the tremendous need for trained leadership in sport.

The Clark County School District has grown tremendously over the past decade and a half and that includes reaching a total of 39 high schools and 114 junior highs represented by more than 23,000 sport participants in 2008-2009. Those numbers reflect the significant impact high school sports have in the community. There is a great need for sound administration and leadership in sport everywhere but the growth of high school sports in Las Vegas has intensified that need.

One aspect of the Sport Education Leadership Program at UNLV is a curriculum of courses designed to educate coaches and administrators who will be responsible for high school sports in Las Vegas and Nevada A large number of the students in the program are current or future coaches and administrators. There is no other program in the state that offers this specialized education. As a result, discontinuing the Sport Education Leadership Program would adversely affect high school sports and athletes in Nevada by limiting the availability of high school sport coaches and administrators.

And while this is merely one aspect of how the Sport Education Leadership program impacts our community, it is a critical impact for all who have children who participate in sport. Without the program, all areas of sport in this community will be impacted, including UNLV athletics, youth sports, recreational leagues and the economic benefits that accrue to Las Vegas from sport.

I implore the leadership at UNLV and the elected Board of Regents to consider the long-term consequences of discontinuing the Sport Education Leadership Program. Investing in trained sport leaders is an investment that creates long-term benefits for all Nevadans and is vital toward improving quality of life for all.

John C. Barnes

Albuquerque

The writer is assistant professor of sport management at the University of New Mexico.

We all profile

To the editor:

Profiling is very normal. Everybody does it. How else would you describe anything or anyone?

If you were assaulted by a short, white person and you were asked to identify the perpetrator, you would immediately eliminate anyone who wasn't white and wasn't tall. That's profiling.

If you were asked to describe a horse from a cow, you would be profiling. If you wanted to buy roses you wouldn't buy daisies. That's profiling.

J. Levin

Las Vegas

Deep pockets

To the editor:

I am sorry for Henry Chanin and the others who contracted hepatitis, but it was not the fault of the drugmakers ("Drugmakers liable in hepatitis lawsuit," Thursday Review-Journal). I do not understand how 12 people could come to such an unreasonable decision.

If I bought a gallon of alcohol and drank all of it, do I sue the distilleries for not putting it in a smaller bottle or putting a warning label on the jug telling me that if I drink all of this in a day I may develop alcohol poisoning and pass out?

Mr. Chanin sued the drugmakers because they had the most money. But the fault lies with the clinic and the misuse of the vials.

I would think that if you had clean needles, it would not matter if the medicine was in a gallon jug as long as you took the right precautions.

I hope the drugmakers win on appeal. Go after the real culprits. Sorry, Mr. Chanin.

cecelia scribner

Henderson