Letters for April 18, 2013

My definition

Re “Support marriage equality” (The Liberty Belle, April 4):

Marriage wasn’t conceived to take anybody’s freedom away, or to be discriminatory or exclusionary, or to be anti-gay or to espouse inequality, or to be unfair or mean-spirited. Plain and simple, it was conceived to be a union between a man and a woman. And that’s true for cultures all over the world, from centuries ago to now. Nobody forced that on anybody. It’s the only kind of marriage that is universal. It doesn’t matter if you’re American, Mexican, Canadian, Asian, white, black, Latino, straight, gay, lesbian, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, agnostic, heck, you can even be an atheist. Everybody can agree on a marriage between a man and a woman. It’s common sense and doesn’t need, and there shouldn’t be, a need to define or redefine it. Not everything is about equality. It it were, we should let 18 year olds drink. They can vote, they can fight for this country if they want to, but they can’t drink. Or if it were, anybody should be able to climb Cave Rock if they want to. But it’s restricted to climbing out of respect for the religious freedom of the Paiute tribe, even though the majority of people don’t think the rock is sacred. But here we are, we have a group of people, forcing their concepts and beliefs on the rest of society, in effect, forcing it on everybody else, without respect to someone’s sensibilities and beliefs.

Samuel Thickering

Reno

Really unite

The Nevada Legislature is addressing a number of historical issues this session—most on a local or statewide basis. However, there is one outstanding national issue that is crucial to whether America continues to be a functioning democracy. This bill attempts to stem the corrupting influence that corporate and political action money has on our elected representatives. Our legislators must now devote much of their time raising countless amounts of money to get elected and then find themselves under the thumb of their donors when they win. The recent Supreme Court Citizens United decision has opened the floodgates for political contributions by outside interests and made the outrageous determination that corporations should have the same (or more) rights as people. Nevada’s legislators have brought forth legislation that will join with other states in an effort that will eventually amend the US Constitution and put control of our government back into the hands of the people. Please join in urging your Senator and Assembly person to support this truly patriotic legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 11.

Ron Schoenherr

Reno

Eponymous

Re “Secret life” (Musicbeat, April 4):

Chandelle, how right your name proved to be; excellent choice on the part of your parents. You were a gifted young person in the fourth grade; your writing was outstanding. I well remember your darling freckled nose and intelligence. I’m so happy for your success.

Mary Covington

Carson City

Talk about sex

Re “Let’s have sex education” (Left Foot Forward, April 4):

This article needs to be read by all! Statistics will show two significant things. Abstinence education does not work. Although non-secular schools will debate this point, hormones win. As a result, often those educated this way are not aware of the options to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Comprehensive sex education does work in reducing STD’s and pregnancies. Last time I checked, the couple in the back seat does not pull out their notes on abstinence. Foil or Bible? Seems a reasonable choice if educated on the options. I know some teachers are reluctant to implement this with their students. If it is structured and presented like any science curriculum standard some of the reluctance can be trained out of the teacher. I realize some parents will object. Usually this will be based on their perception that this is violating their biblical principles. No doubt a hot topic and parents can be informed and given the opt-out opportunity for their children. I will wager one of their daughters will come home with the tingling statement of “Mom, I need to talk to you.” Hormones will win. This is one case where statistics can speak volumes if you look at them. Bottom line is that comprehensive sex education does work, abstinence is one part, and by itself does not work.

Ted Beecher

Reno

Mining should pay more

Re “Mining pays more” (Guest comment, April 11):

So the mining industry pays more taxes. There is a reason why these extra charges are there. The mining industry in general has this habit of rearranging the landscape and walking away when they don’t find, or stop finding what they started digging to find in the first place. Take a drive in any direction, pick the loneliest, most deserted spot you can find, and look around. Somewhere you will see the tell-tale scars of a tailing heap, the ubiquitous white posts of survey markers. When the big deposits play out, the public is left with the now-toxic run-off from those millions of cubic feet of disturbed rock. Mining is dirty work. Those extra taxes are there because it brings the corporations that benefit from all this a bit closer to their fair share of the impact.

Rick Woods

Sparks

Diss is that

Re “Milking the land” (Green, April 4):

I would like to additionally note that the City Council, UNR administration, and UNR Board of Regents dissed their constituents.

There has been an overwhelming and unprecedented response by the people of Reno opposing the rezoning that varies from the UNR undergraduate and graduate student bodies, the College or Agriculture, farmers, restaurants, and up-and-coming businesses, etc. I would suggest that people read or at least scan the agenda packet from the meeting and see all of the information (from UNR and the appellants) that overwhelmingly opposed the rezoning.

I would also like to suggest that people watch the archived video of the meeting on the Reno City Council’s website. Not only did UNR ignore the arguments put forth by the appellants, but they boasted their “outreach” and “action” which vehemently opposed the rezoning and spectacularly failed, respectfully. The meeting ended with public comment by farmer Mark O’Farrell on the “action” that President Johnson proudly highlighted during his opening comments. O’Farrell was the subject of President Johnson’s “action” and O’Farrell scolded the UNR administration: “I’m here to testify that the assertion that the university has supported this project and worked hard for over a year to make it happen is just blatantly false.”

As a Reno citizen, graduate student of UNR, and graduate student body Vice President, I am offended and appalled by the action taken by the UNR administration, the Board of Regents, and all other supporting parties.

Christopher Moore

Reno