Letters for October 20, 2011

Save the literate children

Re “No pussy for you” (Letters to the editor, Oct. 13):

Jesse Price seems to think an article titled “Pussy Galore,” about the world’s longest domestic cat, could lead children down the road to destruction.

Any child who would possibly think that “Pussy,” with a picture of a cat, was innuendo for, well, pussy, is a child who has already watched many hours of your hidden pornography.

Why in the first place would a child want to look at the RN&R? It’s a boring landscape of crappy bands, boring bi-partisan politics and overly indulgent hipster art. What better way to turn off any attention-impaired child?

That big, hairy pussy also pales to the many ads in the RN&R for bars, adult chat lines and scantily clad trollops in any of the casino ads. Truly, the RN&R is not intended for nor desirable to any children in arm’s reach of the paper rack. Police your own kids. Don’t make me suffer for your laziness.

Mike Ward
Reno

Whatever do you mean?

Re “State of health” (Feature story, Oct. 13):

Looks like you got bit by Murphy’s Law: The day after this article came out, Obama killed the “Community Living Assistance Services and Support, or CLASS”—whatever that is. I really enjoyed Mike Willden’s clear, unpolitical, warts-and-all answers. Maybe you should publish an addendum about how the landscape changes for Nevada without CLASS. (Whatever that is.) Thanks!

John Freeman
Reno

Return of the native

Re “Native cultures ignored by mainstream media” (Apply Liberally, Oct. 13):

The day Columbus landed was the beginning of the end of the Native American people’s cultures as they knew it. Not something to celebrate by an enlightened society, and I think, a continuing measure of our sensibilities.

However, the remaining Native American cultures may have the last laugh. They possessed a common trait; that of surviving off of their immediate environment while being in balance with nature for thousands of years. While not valued today, these may prove again to be critical skills for the survival of mankind.

In recent years, the “great experiment” with contemporary man is beginning to show weaknesses. Seemingly cheap energy and the thinking mankind can do anything without impact to the earth’s balance, including climate and environmental issues, is not sustainable. And this developing behavior throughout the world may have dire and virtually irreversible consequences in the end.

What is clear is contemporary society’s dependence on energy, technology, and a global infrastructure. If this were all to collapse through environmental or worse disasters, our survival is certainly at risk.

In the end, the Native American approach of ‘living off of the land’ may be the sustainable future for mankind. Nature would have come full circle, which is one of their fundamental beliefs.

Tim King
via email

Paul’s pot

Re “Dear President Barack Obama” (Guest Comment, Oct. 13):

I wonder if your publisher, Jeff vonKaenel, who directed his commentary to President Obama last week, has any knowledge of the political tenets of Ron Paul. It’s always puzzling to me when someone whom I suppose to be a democrat complains about something like medical marijuana rights being trampled upon, yet neglects to conclude that those who want to do something about this should support Ron Paul’s bid for the presidency. Since this issue began, Dr. Ron Paul has always championed the rights of Americans to have the freedom to pursue any medical avenue they desire. In his support of freedom, he has called for the end of the War on Drugs, and for this wasteful, ruinous program to be replaced with drug education and rehabilitation in addition to legalization. I won’t use up space listing all the positive benefits of ending the War on Drugs, but I will say that whatever your political persuasion, you should really take a look at Ron Paul’s position on these issues.

Cynthia Kennedy
Virginia City

We love cats, too

Re “No pussy for you” (Letters to the Editor, Oct. 13):

Jesse Price has some very insightful points on love; however, any child who picks up a copy of the RN&R must already know what the word “pussy” means.

Kristin Smith
via email

Abortion is ugly

Re “The far right’s war on women” (Right to Your Head, Oct. 13):

Sean Cary writes about two anti-abortion groups, Personhood and the Nevada Pro-life Coalition and their intention to circulate imitative petitions and end abortion here. He says we should ignore the issue and concern ourselves with joblessness. We can’t ignore this.

We elected a president who believes when a baby survives an abortion it should be left to die. Now more Americans are pro-life than pro choice. Thousands of doctors have decided not to perform the procedure. We pay for abortions with our tax dollars.

Forty years after Roe v. Wade, we are finally an informed voting public, and abortion is uglier than ever.

The far right is not at war with women. The far left is at war with decency.

Jay Rudi
Reno

Kuwait’s military debt

Re “Holidays in hell” (Feature story, Oct. 6):

While I did not read Paul Graham’s story about his visit to Kuwait, I did read Karen Inda’s response to said story. I couldn’t help but notice the seemingly contradictory nature of her response.

She states that his not-so-favorable opinion of Kuwait was “most likely because he was connected with our military. Since our military doesn’t belong in that part of the world, I’m not surprised …” She then goes on to list all the “delightful” things to do in Kuwait and ends her letter on a somewhat plaintive note that Kuwait is still suffering from the ravages of war.

I’m sure Ms. Inda is perfectly aware that the Kuwait she found so “delightful” is only so because our military made it so. That she was able to enjoy herself on a lovely holiday in Kuwait due solely to the fact that our military kicked out Saddam Hussein’s invading army has apparently slipped her mind. Are we to assume that she regrets our intervention at that time?

Julia Babcock
Reno

Obama supports Mexican drug cartels

Re “Dear President Barack Obama” (Guest Comment, Oct. 13):

Mexican drug cartels are no doubt thrilled with the Obama Administration’s crackdown on voter-approved medical marijuana dispensaries. So much for change and 2008 campaign promises to respect states’ rights. So much for jobs. The medical marijuana industry is one of the few job creators in the current down economy. If Obama succeeds in destroying the domestic medical marijuana industry, international drug cartels will move in to meet demand and reap the profits. This is basic economics. As long as there is a demand for marijuana, there will be a supply. Replacing domestic growers with organized crime groups that also sell cocaine, meth and heroin is not a good thing. Marijuana prohibition is a gateway drug policy.

Robert Sharpe, MPA
Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy