Letters for September 27, 2012

Factual letters

Re “Yes. I don’t know. Probably. Nope. Nope, again. Recycle it. Yes.” (Letters to the Editor, Sept. 20):

Craig Bergland’s letter to the editor began with the following sentence, “It’s rumored that a couple of executives from health insurance corporations make near a billion bucks a year, including bennies and platinum parachutes.” A simple Google search would have brought up the following information on http://blogs.wsj.com on a site called “Health Blog” that gives information as to health care company executive’s salaries: “The median CEO pay in the industry was $10 million, according to the study, which was done in conjunction with consulting firm Hay Group. The study looked at total direct compensation, which includes salary, bonuses and the value of long-term incentives, including stock and stock options at the time of the grant.”

Is it really so difficult to learn the difference between $10 million and a “billion bucks” a year in salary and benefits? The key word in the letter, of course, is “rumored.” Are we now using rumors to substitute for facts? While $10 million is a hefty income, let’s at least attempt to be accurate in relating information in forums such as letters to the editor. Had he done so, his argument about substantial salaries and benefit packages would carry more weight.

Fred Speckmann
Reno

Love the ones you’re with

With the presidential election not too far off, I’ve heard a good amount of criticism towards Romney, Reid, and Mormonism in general, which, as a non-Mormon, got me to thinking: What is wrong with polygamy? I understand the child abuse aspect of the matter, but if we throw that out then, aside from the fact that it’s Mormon, I can’t find what’s wrong with polygamy. Now, I don’t want to hear about how the Bible says marriage is between a man and a woman, because Deuteronomy 21:15-17 seems to imply that polygamy is A-OK. In addition, many of the patriarchs of the Old Testament had multiple wives such as Father Abraham, Jacob, King David and Solomon. So while the Bible doesn’t instruct people to have multiple spouses, it also doesn’t condemn the practice. With all the rhetoric on the economy, polygamy makes perfect sense because you would have a two income family with one spouse staying home to raise the kids. What’s so bad with that? With unions and pensions falling apart it’s a great way to get into and stay firmly within the middle class. And a few lucky families could even break into the upper class. Just saying.

Josh Cameron
Reno

For the children

There are so many infants and babies that have never been loved. What a shame. Yet the talk seems to be for the “unborn.” While there are unwanted kids, who’s to blame? So conservatives are making some noise about how Planned Parenthood is “evil.” Are hospitals down on skull fractures? Are the priests running low on young boys? Let’s force women to pump out more babies. Who cares if they don’t have a clue? How much money do you give to raise them? And how many are living with you? Maybe lesbians and gays have the answer. Birth control is not something they need. Could be heterosexuals are just ignorant. We give birth “to the mouths we can’t feed.” Who speaks for the toddlers we already have? Are you deaf? Can’t you hear their cries? They are living, right now, all around us. They are starving and bruised. There are so many neglected young children—the ones “parents” consider “mistakes.” Mistreated, abused, raped, and tortured, found in graves, and floating in lakes. Won’t you help out the children who suffer, the ones living their short lives in fear. Can’t you open your eyes, right-to-lifers, and help out the kids already here?

Laura Jackson
Reno

Our hero, Harry

Re “Reid’s attack on Romney” (Feature story, Sept. 6):

Nevada, you must be very proud of your lying senator, Dumb Harry, a coward who makes disgusting fabrications from the floor of the Senate. He has stopped any attempt to have compromise between the parties. If you care to see what is happening, he is the self-appointed leader of Obama’s reelection and the thorn in the side of democracy. You must be very proud!

William Hapner
Allendale, Mich.

Apples and melons

Re “Support Staff” (Gadget, Sept. 20):

It is true, that bra ads have always existed in order to feed masturbatory fantasies among males. However, those males are usually pre-adolescents.

Why on earth would you print a bra “review” written by a man? Did he get all hot, taking and looking at those photos of his (possibly “surgically enhanced”) wife?

How is this any different from Mr. Akin opining about female-only concerns, such as abortion and “legitimate” rape?

Stupid.

Juvenile.

Valerie P. Cohen
Reno

Prosecute thieves

When did Republicans become so mean-spirited and rude? Four years ago, I posted Obama campaign signs at the front of my neighborhood with all the other campaign signs. They would be gone the following day. Being a believer in a different kind of America than that, I dutifully replaced them every day—it went on for the whole campaign season. This year, I put my Obama signs well onto my own property, just in case the problem was that one of my neighbors felt some kind of tyrannical obligation to save their small piece of America from whatever the right-wing noise machine had them fearing this week. I figured that my property was my own personal piece of America and that any true believer in American values would respect that. Didn’t matter—came home this evening and the signs were gone. Besides being completely counter to anything honorable, patriotic, or American, it’s just mean and rude. Shame on you! If you can’t play nice, go play somewhere else. And you have to know that those signs will be replaced daily. That’s the America I believe in.

Michel Rottmann
Virginia City Highlands

If the glove fits

Re “The man who would be prez” (Feature story, Sept. 13):

Ending prohibition would greatly reduce the market in illegal narcotics, cause a reduction in the number of users and addicts, greatly curtail drug related illness and deaths, reduce societal harm from problematic abusers, and bring about an enormous reduction in the presence and influence of organized crime. The people who use drugs are our own children, our brothers, our sisters, our parents, and our neighbors. By allowing all adults safe and controlled legal access to psychoactive substances, we will not only greatly reduce the dangers for both them and ourselves but also greatly minimize the possibility of ‘peer-initiation’ and sales to minors.

If you sincerely believe that prohibition is a dangerous and counter-productive policy, then you can stop helping to enforce it. You are entitled to act according to your conscience! It only takes one juror to prevent a guilty verdict. You are also not required to give a reason to the other jurors on your position when voting. Simply state that you find the accused not guilty!

Jurors must understand that it is their opinion, their vote. If the judge and the other jurors disapprove, too bad. There is no punishment for having a dissenting opinion.

We must create what we can no longer afford to wait for: Please vote to acquit!

Malcolm Kyle
via email