Letters for November 8, 2012

The peace profit

Re “America: What Went Wrong & How to Fix it” (Feature story, Nov. 1):

Thank you for your thought provoking cover article, “America: What Went Wrong & How to Fix It.” The Peace Panel Project that just (Nov. 1, 2012) finished its third annual tour of Reno with exhibits and presentations at UNR and at the Reno Quakers meeting house, has some other ideas that address those issues.

The “Fairness Doctrine,” of 1949 - 1987, was upheld by the Supreme Court and called, “the single most important requirement of broadcasting.” Since Reagan packed the FCC, and they threw it out, mainstream media has been a less and less reliable source of information. The unbalanced reporting that has followed is dangerous to democracy. This is an issue we need to include in this conversation: Reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. Go to Change.org and sign the petition today.

The rate of military spending has tripled over the last few years! Are we three times safer? I don’t think so. What are we doing with 700 bases over seas? According to the National Priorities Project, it is costing the citizens of Reno over $14,000 a day. Overall U.S. military spending now tops $2 billion a day! And as if that was not enough, Project Censored has revealed that “nearly all US Congressmen are invested in war contractors.” You can vote out incumbents and look up the petition on line, to “Cut Military Spending in Half” at Change.org and sign it today.

Other ways to improve the circumstances in which we find ourselves can be found in: Nonviolent Communication by Rosenberg; Ruses for War by Quigley and Better World Shopping by Jones. Every dollar you spend is a vote. As the Dalai Lama said, “Think critically, then act.” Or like the old Chinese proverb says, “To know and not act, is to not know.”

More info is on our blog: www.PeacePanelProject-Chico.blogspot.com

Sally Withuhn
Reno

Animal farm

Re “For the pets” (Letters to the Editor, Oct. 18):

While Humane Society of the United States CEO Wayne Pacelle says his past statement that he has “no problem with the extinction of domestic animals” only referred to rare livestock breeds, he’s been more direct elsewhere in his hope for the eventual extinction of pets. Interviewed for the book Bloodties, Pacelle told author Ted Kerasote: “I don’t want to see another cat or dog born,” and “I don’t have a hands-on fondness for animals.” [“Quote out of context,” Nov. 1].

If this anti-pet philosophy sounds like something so loony that it would only come from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), you’re onto something. PETA head Ingrid Newkirk has said, “I think it would be lovely if we stopped this whole notion of pets altogether.” In fact, HSUS and PETA have a similar agenda to end the use of animals for food and clothing. And they have shared some of the same key staff. Many people give to the Humane Society of the U.S. after seeing tear-jerking TV commercials, but have no idea that they’re funding a radical animal rights outfit. Nevadans should be sure to support your local humane societies, which are unaffiliated with the similarly named HSUS.

Rick Berman
Center for Consumer Freedom

That’s just silly

Re “America: What Went Wrong & How to Fix it” (Feature story, Nov. 1):

Regarding “A four-point plan to recovery” by Dr. Paslov, I have seldom read a sillier essay. He doesn’t even pretend to analyze our political system with any sort of balance. His essay is simply an attack on the conservative political point of view. Both liberal and conservative points of view are valid; it’s simply a question for the public to analyze these beliefs as they are debated in the public forum.

I believe in free speech and the expression of political opinions. His comments on taxes are absurd on their face. Perhaps he should comment on why Congress hasn’t passed a budget in three years.

Sen. Harry Reid is solely responsible for not bringing the budget to a vote these past three years. This is a requirement of the Constitution that apparently has not been read by Sen. Reid. The House of Representatives has passed a budget while under the control of Republicans, so where’s the problem? Dr. Paslov also seems to ignore that both houses were controlled by President Obama’s party during his first two years in office. He also implies that the so-called super PACS are only funneling money to Republicans. Nothing is further from the truth. Furthermore, his statement that “although government is smaller, generally, than it has been in decades” is of course another of his biased absurdities. Another one of his comments states that, “If this narrative continues, government programs, including public schools, will unravel.” Is he kidding us, does he really believe that public schools haven’t unraveled many years ago? Ironically, the worst of the public school systems are in Democratic controlled cities. Could there be a connection? Dr. Paslov’s comments on bipartisan collaboration are another example to demagogue conservatives as liberals always preach that conservatives should give in to them. This of course is only possible because liberals seldom understand the concepts of character, logic and principles. It is truly a shame that Dr. Paslov is so intellectually dishonest. I’m sure that he would have some valid points to make if he got his head out of those liberal clouds over his utopian world.

Fred Speckmann
Reno

Food for thought

Re “Food for thought” (Green, Nov. 1):

To see a video of USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan’s remarks about the Food Summit, please see this link: www.youtube.com/watch ?v=5LE87gaNX1Q&feature=plcp.

Merrigan’s encouraging remarks about Healthy Communities developing healthy food hub, and about farmers like Stagecoach’s Marcia and Steve Litsinger of Churchill Buttes Organics, Reno’s Wendy Baroli of GirlFarm, and Fallon’s Rick Lattin of Lattin Farms, and about groups like Mineral County Economic Development Authority, the Fallon Small Farm Collective, and Lyon County Schools, were appreciated by the attendees. Merrigan encouraged the participants with these words, “[The USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food] Compass map shows local food projects around the country supported by USDA over the last few years. The cluster of dots in your region really stood out. You are truly leading your state when it comes to these issues. What the map can’t show, but what you well know, is that these dots are all connected through the work of the Healthy Communities Coalition and its partners. You’re putting the pieces together to build a strong regional food system, and I want you to know that USDA is your partner in this effort.” To see the new film about the school gardens and other strategies in the Lyon County region, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr-D7xRwSTs&feature=plcp

Quest Lakes
Silver City

Good question

Re “America: What Went Wrong & How to Fix it” (Feature story, Nov. 1):

I read through your article and agree with quite a few of your points. One thing that I believe will help the economy, would be if corporate America and business owners that outsource to overseas countries for their products to be manufactured to bring those products back to the U.S. This will bring needed jobs back to Americans and will boost the economy due to Americans having jobs and money to spend. I do not believe corporate American business owners will do this because the cost to them will go up and they are only looking out for themselves. What happened to “Made in the U.S.A”?

Judah Willett
Fallon