Letters for January 18, 2007

We’re here. Where are you?
Re “Step Two” (News, Jan. 11):

I just read Dennis Myers’ story about peace activities being ill equipped to address the war.

Where has Myers been? We have been writing letters and delivering them to our representatives several times within the past few months. Press releases were sent to the Reno News & Review. We have been speaking out against the war for many years here in Reno, actively making attempts to reach our elected officials.

Last summer, we held a candidate’s forum, inviting candidates for national office to address their positions on the war and civil liberties. Many peace activists in Reno were active in the Derby and Carter campaigns. Currently, we are doing all we can to urge people to write letters and call their representatives.

Reno has a relatively small community of peace activists, all of whom have busy lives. We do what we can. Instead of condemning us, we need all the support we can get.

Before writing negative things about the peace movement in Reno, it would behoove Myers to dig a little deeper, as a good journalist should, to find out what people are up to.

Lisa Stiller
Reno

War activists have succeeded
Re “Step Two” (News, Jan. 11):

What I would like to say to Dennis Myers and to our community about his piece on the ill-equipped antiwar activists is too much for the limits of this letter. In summation: It is true we have not succeeded in ending this war. On the other hand, neither has anyone else. Public opinion and international opinion mean little to Bush, as he continues to demonstrate by insisting on escalation.

From the beginning of this mess, our checks and balances system did no checking and balancing. News media has been manipulated in the reporting of this war. Even churches have acquiesced to the power of Washington.

We ill-equipped activists have succeeded, though. Through numerous and creative methods, peace and anti-war efforts have not ceased since 9/11/01. If the opinion polls are any indication, the American people have awakened, are paying attention and overcoming fear. Hearts and minds are changing.

Like Sadaka, who planted a tiny seed for peace 50 years ago in Japan when she made her first origami crane, we have planted many seeds in hearts and minds.

War will not bring real peace. Political savvy does not bring real peace. Changed hearts and minds are required for real peace.

Rita Sloan
Member of Sierra Interfaith Action for Peace

Reno

Lafferty is swift
Re “Two deaths and an inauguration” (Right Hook, Jan. 11):

I think I finally get Mike Lafferty. I can only sit, amazed at his sheer brilliance. Seldom in the history of journalism has such prescient satire been written. In prose that rivals Jonathan Swift, he exposes the idiocy that is the “conservative, Christian, right wing Republican, straight, white, American male.” (Thanks to Todd Snider).

With unparalleled satirical panache, he lays the idiocy of the wingnuts bare. I only wish I recognized his brilliance sooner: Equating stem cell research with infanticide, accusing war opponents of harboring terrorists; but the kicker was this week’s. Gerald Ford’s death “in the same week of Hussein’s execution gave some anti-war types a convenient excuse for flying flags at half staff.”

Oh. My. God.

Brilliant! Pure Swift, Will Rogers. Dare I say even Steven Colbert!

He could easily qualify for a guest host spot on The Colbert Report.

I hadn’t realized until now what his game was. But I have to say, now that I’ve recognized it, I love it. Keep up the great work.

David Ghiringhelli
Fernley

Bush league blunders
In spite of America’s voice in the recent election and in polls, the loss of the 3,000th American in Iraq, the troops who have already had their Iraq tours extended and re-extended, and the Iraq Study Group Report, Bush has decided to ignore us and escalate his fiasco in Iraq.

His naive notion of throwing good lives after lost ones cannot stop the ages old Sunni/Shiite blood feud. Nor, as we’ve seen, can terrorism be defeated by military means. Escalating the war would only cost more of our troops their lives and promote more anti-American terrorism.

Has Bush earned our trust and our confidence? Now, like an alcoholic who says he only wants one more drink, Bush claims that sending 21,500 more troops to Iraq—many to injury or their death—will satisfy him. Yeah, right.

Are we willing to speak up to defend our troops, our security, our honor, and our economy from Bush’s bloody blundering? Please tell your members of Congress that it is more important to save our troops’ lives than to save Bush’s face.

Doug Long
Rio Rancho, NM