Letters for April 19, 2012

Don’t glamorize sex

Re “The naked truth” (Feature story, March 29):

Like this woman, I am in my early 20s, a blogger and a poet. I try to give all women deserved respect as I myself, being a younger woman, want that in return. I have many friends in the sex industry, and they’re all great people. However, I do not agree with the way the sex industry is becoming glamorized. I think it’s sad how classy is being replaced with sexy, and self-respect is being replaced with promiscuity. I think all the money and having a party career is blinding more and more girls from the real taboo of being a stripper or working at a brothel. To say she is the most provocative, I think, is a little extreme considering a lot of girls nowadays are trying to move in a more manly direction by outdoing the boys. It’s not only by the way they talk but also by using their bodies to prove how much more they can achieve by themselves. I think it’s sad how far away many girls are being pulled from their true beauty. As many consider this new feminine movement a true stand, I consider it more of a move for disaster in female respect. It’s great to be comfortable in your body but not to take advantage of the one thing no one else but you has. Let’s face it, your body won’t get the respect it deserves from others if it’s being exposed all the time. I’m not going to say she’s a bad person because I don’t know her, but I do think she is taking a walk in a degrading direction.

Ruby Pinkham
Reno

Men don’t decide what’s feminist

Re “The naked truth” (Feature story, March 29):

I have to weigh in on this article, “The Naked Truth.” Though I admit I have not read the article, just comments to the editor, I wish to be sexually explicit, too, or rather sexism explicit, particularly in disregard to Brad Summerhill and David Philips whose comments in the April 12 publication are classic and timeless with their sexism.

The politics of sexism and its abuses is perhaps best described by a quote of Ronald Reagan: “It is said that politics is the second oldest profession, but I find it closely resembles the first.” Indeed, and when one is sexually exploited in the primarily male world of politics by simply watching cable or the news, one does not wish to judge too harshly the “exotic dancers” of the world in this economy.

When Hollywood points to an imaginary war between the sexes, which I characterize as, “Son, can your mother have equal pay for equal work?” To which the “Native Son” replies, “Oh, you pacifist bitch, thems fightin’ words!” this war is in fact exposed—not the exotic dancer—and it’s obviously a pure male fantasy. The war against women, however, is all too real and is explicit in the entertainment industry when one is forced to view a movie clip on cable where a male character states, “The war between the sexes is won, we have women exercising to stripper poles!” One looks to the Caitlin Thomases of the world and can only applaud the fact that mainstream women must now look to her as to how to get their dignity back and get a degree … and in this economy … and that’s the naked truth.

I love women, their minds, their looks, their allure and their empowerment. The “dancers dancing the dance” as fast as they can have allowed me my dignity in the form of their charity, and in a world that needs to learn how vital and vitalizing they are and deserving of compensation and respect while a male agenda wants to reduce them to men—sexually base, bankrupt and without regard. These “exotic” women should not be the only image of feminism, but know they are warrior-women nonetheless.

Sherri Blakeley
via email

Dead letter office

Re “Closed email policy” (Letters to the Editor, April 12):

Washoe County Library Board Chair Alfred Stoess was kind enough to send me an advance copy of his letter to the editor responding to your March 29 article on library emails and Easter closings. Unfortunately, the misleading email link to the board is still on the library’s website, implying direct access to board members. My larger concern, which Mr. Stoess did not address, is that when my email regarding Easter closings was forwarded to the board, it contained commentary and even speculation about me from Library Director Arnie Maurins. If the real concern is spam, as Mr. Stoess suggests, then email from the public should be unfiltered. I am bemused by Mr. Stoess’ comment that “the issue of whether to have libraries with Sunday hours open on Easter in 2013 and future years will be addressed by the library staff and/or the Board.” It’s simple: If a governmental body endorses any religion, it is in violation of the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution. Closing branches to honor Easter qualifies. If staff or the board spend any time debating whether to disregard the Constitution, it would be an absurd waste of county resources.

Rex Gunderson
Sparks

Thanks for the warning

Re “Royale with cheese” (Film, March 29):

I’m glad I read your review before going to see the movie. Not having read the book, I had the feeling that it was a hyped-up movie targeted basically at teenagers who go and watch Harry Potter and Twilight movies. (They at least had better special effects, I imagine.) I decided not to go watch it in spite of the big crowd that was lining to watch it at our local cinema. They probably believed all the hype. Thank you for your review and for saving me from spending my money and time.

Tito Mina
Luxembourg

Clean up your act

Slobs. As I walk along the streets of Reno, I see a constant reminder that we have far too many slobs here in Reno. Every street, every vacant lot, every parking lot has litter. Why is it that the slobs of Reno won’t or can’t use the many trash receptacles that are placed along the streets? Is it so much easier to dump trash on the street, rather than maybe carry that same trash a half block to dump it in a receptacle? Is it that the slobs think that it’s attractive to visitors to Reno to see cast-off candy wrappers, empty bottles and such along public streets? If that’s what the slobs think, they’re wrong. Take some pride in your community. Stop the litter!

R. Richard
Reno

I’m a wonderer

Am I the only one?

Am I the only one who is curious as to why the number of commercials is steadily increasing on Reno’s Channel 5 PBS station when it is so heavily federally funded? Do they have to beg for money so often?

Am I the only one who wonders where the TV news journalists have gone? All of them are so slanted left or right that it is difficult to get the objective side of the stories they report.

Am I the only one who is concerned about the water being cut off to Virginia Lake this winter? Even the beautiful swan that used to visit the north end has decided to go elsewhere since the water is becoming so polluted.

Am I the only one who is annoyed that local TV stations are so obsessed with reporting weather every eight minutes each broadcast?

Am I the only one who is dubious about the administrator of the Washoe County School District scoring a national award for his service when the statistics for school dropouts in the area are just awful?

I am curious, concerned, annoyed, and dubious quite a lot these days.

Richard G. Pugh
Reno