Letters for April 29, 2004

Did you send a B&T (bridges and tunnels) girl to review the best pizza this side of the Rockies? Catherine, sweetie, you got it all wrong. If you want a cracker crust, buy a frozen pizza. If you want a slice of authentic, New York pie served with just the right amount of New York attitude, head to Kietzke and Moana lanes.

Samara Wenten
Truckee, Calif.

Editor’s note: Calling someone a “B&T girl,” is a grave insult in New York. It suggests the person is from New Jersey.

Punish Bush
George W. Bush said that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, but it was a lie. Bush said that Iraq was a threat to the United States, but it was a lie. Bush tried to make us believe that Saddam was somehow behind the massacre of 9-11, but it was a lie.

Bush used those lies to convince the Congress and gullible Americans that we should go to war against Iraq. As a result of that unprovoked war, hundreds of Americans and thousands of Iraqis have died.

Now Bush is asking us to reward him with our votes in the presidential election this November, but I can’t see how any moral American could vote for such an evil person.

I realize Bush has the unwavering support of the holier-than-thou religious leaders, like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, but those phonies would support the Devil himself, if he called himself a “conservative Republican.”

Brad MacKenzie
Reno

Punish the ignorant
Re “Punish the poor” (RN&R, Letters, April 8):

Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly hear a more idiotic remark, one of your readers wants to punish people for being poor.

Her ignorance is obvious. If she knew anything, she’d realize “homeless” means “without home.” Welfare doesn’t give you anything if you have no address. Some food bank might give you a moldy loaf of bread, minus receipt, and I’ve never seen receipts issued for sleeping under a bridge. As evidenced by all the money loan offices, pawn shops, notices of default and repossessions, this city and state thrives on the misery of others. What’s even more of a laugh is they issue fines to homeless people.

My suggestion to your letter writer, Robin Money, and her followers is to move to Beverly Hills. Better still, move right onto Rodeo Drive. That way you’ll be right in among your idols—plastic people with plastic hearts to coordinate with their plastic platinum cards.

Vickie Vera
Sun Valley

Punish the powerful
Re “Power Play” (RN&R, Cover story, April 15):

After reading your article, I find the thought of another coal-fired power plant disgusting. Why doesn’t the company making these plans sit in the Black Rock for a week? Solar and wind, that describes the Black Rock, not to mention beauty. When the wind’s not blowing, the sun is shining. Why don’t they cover the same area they would use to put in the plant and put in solar collectors and windmills (not in the flight of the migrating birds area). It would be a 365-day bonanza because it always is either windy or sunny. There would still be job creation, you still have to put in power lines and all the solar and wind equipment but it is a non-polluting operation. I hope they think this through because coal will not last forever, and Valmy is already eating its share.

Kat Felt
Sun Valley

Punish animal abusers
We read many articles about violence, including family violence. But too often, one of the victims of family violence is overlooked. That’s the family pet. Animals that live in violent homes often become victims, too, and may be injured by the abuser to intimidate and control other members of the household.

This is no small problem. In a recent sample of some of the largest domestic violence shelters in the United States, the Humane Society of the United States found that 91 percent of adult victims and 73 percent of children mention incidents of companion animal abuse when they enter domestic violence shelters. But only 18 percent of these shelters surveyed routinely ask victims about their pets. It’s important for domestic violence shelters to collect information about cruelty to animals from victims because it can indicate an abuser’s risk of causing physical harm or death.

Since domestic violence shelters can’t accept pets, many communities are starting Safe Havens for Animals programs, which provide temporary housing for pets from violent homes. A listing of programs and guidelines for starting them can be found at animalcrueltyisfamilyviolence.org.

Eric L. Sakach
The Humane Society of the United States