Letters for April 6, 2006

The politics of division
Re “Don’t judge the best by the failures” (Right Hook, March 30):

Your Rove-trained mouthpiece, Mike Lafferty, has got me to thinking about this divisive “Republicans are better than Democrats” thing, and I’ve decided that, if he’s willing to pay my share of the national debt (currently $27,968 per U.S. citizen), then I’ll put a Dubya sticker on my car and quit haranguing him for the short-sighted, semi-fascist statements he makes in the paper each week.

This seems like a modest proposal and a good deal for Lafferty, given the fact that it was the Republican-dominated Congress and Dubya who created the $8.5 trillion deficit that my grandchildren and I will otherwise still be paying down 30 years hence. If he’s not willing to put his money where his oversized mouth is concerning this matter, then assume that the likes of me will continue to pen snarky letters to the editor in response to his mindless right-wing rants and laugh heartily as Mr. Bush inches closer and closer to the inevitable impeachment.

Chris Rosamond
Reno

Freedom-hating newspaper
Re “Heads up, America. Some good things have happened in Iraq.” (Right Hook, March 23):

While I can’t argue with the fact that Mike Lafferty is an adorable lap dog, I do question your decision to keep him employed as a columnist. Is this some sort of liberal experiment in socialized journalism? Have we, as a society, really reached the point where we’ll give anyone column space without respect to merit, talent or reason? Really, why do you hate freedom? Clearly, the terrorists have already won.

Oh, and also—why the media isn’t reporting the good news out of Iraq, I’m sure, is that journalists keep getting kidnapped and murdered before they can get the copy out. As soon as one of them makes it back from the field alive, Iraq is sure to be exposed as the paradise it is.

Scott Herbst
Reno

Freedom on hold
Re “For the record” (Guest Comment, March 30):

[I was bothered by] the last paragraph of your guest’s commentary, where he wondered if an AG Hillary Clinton going after gun owners and pro-life groups via the PATRIOT Act would be problematic for ‘neo cons.’ You mean Janet Reno wasn’t bad enough? Gun control and pro-life issues were threatened and curtailed during the ‘90s, and he’s right: I don’t want a Queen Hillary or Prince Howard Dean misusing the PATRIOT Act, so I’m glad that the act has been amended.

As far as the Church committee goes, wouldn’t it have been better if the CIA could have taken Osama bin Laden out by assassination in the ‘90s instead of going to all-out war killing thousands of innocents?

Let’s put the Birkenstock on the other foot. What if, instead of the twin towers, the New York Times and Rolling Stone buildings were destroyed? The ACLU headquarters or a famously liberal college in place of the Pentagon? Civil liberties were suspended in WW II, then restored after the war was over, and will be again when this threat is over.

Bill Thibault
Sparks

Get your details right
Re: “Hand me down” (Arts&Culture, March 30):

As one of the persons interviewed at Coral Rose Vintage, I’m writing to let you know of my disappointment with the article. The reporter failed to take note that there are two businesses at 805 S. Virginia St. The owner of Coral Rose is Vicky Rodriguez, and Nataliya Solace is the owner of Nataliya’s Fashion Design & Alterations; although both occupy the same address, they are separate businesses, an important detail which was overlooked in the article.

In fact, after I read the article, I was under the impression that Nataliya Solace dealt in vintage clothing, and she doesn’t. Most of the quotes about the clothing at Coral Rose were supposedly from her. One of Nataliya’s fashion creations was misrepresented as a vintage piece, when in reality it’s a duplication of an elegant 1930’s style gown. Since the article was supposedly about vintage clothing, I thought it strange that none of the clothing representing Coral Rose were genuine vintage pieces. They were all designed by Nataliya.

The article also attempted to define the difference between vintage and thrift. The difference is not only quality, but presentation. Coral Rose specializes in vintage clothing and accessories in a clean, quaint atmosphere. Vicky makes sure all the clothes have been professionally dry-cleaned, that they’re in the best condition possible and identified by era.

I’m sure these seem like minor details, but attention to detail is what shops like Coral Rose offer.

John D. Kille
Reno

Correction
Re “Hand me down” (Arts&Culture, March 30):

The photo caption on the bottom of page 18 read, “Vintage dresses, like this one at Coral Rose, can be found dating back to at least the 1920s.” This is incorrect; the dress was actually inspired by vintage styles but designed by Nataliya Solace.