Letters for December 20, 2018

Homeless beers

Re “The Fourth coming” (cover story, Dec. 6):

It amazes me that people are more determined to create a Brewery District than to address the homelessness issue in Reno. I don’t know what kind of people who care about a city would suggest simply moving the homeless shelters so they can come in with their brews and cater to the middle and upper class without trying to actually find ways to address the homeless population on 4th Street. Catholic Charities, the St. Vincent Dining Hall and the VOA shelter are some of the very few resources that the homeless population have in Reno, not to mention the bus station is essentially the only means of transportation for this population when they can even afford a bus ticket to get somewhere.

Why can’t brewers pick a different place for their Brewery District? Are there no other places in Reno that offer the “industrialness” that these brewers are looking for? What a great idea to displace the people in Reno who are struggling most so we can cater to the people who need to satisfy their taste for craft beer. That’s exactly what Reno needs—more gentrification.

Mariah Murphy

Reno

Being anti-science has a price

Imagine yourself in Paradise, California, stuck in traffic, surrounded by flames, and your gas tank ruptures. You hear a whoosh and feel the intense heat and realize you will suffer an agonizing end. It happened. That is the result of an extremely dry autumn and climate change. Every year is warmer. Every fire is larger. The east coast and Texas now have superstorms.

If you live in any forested community you better be scared. We put 100 million tons of CO2 into a paper thin atmosphere every day. That effects our air and oceans, and it’s bad. The entire Republican party thinks it is a hoax. It’s not. The scientists are starting to panic and even the corporate media is beginning to mention it. The Pentagon and insurance companies have been alarmed for years. We need to tax the crap (I’m being nice) out of fossil fuels and begin a transition to sustainable living. We can do it.

Don McKechnie

Sparks

Belief

Reincarnation is the belief that the soul is reborn into a new body again and again. The soul has the ability to create. The body has the means to create and the senses to observe the creations. It is said that we have lived thousands of lifetimes. Each new embodiment is an opportunity to experience this wonderful gift of being human.

Abortion is a woman’s right to stop a body from developing and being born. In my opinion, there are five circumstances when this is an appropriate choice. In all the examples the common denominator is a soul incarnating into a damaged body, the hard being so significant that the child will be a burden throughout its like.

First, the medical advances of today can determine if there exist genetic or other problems early in a pregnancy. It allowed to be born the child will constantly struggle due to its physical or mental handicap. Do such children feel imprisoned within a body that does not work?

Second, is the situation where an unborn is subjected to the poisons of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. … Think of the disadvantages a human will endure because of such substances.

A third situation in which a human may never overcome is to be born in the state of extreme poverty, a place where stavation is a daily factor and the source of food uncertain.

Fourth on the list is when the mother and/or father hate the child. From conception to the age of five a child’s world is emotions. The feelings of the parents are indelibly etched on both the unborn being and the growing youngster. Although the effects of being unwanted may be overcome later in life there will be severe hardships endured before any peace and love is felt.

The last area where abortion is acceptable is when the welfare of the mother or child is a concern. Any problems leading to the likelihood of death to either or both makes this situation a logical choice.

Of course, humans will never agree completely on the issue of abortion. But this is as it should be.

Pat Wendt

Reno