Letters for December 7, 2017

COMMunication

Re “Give thanks for capitalism” (Let Freedom Ring, Nov. 23):

Aww, damn, Brendan. So close and yet so far away. It really looked like you were gonna score on giving us the scoop and what it was on the Pilgrim’s progress. First and goal from the ONE-FOOT-IN-THE-MOUTH line—and you stuffed yourself.

Well, let’s see how you could have possibly gotten this one wrong? OK, COMMon, COMMUNal, COMMUNally, COMMUNIty, COMMo’n, babe, take that big leap over the tackle (and the answer don’t start with an S, Breit-boy) Yeah, yeah, you got this one—yeah!! Communism!!

So, answer us this: How in the hell did you boot that pooch? Was it ignorance, or stupidity? Arrogance? Nahhh. Or, did you just get stuck in the muck of your usual right-wing/libertarian/free-market nonsense? Or, were you going with the GOP/trumpesian method of dealing with the truth, just flat-ass lie? Or, when the truth doesn’t get near your ideas, bend it till it does? Or, shatter it and rearrange the pieces till it works the way you want it to? Or, just make up some BS outta whole cloth and use it to cover up and smother the truth? Name ur poison, Suckrates.

Kinda thought you might enjoy a multiple-choice question, ’cause I definitely didn’t want to leave you alone with true or false. Now, could you please do us a favor and take a year or two off to formulate your answer. We don’t mind waiting. Democratically speaking.

Marc Hogue

Washoe Valley

Yerington blowback

Re “Racism runs rampant” (Left Foot Forward, Nov. 30):

I grew up in Yerington and attended school there, graduating YHS in 1965. Below is a Letter to the Editor of the MVN. The front page of the Nov. 22 MVN was a sad commentary on a town I grew up in and have loved to this day. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that racist bullying is part of Yerington’s fabric, as it’s an ugly scab in cities and towns throughout the country. Several things did surprise me, however. The Sparks Tribune reported initial events in detail on Oct 20. The MVN didn’t pick up the story until Nov 22. The home town paper buried this story for a month. Why? Police chief Darren Wagner refused to investigate citing “first amendment rights.”

A newly hired police officer is scapegoated for shredding documents related to the case and the department acknowledges that it was against the law to do such. No repercussions. Why? On Oct. 8, the son of a sheriff’s department officer posted an ugly, racist, threatening and intimidating entry on social media. No repercussions allegedly because of, again, first amendment rights. It is true that the first amendment does grant bad people the right to say bad things that are often meant to incite pain, fear, and violence but it does not grant that it must go unchallenged. Jeffrey Dion with the National Center of Victims of Crime stated, “Threats cause harm regardless of whether the intention to carry out the threat is real or not. Victims are deprived of freedom, and their lives are disrupted when they feel can’t go to a grocery store, they can’t drive their regular route to work, or they can’t let their kids walk to school or the halls of the school or feel safe in the classroom because of the fear of the stated or posted threat.”

Any law enforcement officer, any school administrator, any teacher, any politician or office holder should understand this. If they don’t, they’re not worthy of the position. This event is in newspapers in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and beyond, and Yerington is not viewed favorably. Kind of ironic coming from newspapers in parts of the country noted for extreme racism. I have great empathy for this unfortunate famil,y and I hope there are people in Yerington who understand the trauma inflicted. I hope there are students and teachers and coaches that encourage, befriend and protect these girls from the seedier and uglier underbelly promoting such hatred and indifference.

Brad Nelson

Beaverton, Ore.

The plight of the rich

Regarding the GOP tax bill—go to your windows and shout to the streets, “I’m mad at Heller, and I’m not going to take this anymore.”

Craig Bergland

Reno

Anger-filled letter

Does Bruce Van Dyke get paid for vomiting that anger-filled, vulgar laced, bigoted fish wrap that he calls a column? Funny how a so-called open minded, progressive person can so easily become the very thing he so despises.

Thom Waters

Reno