Letters for February 26, 2004

The fact that so many people from all over the world want to move to America and make their lives here is a testament to the greatness of our country. However, I bristled when I read “The immigrant gap.”

This article failed to even touch on the negative economic, cultural and social ramifications of illegal Mexican immigration.

I urge anyone who believes illegal Hispanic immigration is harmless to come rent an apartment off Wells Avenue for a few months.

Anyone who’s lived in Reno for 10 or 15 years will understand when I say the area has degenerated from a modest but well-kept multicultural working-class neighborhood into whatever the hell it is now. There’s graffiti all over the dumpsters, fences and apartment walls. I was hit by a car driven by a driver who, the police later informed me, was illegally in this country, unlicensed, and driving a car that was uninsured and unregistered—he threatened me and drove off after the accident.

The registration stickers on my license plate were peeled off one night. A friend of mine who rents a house in the area had to complain to the police because his new Mexican neighbors were keeping chickens in the backyard. The teachers at Libby Booth Elementary School are going nuts trying desperately to educate children whose English skills are poor. Impromptu, unlicensed flea markets and garage sales are set up in the parking lots of vacated businesses. I could elaborate.

This is unacceptable. It’s a disgrace. It’s unnecessary. And it’s going to get a lot worse.

I don’t particularly blame the immigrants. I blame our government and all those reactionary jellyfish in Congress (Republican and Democrat alike) who refuse to enforce our immigration laws and do what is best for the citizens of the nation they are paid to represent and serve.

America is not a fruit for anyone to pluck at will.

K. Morgan Southwood
Reno

Burning Bush
The White House has recently paid for an ad financed by special interest money to complain about Sen. John Kerry’s special interest contributions. The fact the ad leaves out is that Bush has accepted, in just one year, 10 times the amount Kerry has accepted in 15 years. This hypocrisy and deception, like the WMD deception by Mr. Bush, is more than enough reason to elect someone else. The only way to eliminate or reduce the influence of special interest money on our government is to demand that the entire election funding system be overhauled.

Jeffrey Quinn
Sparks

Bush in 2004
With the upcoming election for president, we must pick a leader and party that will insure security both militarily and economically for our future. Ask yourself, would you feel safer with Bush, or would it have been better to have Gore in the midst of 9-11? Ever since World War II, the liberal democrats have botched every attempt at foreign policy and raised taxes to burden the working class every time. Truman botched Korea, Kennedy Cuba, Johnson Vietnam, Carter Iran and Clinton Iraq, Bosnia and Somalia. On the other hand, Eisenhower cleaned up Korea and put America into prosperity, Nixon all but ended Vietnam—until the liberals’ revenge on Nixon from his busting of Alger Hiss in the ‘50s. Nixon also established relations with China and will go down in history as one of the greatest presidents regarding foreign policy. Reagan ended the cold war and communism, Bush Sr. liberated Kuwait, and Bush Jr. will win the war on terror.

It seems all the liberals can do is aid the enemy; since when did it become unfashionable to be patriotic? Look back in history since World War II. Ask yourself, who has created more Alger Hisses, the Democrats or Republicans?

Mike Arp
Reno

Homeless ruin Reno
The homeless situation is out of hand, and it is not safe to walk about Reno. People walk up to you and ask for money all the time. You don’t know what they are going to do if you tell them no. I was asked for money, and the guy scared me. Yes, I signed a complaint, but is that going to do anything but make the guy mad?

Officers see people pushing shopping carts or sleeping in corners and do nothing. Why?

Take the state funds away from the homeless, and they will move on. I live on Social Security, and I live in a motel. I survive every month with no problem. My check is $549, and most goes for rent, but I’m not homeless.

If I can do it, why can’t others?

Homelessness is laziness and people who want two things in their lives: beer and drugs.

Robin Money
Reno