Letters for January 25, 2001

I have been hearing criticism of President Bush because he is surrounding himself with a staff of experts who are leaders in their own right. This indicates to some that he is compensating for his own weaknesses. This is perhaps the most ignorant and obviously partisan statement that I have heard since the election.

I am non-partisan and do not particularly trust either party, but Bush seems to be structuring our country’s leadership like the CEO of a company would if he were putting together a dream team to accomplish some goals he has in mind. Obviously, he plans to delegate and be a listener and plans to orchestrate rather than dictate. Surely he knows that he is purposely complicating his job by placing such powerful people on his cabinet, who will undoubtedly clash and conflict. He is tapping these scholars and subjecting himself to this position for the good of the country, and because he knows who is boss and that he can manage his people.

I sense confidence, intelligence and focus from his appointments. I say we quit our partisan whining and come together behind our president and his people, indivisible, as one, and expect our legislature to do the same, for the good of our nation.

We need this strength to stand respected in the world, both economically and militarily.

Garry R. Cooper
Durham, Calif.

Shameless plug for Girl Scouts

On Jan. 6, the Girl Scout stars came out to sell cookies. This year’s theme is, “We Are All Stars.”

Selling cookies helps girls learn skills to have a brighter future. Some of the skills we learn are: responsibility, by making sure that you get your cookies on time; organizing time and money, so that you have a successful experience with Girl Scouts; teamwork, so that you don’t have to listen to us quarrel and so that your cookies are delivered faster; working with different people and different experiences, so that when we grow up, we are able to communicate fluently in our jobs; setting goals and reaching them, so that when we get older and we set a goal, we set goals that are not too high to reach or too low to become a challenge and so we don’t quit when we’re having trouble; overcoming shyness, as cookie-selling is a safe way for girls to make contact with strangers; and decision-making, when girls and their leaders decide how to spend our cookie profits.

Our troop plans to use our money for badges, camping, community service projects and, best of all, a trip to Great America. We girls do most of the planning for the trip and figure out how many boxes of cookies we need to sell to accomplish our goals.

So by purchasing Girl Scout cookies, you help make a brighter future for all Girl Scouts!

Girl Scout Cadette Troop 405
Reno

Get Drewes some therapy

Re “Christmas Daze” (RN&R Theater, Dec. 21):

Regarding the review by Ellen Drewes of Reno Little Theater’s production of …a little Christmas, all I can say is, “methinks the lady doth protest too much.” Could it be that Ms. Drewes has a multiplicity of family and relationship issues in her past and/or present that did not allow her to review this production with objectivity and professional detachment?

Although the show promised and covered many aspects of the holidays, she seemed to be hung up on a total of four songs out of 24, which were, admittedly, chosen to portray some of the less cheerful aspects of the season. But hey, that’s life. Why didn’t she mention the delightful renditions of such numbers as “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” or “Lovers on Christmas Eve"? Why did she choose to ignore most of the second act—a tribute to World War II veterans? Finally, please explain to me what her references to Martha Stewart, little boys in velvet suits and Christmas ties have to do with anything taking place on the stage.

When reading a review, one expects to find considered theatrical criticism dealing with the content of the production and the performances of the actors. Instead, Ms. Drewes gave us a highly personalized, dysfunctional interpretation of the “veiled” meanings in song lyrics, comedy sketches and lighting plots. I’m guessing she would have liked the production better had it been presented by Brüka and would have lauded its cutting-edge reality.

Don Keene
Reno