Letters for May 8, 2003

KUNR’s Brian Bahouth is a news director, not a “leftist journalist.” Jake Highton is a fine journalist, commentator and columnist. Jake defines himself as “leftist,” which is his prerogative. When functioning in the professional arena, as news director of our only National Public Radio affiliate radio station, Bahouth does not have the luxury of focusing on his own political agenda.

I’m surprised that the Reno News & Review has space to highlight a rift between friends, an unfortunate chain of events between men of integrity. In a day and age that seems to be defined by all time high levels of tackiness, we look to our journalists to help us gain perspective so that we may shape a new identity for ourselves as a society and for our future as a community.

We look to you, ladies and gentlemen of the press, at the News & Review as well.

Cameron Crain
Reno

We’re cool with that, too
Re “Change is good,"[RN&R, Editor’s note, April 24]:

I just finished reading the Editor’s note in a recent issue of the RN&R (which explained the newspaper’s new format). The only change I noticed was more color. Being a child of the ‘60s, I’m cool with that.

If you can get the paper out for fewer bucks and with more color, more power to ya.

Keep the faith.

Red Mike
Fernley

The art debate continues
Re “Art attack,” [RN&R, Letters, May 1]:

According to Webster’s, art is a pretty general term, which to me seems to be up to the opinion of the art viewer as to whether or not something is art. My mother is an artist, formally trained. and she taught at Sierra Nevada College. When I was young, I didn’t like her art. Now, I like her art.

According to Paul Mellendar’s reasoning, I feel obligated to garner his approval, so I will feel confident I have real art hanging on my walls. Maybe he should start the art police chapter of Reno to keep all the bad art away. To limit people’s exposure to what may or may not be considered art is nothing short of retarded and brings on the feelings I had as a child. I always felt artists were full of ego and elitist attitude. Mellendar proves this theory to me. I am not an artist and with those [types of] narrow-minded attitudes I never want to become an artist.

Bob Klein
via e-mail

Keep expressing yourself
Re “Out of control” [RN&R, Guest comment, May 1]:

I enjoyed the points of view of the younger people, and I agree that they are overlooked on both sides. They look forward to a real possibility of having to follow in the soldiers’ foot steps in the Middle and Far East. Thank you for allowing me to remember that I used to be one of them.

I read and re-read Amy Spitzer’s guest comment and each time that I did, I remembered people I went to school with who said the same things. I said those things, too. I was lucky, though. I had a brother who was older and wiser than anyone I had ever known. He told me one simple truth that I’ve held dear to this day. He told me that no one has any power when they fight the system; it’s only when you work with it and within it that you can make changes happen. If you don’t like it (whatever it is) then figure a way to change it and make the system work for you.

I know that Amy thinks no one is listening to her or understands how terrifying war is for someone her age, but you [let her express herself]. I read that expression and know of at least 10 other people who also read it. That is a lot of power.

Tell Amy not to be so pessimistic, she is not alone.

Tell her not to give up, that one day she will be heard. Everything until then is practice that will give her strength and clarity.

Nora Kelley
via e-mail

Corrections
Due to a reporter’s error, a nonexistent individual named Allen Betz stole the identity of the Department of Motor Vehicle’s compliance enforcement investigator, Allen Byers, in “Forging for a Living,” RN&R News, May 1. We regret any confusion this inexplicable mix-up may have caused.In “America’s Deadliest Highway?” [RN&R, News, April 10], it was stated, "A 30-mile stretch of Nevada’s Highway 50, from just east of Carson City to Silver Springs, has been the scene of more than 120 injury-causing accidents in the past 14 months, 15 of them fatal." According to data provided by Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Magruder, there were only six fatal accidents on Highway 50 in that time period. Further, Magruder says there have only been 22 injury-causing accidents in the same time period on that stretch of road.