Letters for October 2, 2003

Impeach Bush
Like most Americans, I supported going after Osama bin Laden and his supporters. And, like most Americans, I wanted our military to surround and capture the criminals that oppressed the people of Afghanistan and declared Holy War on our Western culture. The Bush Administration did little more than scatter the Taliban and allow bin Laden to slip away. After failing to capture bin Laden, Bush got back to what he was really planning to do—take over Iraq.

Whatever the cost of the terrorists’ attacks were on our national economy, the war in Iraq has cost us much more. This Congress impeached a President, accusing Clinton of lying about a minor sexual act with a consenting adult. But now it sits on its hands as our economy is trashed by tax cuts for the wealthy and spending on an unjust war. George Bush and his Administration have got to go. We may not make it until 2004. Impeach now.

James Ausmus
Susanville, Calif.

Fight back, America
I would like to exclaim my dismay toward Bush trying to get the United Nations to help with the reconstruction of Iraq. He would not address their issues when he wanted to go into Iraq, but he went into Iraq anyway. And now he wants their help. What a joke. He should take responsibility for his rash actions and clean up the mess himself.

Why should the U.N. trust him anyway? He didn’t respect their decision in the first place, and now he is putting on a smile and practically begging for their help? We impugned Clinton for a sexual offense, yet Bush is running this country into the ground, and we do nothing? We have already seen that our vote does not count in that sham of election in 2000.

How long are we going to tolerate our government taking more and more of our freedoms away? I think the founding fathers would be ashamed at how the government is being run today and ashamed at the American people for not getting off our butts and standing up for ourselves. We need to put aside our petty differences and unite to take our government back. For the people, by the people. Not for the politicians by the politicians.

Tania Lackner
Sparks

Globalization good
Re “On the front line of protest,” [RN&R, Cover, Sept. 18]:

The RN&R sees itself as a youth-oriented, alternative-viewpoint newspaper. The paper went to some length to send Deidre Pike to cover a story that involved idealism instead of drunken reverie at the infamous Spring Break resort of Cancun.

However, idealism is no excuse for ignorance, and that was present in large but unreported quantities among the protagonists of her piece. The anti-globalization crowd could be best thought of as a streaker at a nationally televised ball game—looking for publicity but with a dubious point to make.

Globalization and free trade have lifted the standard of living of the very poorest of the world’s poor dramatically since the industrial revolution and most especially in recent decades. The neo-Marxist, Green rhetoric of the protesters would be laughable if it did not pose a threat to progress in efforts to end world hunger, poverty and ignorance.

Global economic choice through market development has worked miracles of increased production, greater consumption and a healthier environment in the parts of the world that have opened themselves to the change called globalization.

I would ask the RN&R to stop glorifying young Maoists, anarchists who want more government regulations and taxes and recently graduated UNR economics majors who must have skipped the chapter in Economics 101 about the Law of Comparative Advantage.

Brendan Trainor
Reno

Hey, that’s sarcasm!
Re “Iceberg patriotism,” [RN&R, Foodfinds, Sept. 18]:

I read the RN&R all the time and usually enjoy the paper. But I just had a crazy idea I thought I would pass along for editorial consideration. What if your restaurant reviews actually told readers about the food? I know it’s kooky, but I think it might just catch on.

I know there are a lot of people who are dying to know about Catherine Greenspan’s globe-trotting friends. But I think that a restaurant review that told readers about the food might be just crazy enough to attract some attention.

It’s bold, I know, but the RN&R has the luxury of being able to take these daring steps. You have the drive and the creative impetus to become an innovator in feature writing.

I’m sure that this idea will meet with much resistance. But I have faith in the editorial staff of the RN&R to forge boldly ahead and set a new journalistic standard.

name withheld
Reno