Letters for September 30, 2004

The mean-spirited altered photo of President Bush is only surpassed by Deidre Pike’s extreme leftist drivel. As a Vietnam combat vet, I was spit at and called hideous, untrue names by the likes of you and your Commie “fellow travelers,” and if you think you and your two-faced ilk are going to replace President Bush with the lying and traitorous likes of Kerry and his shyster lawyer comrade Edwards, you have an incurable mental and moral defect. The only reason that your Commie rag is free is because you’d never be able to sell it.

If you and your kind don’t like and love this blessed nation, please feel free to leave—and don’t let Lady Liberty stick her torch of freedom up your worthless asses on the way out.

Lee Cotton-Thomas
Reno

Biased and cynical
Re “No more years,” (RN&R, Cover story, Sept. 16):

I guess you don’t have any qualms about favoritism in your so-called journalism. You’re just outright biased and cynical. Demonizing those with views opposed to yours and creating an ambiance of uncertainty, unfairness and hate will sell newspapers. But it does not advance the dialogue. It is rubbish, designed for sales and profits, disguised as a conscientious social organ.

Why don’t you change the name of your rag to Reno’s Extremist Yellow Cynical News? That will accurately depict what you do, although your California headquarters might not like the idea of honesty and fairness.

Daniel Yarhi
via e-mail

RN&R patriotic
Re “RN&R un-American,” (RN&R, Letters, Sept. 23):

I knew you would get letters about the cover and the articles. It’s a shame that freedom of the press does not stand up anymore, excluding biasness. I am tired of bashing on either side, however; it’s just ugly. Let me give you a quote that my friend gave me, written many years ago.

You may recognize the author, so “un-Americanism” is not the correct accusation thrown your way.

Perhaps “they” should do their homework before accusing your paper, thank you!

Theodore Roosevelt: The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly as necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else.

Elaine Werlinger
Carson City

Equal treatment
Re “No more years,” (RN&R, Cover story, Sept. 16):

Are you planning equal treatment of John Kerry with an unattractive, mocking photograph of him and an article with 10 reasons for Nevadans to save the planet from John Kerry? Or, is the RN&R, like CBS, another arm of the Democrat Party and the Kerry campaign?

I look forward to your coming editions to see if you give equal treatment to President George W. Bush.

Patty Cafferata
Reno

Women must vote
If you are a woman, if you love and care for women, if you have a daughter, then this election is a critical call to action for the future of those you love. Whoever sits in the White House during the next four years will probably fix the direction of our national judiciary for the next four decades. Roe v Wade is endangered. You can vote to protect it and to protect the rights of women in this country to make their own reproductive choices. You can vote for John Kerry. We must engage in this election. We can’t close our eyes or turn our faces to the wall of despair, or believe it doesn’t matter, or your vote won’t count. Call your daughters, ask them if they are registered to vote, call your unmarried women friends, and tell them their vote counts. Get out the vote and get Bush out of the White House. We certainly don’t need another four years of his appointments to the bench.

Stacey Spain
Reno