I was pleased to open my Sunday paper Oct. 22 and see two full pages of letters from some very nice people who were able to express themselves with uttermost integrity. Far too many of the letters and indeed too many of the contributing writers express too much contempt and appear to write with a mean spirit, which tends to foment hate.
I've been reluctant to write as I feel I lack the talent to articulate my position as well as, say Sarah Mersereau-Adler, Kaitlin Backlund, David E. Johnson, Shirley Swafford, Jessie Winchester and Roy Askins.
One of my main concerns (issues) is the, or my, public school system. I'm in the majority of the some 270 million Americans who own this government of ours and the public school system is a major part of our property. The problem with local control of the system is that there is far too much underhanded local effort to discredit and dismantle the public school system and privatize it for some very bad, indescribable, selfish reasons. I thank Ms. Askins for his sound, well-reasoned letter, and I agree with all my heart that the voucher system is not the answer to our school problems.
I believe we must have local control; however, let's be very watchful. Remember what it was like in the southern states not so very long ago.
I'm sure it's no surprise that I am a Democrat; no, a proud Democrat, and I vote for my candidates as they have proven that they work for me. I follow our Congress as close as possible and get my information first hand on C-Span or C-Span 2. I watch Limbaugh and surf all TV channels. There has been a problem lately with watching Congress, though, they are working only two days a week and do not seem to be accomplishing much of anything other than play some very scary games. George W. Bush claims to be the Republican leader of that bunch.
Then he should not wait until January; go lead them out from under that rock right now.
Now as to George W. Bush and Al Gore and the debates, and do you believe what we all were subjected to? How very embarrassing. I feel for those good people who were directed away from say, John McCain, and forced to support George W. Bush. I taped the third debate and have viewed it over and over again, and still can't believe it. It must be very difficult for all those governors to go out on the stump and put their reputations on the line for the likes of him.
I don't feel sorry for corporate America, though. They hired an incompetent and deserve him.
I really don't think they will be able to replace the President with a CEO and Congress with a board of directors or investors just quite yet. There are still a lot of us out here who "get it" and all that big money loses again. I do hope that Ralph Nader comes back to the Democratic Party. We need his help in getting back to our base; we've compromised far too much for far too long with the "loyal opposition."
JACK G. DYER
Carson City
