Keep ‘holidays’ out of ChristmasThank God for the USMC and its Leatherneck Magazine for wishing everyone “Merry Christmas” on its December issue. State, local governments, schools and churches should follow this example. Stop the “happy holidays” junk!I didn’t fight in the frozen cold of North Korea to have some secular, progressive or any other foul ball group tell me what is historically correct. Hey, it’s “Christmas” and “Easter” not “winter” and “spring” break.Tony KleinMindenHelp support ‘Always Lost’Josh Galarza’s commentary “Help Support Nevada’s Gift to the Nation” was a beautifully crafted appeal for help with the now national Afghan-Iraq war memorial effort, “Always Lost.” Marilee Swirczek and Don Carlson conceived “Always Lost: A Meditation on War” as an assignment in her creative writing class in 2009. Josh Galarza was a participant in that class. So was Dr. Robert Priest, Amy Roby, Teresa Breeden, Kevin Burns and Douglas Deacy. There were many others, including me. Although I was probably the oldest member of the class and a Korean era War veteran, I felt deeply privileged and profoundly humbled to be part of this creative effort. It was a unique, intellectually provocative, deeply emotional effort to help us to think about and honor the men and women who gave their life for us. A final measure of love.It was clear that Josh had special talent. Although this was a class of exceptional writers and Marilee demanded excellence of all her students, Josh’s writing was exceptional —imaginative, surprisingly creative and deeply touching. His ideas came alive in the class. His appeal in his Commentary to support the “Always Lost” national tour effort is profound. In this season of giving and remembrance, let’s do all we can to support “Always Lost: A meditation on War.”Eugene T. PaslovCarson City
