Letters to the editor for Sunday, April 13, 2014

Exercise leader provides great service at community pool

I would like to sing the praises of an exceptional leader. She isn’t paid for this service and rarely misses coming to lead us. Mary Lou faithfully (up to five days a week), at our Carson City community therapy pool, conducts range of motion exercises for all adults suffering with arthritis and a range of other body problems. Example: recovering from an operation to an accident of some sort. (A small fee is charged.)

We’re having a slight problem with the pool manager who doesn’t seem to realize the value of this class and isn’t allowing proper time to allow us to complete a one-hour session. Pleas realize how important and inexpensive these valuable exercises are. I would like to challenge the pool manager to attend and participate in one of these classes.

Deborah Konrad

Carson City

Letter writer had facts wrong about Iran, Israel and Iraq

It’s deflating that people such as Neil Powers (letter of March 27) are capable of disseminating falsehoods and inaccurate statements. There are many people out there, including the many dolts in the U.S. Congress, who buy into Mr. Powers’ canards and propaganda.

Iran poses no threat to Israel. Anyone who believes otherwise is in error. The perpetuated lie centers around former Iranian President Ahmadinejad when he referred to the current Israeli regime and its Zionist occupation of the Palestinians that must be “wiped off the map.” Zionism is the movement for the creation of Jewish homeland. Such a movement naturally excludes everybody but Jews. Zionism is discriminatory. Ahmadinejad simply recognized that discrimination — in any form — must be wiped off the map. Who can disagree with that?

Saddam Hussein killed approximately 1.3 million people in his 24 years in power. The United States invasion precipitated the killing of 1.5 million people in the 11 years since the U.S. occupation. Brutality is a serpent of many guises whether in the form of a dictatorship or in the Bush exportation of democracy.

In his letter, Mr. Powers wrote, “Why can’t government learn from history?” Perhaps, Mr. Powers, it is people such as yourself who elect the government and any possible learning process stops dead in its tracks by the hand of your vote.

Mantis Erosporb

Dayton

Opening old prison as museum would bring in needed tourism

Carson City’s livelihoods have taken a drastic financial hit in the past few years. Where once many tourists’ cars were seen in hotel/motel parking lots is now reduced to the occasional passer through on their way someplace else.

Most of the downtown places to stay, as well as some of those on the outskirts, are now weekly or monthly rentals because no one comes to Carson City anymore. Moreover, I fear this newer addition to the bypass, on the south end of town, will somehow exacerbate any chance for them to recover from this slump.

But when you really stop and think about it, what for the whole family do we have to offer here in Carson City? Casinos are for adults, but there’s the mint state museum, railroad museum, state capital and a few antique shops. Gee, but that’s not very much to brag about. No wonder people are going to Tahoe and Virginia City; there’s nothing more here to see and visitors are burned out on what there is.

In my opinion, the one thing I believe will help pull this city out of its slump and spark interest in tourists is the opening of the old state prison as a museum for the public. Strange enough, but people like seeing where murderers, rapists and thieves were either kept or condemned to death. Just the wonder about an old building with its ugliness, musky smells and its deep, dark history lights a certain fire in the minds of everyone.

Donald Paetz

Carson City

Following Bible is great, but Westboro followers were misled

I have two gay people in my family. The father of one of them has told me more than once. The Bible says it’s wrong, not me. God loves the gay and the lesbian but wants them to change. So when someone quotes the Bible, then they are bigots or they are judging. Bless all the people who try and follow the word and the ones who do not. But as far sa the Westboro Baptist Church, they are so wrong. I feel bad for the families that had to listen to their bunk when they were laying to rest a loved one and a hero.

Chuck Richards

Dayton

President is hypocritical when he bemoans business spending

Seven million citizens signed up for Obamacare out of 300,000,000 (fewer if premiums weren’t paid). The president’s April Fools’ Day joke was bragging they did it without a hard sell. The government spends an average $684 million per year promoting the Affordable Care Act; Section 4002 provided $500,000,000 for ads in 2010, $750,000,000 in 2011, $1 billion in 2012, $1.25 billion in 2013, and $1.5 billion for 2014 on ads for Obamacare. The ACA law allows the government to spend $2 billion in FY 2015 on Obamacare ads.

It should have already been established and running smoothly. That’s our money, plus we still have to buy insurance. That $684 million is almost the same as Apple spent and half what Walmart spent. But they don’t use our taxes. Better that government use that $6 billion spent on advertising to build a few free or low-cost clinics near teaching hospitals. Or just buy insurance policies for those unable to.

The president complains about spending by those opposed to ACA, like the Koch brothers who spent $1 million. But they used their own money, not ours. If Walmart, Apple or rich businessmen want to spend their money on ads for something we don’t like, that’s their privilege. But don’t spend my tax dollars on ads to promote something half of us think is the wrong way to help people. This is gross misuse of tax dollars.

All branches and parties in our government are on a drunken spending spree with our money.

Judy Jacobs

Topaz