Letters to the editor for Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014

Middle East isn’t likely to ever become stable

I have been reading about the Middle East the past few months — several books on the region and conducting some research on the net. It has been interesting. One thing I have gleaned from all this digging (well, actually two things) is that I doubt the region will ever be stable, at least not in my lifetime. The major religious factions, Shia (Iran, predominately Shia), Sunni (Iraq, predominately Sunni), Wahhabi (Saudi Arabia, predominately Wahhabi, supposedly the strictest form), Jewish (Israel) are so ideologically opposed to each other that a peaceful meeting of the minds seems almost impossible.

Then there is — yes, folks — oil. And — yes, folks — it is about oil (power). But, and I say but before you get all pious about the subject, stop, take a look around your house, at the clothes on your backs, at every item you use and need that is not made from silk, wool, leather, flax, cotton (natural fibers), natural metals, and you are swimming in oil. Yes, swimming in the stuff right down to your soaps (detergents), shampoos, water bottles, pipes that carry your gas, water, sewage, electrical cables. There are over 6,000 plus items that make up our daily lives that are petroleum-based.

So again, yes, it is about oil, and it goes beyond our mere automobiles. Just a little something to think about on a cold winter’s day.

Carlynann V. Johnson

Dayton

Changing policies for pot reek of hypocrisy

I feel this country is becoming hypocritical. Over the decades, I have seen all the work and money that went toward getting Americans to stop smoking. Along with that, there have been many programs covered by grant money to stop children from trying or using drugs. One program that comes to mind is the DARE program. Now laws are being passed to implement the use of smoking marijuana for medical purpose. Along with the medical use, many are jumping on the bandwagon to get recreational marijuana smoking laws passed.

Now, to me, if something alters your mind, it will alter how you act, work, walk, and your reaction time. Not only that, but there probably are health concerns to go with it.

The last thing is yes, they will drive after using it. They do now and it is not legal to use.

Bill and Marie Sweetwood

Carson City