Letters to the editor for Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015

Catmandu doing great things

There is a great place to get a cat or kitten in Carson City, it’s a cage-free rescue organization called Catmandu. I just started volunteering there, and I was so impressed with the homey, loving environment these well kept cats are in.

They roam free, playing with toys and each other. With over 60 cats to choose from, you can’t go wrong finding the “purrfect” cat for you. Visit catmanducc.org for hours of operation.

Joanne King

Gardnerville

The grinch who tried to steal Christmas

The week of Christmas I arrived home to find our house ransacked and robbed. The instant fear and violation of our personal safe haven is a feeling I will never forget. Seeing the place where the gifts I had wrapped lovingly strewn with paper and tossed aside seemed surreal ... who would do this? I guess heart-shaped ornaments and a sweet doll were not on their list this year.

The culprit(s) stole coins and all the contents of our jewelry boxes. What they do not know or understand is that in those treasure boxes were memories of our life. There was a ring shared at an alter, ring worn by a father no longer with us, pins from loved ones no longer here to hug, a plastic ring worn by my sister that I lost over 40 years ago and a rosary that I carried down the aisle over 35 years ago now.

Mr. Grinch, I would trade silver, gold, and diamonds tenfold to have those “trinkets” back in our treasure boxes. I thank God for my safety and that the culprit can never steal my treasured memories and the love I carry in my heart. I pray that someday your heart will be full of memories, and you won’t have to steal another’s.

I am reminded of the bible verse Matthew 6:19-21. Please share. Be kind to one another. Merry Christmas.

Loretta Scheie

Minden

Not logical for journalists to risk their lives

The First Amendment allows freedom to the press without the threat of persecution or death. Isn’t that only in our country? Journalism students should take a crash course in customs because in other countries, they’re much different than ours. Unlike some of them, we don’t allow gang rape as punishment for women or practice open-air retaliation beheadings.

It’s a sad state of affairs how some news magazines send their journalists into extremely dangerous countries where they could possibly be kidnapped and murdered just for being there, and from what we’ve all seen lately, murdered journalists are the top story.

Extremists are not kidnapping them for ransom, but to murder them in cold blood to send a message. Whether it’s blowing up a bus, killing a bunch of school children or beheading someone on video, these crazed people do whatever it takes to prove a point — and killing foreign journalists are on their hit list.

In my opinion, no story is that good to write if it means the reporter could be kidnapped or possibly murdered because of it. I think reporters who go into these unstable countries should have their heads examined. It’s not an act of bravery by going into them, but foolish and taunting fate when they do. Apparently they give little thought to how their families might react if the unthinkable happened to them and instead put themselves at risk so a news magazine can have its story. I’m sorry, but I don’t see the logic in that.

Donald Paetz

Carson City