Letters to the editor for Sunday, March 5, 2017

What has happened to civil discourse?

Dear Mr. Johnston,

I would like to offer a rebuttal to your recent letter. As you stated the rules for submitting a letter to the editor are pretty clear. “Letters considered libelous, obscene, or in bad taste” will not be printed. The letter printed on Feb. 11 was published because it was not libelous, obscene or in bad taste. I might remind you that these items are subjective, that is they take place within the mind and are modified by individual bias. It is your bias that you are struggling with.

From week one of the Obama administration he was subjected to the “Birther Movement” initiated by none other than Trump. The Nevada Appeal was in very good company when it chose to print the Feb. 11 letter. Numerous well established national and European written journals, TV and radio media have also labeled Trump using the very subjective descriptors that you find objectionable.

I also struggle to understand what has happened to civil discourse. During the eight years of the Obama administration I have heard much worse denigration. Apparently you have been blinded to this.

Joel Flamenbaum

Carson City

Wake up, America

With the removal of God, morals, righteousness and statesmanship from our political system, leaving only sex, power and money as criteria for governing ourselves; it should make said governing much easier to do. So why has it become so much more complicated?

To quote one Albert Pike, 1859/1891

“Politicians, in a free state, are generally hollow, heartless and selfish. Their own aggrandizement is the end of their patriotism; and they always look with secret satisfaction on the disappointment or fall of one whose loftier genius and superior talents overshadow their own self-importance or whose integrity and incorruptible honor are in the way of their selfish ends.”

This could also apply to the new fourth branch of our unconstitutional government; i.e. Administrative Law; the “bureaucracy.”

Obedience to the law does not mean submission to tyranny. Shame on us.

Wake up, America.

Pete Bachstadt

Carson City

What’s all the fuss about?

It appears that the silly, paid-for protesters never had classes in school where they learned actual and factual American and world history during public schooling. If they had, they would not be misbehaving as they are now.

Logic would have been taking over and emotions would have been greatly tempered. And they would be very thankful that neither Obama nor the Clintons are currently leading the United States, a country that has already been badly damaged by those Obama and Clinton people in recent years.

Nancy Laird

Carson City

A critical look at global warming

On the front page of the paper on Feb. 24 is a story on the soon-to-be recorded wettest year. Right now the Carson River is almost 250 percent of normal and the snow has not melted yet. A little more snow and we will beat the all-time high recorded snowpack of 1982-1983, and beat it by a bunch. We are headed for big time flooding.

This was on front page, then if you turn to page A6 a story on how global warming is shrinking the Colorado River. Global warming? I don’t believe it one bit.

The Colorado River is under dire stress, not by warming but by overuse. The highly populated big cities are pulling out too much acre feet of water and the river just cannot recover fast enough.

That’s how I see it, but what do I know? My major degree was electronics and my minor was in water science, but Al Gore has a Nobel Peace Prize and you know he cannot be wrong?

The earth is an enclosed capsule, water cannot escape our atmosphere unless it’s on a rocket, but it does move around. Areas that were arid are now flooding and vice versa.

In days past and ancient times populations were nomads, traveling not to see the countryside but to follow herds of game and to find new watering areas because as water evaporates it can come down as rain in other areas and lands.

If you go deep enough in the Arctic areas you will find petrified ancient forests. That’s how I see it, but what do I know?

Ronald Feldstein

Carson City

Lenient immigration policies harmful to U.S. citizens

If you try to move to Russia without going through the proper channels, you’d inevitably be exported, if not shot.

So why are illegal immigrants here treated with such leniency? There are haven cities and on top of this entire states have signed executive orders saying state agencies with arrest powers cannot detain people whose “only crime” is residing in the country illegally.

I’m sorry ­... only crime? They don’t pay taxes like the rest of us do. What happens to you if you suddenly stop paying your taxes? Well, that’s a serious crime —­ you’ll be arrested for tax evasion. The citizens of this country are allowing these illegal immigrants to do exactly the same thing with no repercussions. A law is a law. If I get thrown in prison for not paying my taxes, why are there directives protecting them?

This is what the average liberal doesn’t stop to think of before whining that President Trump is a big, bad bully and is kicking innocent illegal immigrants out of the country when they “haven’t even committed any crimes.” By living here without paying taxes, they’re stealing from the pocket of every law-abiding citizen.

So before Gov. Sandoval considers the same thing here in Nevada, we need to gain a little common sense and a bit of perspective.

If you’re really having trouble understanding, just try not paying your taxes. Because that goes over like a lead balloon.

Claire Benson

Carson City

Understanding motive of Trump dissent

Core words describe the essential meaning behind those words derivative of it. “Fake” is a core word. It means to deceive. If someone points a fake gun at you, there is no threat of being shot. It is an attempt to deceive you.

“Skew” is a word derivative to fake, as is “illegitimate.” To skew information in your favor is an attempt to deceive. This is more President Trump’s meaning when he says “fake news” or “fake votes.” The information is skewed, and therefore, fake.

Polls and studies can be, and are often, skewed. Qualifying the persons, the questions asked, or the facts included is common practice. The media has made a science of cherry picking or coaxing out of information favorable to their point of view, and it occurs on both sides of the coin.

Votes are only as good as the people who cast them. The Democratic Party made a concerted effort to register illegal immigrants to vote for their candidate. It has been witnessed. They were not successful enough to take the election, but it did skew the numbers upward. It is then deceptive to use those numbers in an attempt to sway opinion, when a percentage of the votes were illegitimate.

Be careful what you believe from others, especially the media. To understand the deed, understand the motive. Ask then, why have these people come so hard and so soon after this man?

Fear is a great motivator, and change is frightening.

Kelly Jones

Carson City