Letters to the editor for Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017

Kneeling during Anthem is snub to servicemen and women

Regarding the National Anthem, our president is a patriot. Our National Anthem is a patriotic song. The women and men who serve in our military and died for our country are patriots.

Those that kneel for the anthem are dishonoring not only our country, but our flag and those who serve and gave up their lives as the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Period.

Mike Timmerman

Dayton

How to better accommodate traffic in Sparks

To widen Interstate 80 at the Nugget bottleneck by razing the Nugget would be very expensive.

A less expensive alternate would be to build a four-lane bridge over Nugget Avenue from Rock Boulevard to Pyramid Highway.

The existing eastbound two lanes would be used to create four lanes westbound. In addition to saving money, it would create less disruption of traffic during construction.

Walt Ratchford

Carson City

Small business owner asks Congress to keep Obamacare

As a small business owner, I’m disappointed that Sen. Heller cosponsored the latest effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

The ACA has been essential to the success of many entrepreneurs like me, and replacing it with a sub-par plan would be detrimental to the small business community.

Before the passage of the ACA, I had trouble finding health insurance because I was continuously denied due to my pre-existing conditions. But the ACA has been a Godsend. My consistent and reliable coverage has allowed me to remain healthy and completely focused on my small business ventures. However, this coverage continues to be in jeopardy, and I’m concerned about what that will mean for my health and the future of my business.

That’s why it’s time for Congress to drop any further repeal efforts. Instead, they should work on bipartisan fixes for the ACA that will support entrepreneurs who have benefitted from the law.

Michelle Mauricci

Reno

Legalized marijuana’s unintended consequences

A “well connected” Las Vegas marijuana testing lab now has their license “suspended” by the state for undisclosed reasons. Officials decline to provide any details. State law requires marijuana companies to have products tested by licensed testing labs. The pot lab’s director resigns from an advisory panel also without explanation. A marijuana dispensary CEO says he’s “shocked” at these events. It’s more “unintended consequences” in legalization.

More importantly, who are the folks that hold marijuana licenses — and who funds them? The Nevada Supreme Court construes legislation on marijuana “confidentiality” authored by ardent pro-marijuana proponent Sen. Tick Segerblom to shield marijuana ownership information from public disclosure. In contrast, alcohol and gaming licensee information is a public record. Segerblom claims “shock” at the court decision and asserts that was not intended.

However, North Las Vegas city officials used the court opinion to deny a press request for ownership information on the city’s 52 marijuana licensees — retail, cultivation and manufacture. Without that information, the public has no basis to evaluate political and business conflicts of interest. The Nevada Press Association protested.

Where is “transparency” for the marijuana industry? Gov. Sandoval’s call for a “well regulated, restricted and respected” legal marijuana industry is very far from being achieved. These most recent setbacks are also reminders of the clumsy and nationally embarrassing “pot emergency” declared on July 6 — that fiasco came just five days after “Early Start” commenced on July 1.

Jim Hartman

Genoa

How should the NFL treat protesting players?

I would like to express my outrage at the actions of the NFL and propose a solution. The NFL should adopt a policy that all players must stand and respect the flag that countless Americans of all races and gender have given their lives, allowing us our freedom. Any player hiding in the locker room or failing to adhere to the policy should be suspended without pay for that game.

Of course that is not going to happen because of the billionaire owners who refuse to admit they made a mistake. The owners’ pitiful demonstration on Sept. 24 on and off the field made me ill. In addition, the players union would have a hemorrhage.

This issue is not about free speech. It’s about disrespect for the symbol of our country. I was shocked to see those players in London kneeling. What ever happened to “united we stand, divided we fall?”

After that quarterback that played for UNR arrived on the field sporting socks depicting police officers as pigs and wearing a Castro T-shirt I knew it was a matter of time before the inmates took over the asylum.

I play golf at Eagle Valley with three other retired veterans who also served in Vietnam. We may be in the minority, but we have all decided that we will no longer watch pro football. Since the viewer ratings for Monday night football was only 63 percent compared to a year ago, maybe it’s a significant minority. From now on, my football will be on Saturday. I may even tape some games to watch on Sunday and Monday night.

Jim Powell

Minden