Letters to the editor for Sunday, March 4, 2018

Continue momentum for cancer research funding

Eliminating death and suffering from cancer means everything to the millions of Americans with the disease and the people who love them. That’s why I’m calling on Congress to oppose the major cuts to the National Institutes of Health that were included in the 2019 White House budget proposal.

Right now, we are at a point where advancements in research are saving more lives than ever and it’s critical that we keep this momentum going forward.

More than 1.7 million people will be newly diagnosed with cancer this year and all of them will be relying on research to treat it. As a cancer volunteer, I hope Congress continues the strong bipartisan support for cancer research funding to maximize our potential for progress against a disease that still kills 1,650 people a day in this country. Congress has an opportunity this year to send a clear message that medical research is a priority by funding NIH with at least a $2 billion increase in fiscal year 2018.

None of us is more than one degree from someone with cancer — whether it’s a friend, family member or we’ve been diagnosed ourselves. For the 15.5 million cancer survivors and their families in this country, we must continue to fund research and fuel the hope to end cancer as we know it.

Karen L. Fox

Minden

Volunteer, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Time for country to have respectful discourse on gun violence

Social media has given people entitlement to have no filter. Many have become desensitized to what is appropriate and how they are offending people. Being disrespectful to anyone and using foul language or making a post of someone who has is not OK. This form of bullying lacks compassion and destroys integrity.

I strongly support freedom of speech and advocate standing up for your rights and having a voice. There is a right and wrong way to do this; and it applies to all generations without being disrespectful, swearing and verbally offensive.

As I watched CNN town hall discussions with the students and teachers, all who had lost a son, daughter, close friend and teacher, I could not have been prouder of them as they addressed U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and President Trump. With much passion, emotion, respectfulness and compassion, not one of them used foul language nor was disrespectful. They listened and were heard, and it gave me hope for this generation and our government.

Through their pain they all showed a united front to which all of us could relate. Through them and their generation we are going to see a governmental change. It was inspiring and hopeful, and they were a classic example of how discussions can happen under the most turbulent times. I hope our youth throughout our country take heed. It is not the use of foul language that makes a statement.

It is time to bring the dignity and integrity back to our country by embracing and respecting our core values and passing that on to our children and grandchildren.

Doreen Mack

Carson City

Wild Horses Cry

Once wild horses

Lose their freedom,

They shed tears

As well as cry,

As if a bird

With broken wings,

Never ever

More to fly ...

J. Paul Horgan

Virginia City

Guns just a symptom of America’s murder problem

Why do people continually pick on doing away with guns? Guns are like a punching bag. It allows people to vent their anger at a visible object. However, guns are only a symptom of the problem.

We can treat symptoms all we want until doomsday but it will not solve the murder problem. The problem is threefold: mental health in this country; widespread drug use; and absence of God and the Ten Commandments.

Before all of this crap existed on a wide scale, I never heard of massive school shootings and I am 81 years old. Of course we will not attack the problems because we love our craziness; we love our drugs; and we love being free to sin in every possible way we can.

My opinion is that if we focus on the problem instead of the symptoms our children might make it to the next generation. Just a thought!

Robert M. Hellen Sr.

Carson City

Story published in Appeal appears to favor Arpaio

Reading the Feb. 20 article covering Sheriff Arpaio’s recent engagement with the Douglas County Republicans, I noticed that instead of stating that Arpaio was CONVICTED for constitutional violations, the author wrote, “Contempt charges were filed just two weeks before November 2016’s general election in which Arpaio was running for re-election; however, in August 2017, Trump issued a presidential pardon.”

Leaving out this important information along with Arpaio’s inhumane treatment of hundreds of immigrants, is a disservice to the readers in our community.

If the Nevada Appeal is going to do puff pieces on someone like Arpaio, at least have the honesty to put it on the opinion page.

Laura Hale

Carson City

Keeping guns away from dangerous youth

Regarding this latest school shooting, where does a high school kid get an AR-15 assault rifle? How does a kid get an AR-15 rifle into school? The gun manufacturers should be held responsible! Where are these kids’ parents? This is terribly wrong!

Ross Jensen

Carson City